#32: Are you above or below the line?
How a simple question can transform your state of mind
Pass It On is a bi-weekly newsletter bringing the tech and non-profit sectors closer together through knowledge sharing, written and edited by Lauren Crichton.
Welcome to all the recent subscribers! If you're new here, why not join us:
—
I'll be honest: I've struggled to know what to share this week. With the senseless atrocities happening in Ukraine, writing has felt futile. And after a slower-than-expected recovery from covid, it's also been more tiring than usual. But I'm here with one simple schema for you this week—the one that made it possible for me to write this newsletter.
It all starts with a line. A horizontal line, like this one:
This line represents a border between two states of mind.
When we're above the line, we are open, curious, and committed to learning. We can find humour in almost anything, listen to others, and question our beliefs.
When we're below the line, we are closed, defensive, and determined to be right. We're more likely to look for fault, pass blame, and get overwhelmed.
This 3-min video illustrates the concept beautifully:
If being below the line sounds familiar, that's because our brains are hardwired for it. Whenever the brain perceives a threat, it releases a chemical that takes us below the line. While originally designed to help us survive physical threat, this reaction can also happen in response to an emotional threat to our ego or identity. So being below the line is natural, but not necessarily helpful.
Why should you locate yourself and others in relation to the line?
It's the starting point for shifting your state of mind. For example, if you're a leader and you're below the line, that negative energy could be detrimental to your team. If you find yourself in that situation, a natural follow-up question could be: what needs to change for me to go above the line? If you can make that shift, you'll become more collaborative, creative, and communicative.
It builds psychological safety. When I first learned about the concept, I was nervous about the prospect of admitting to a colleague that I was below the line. But, with time, I've learned to appreciate the care behind the question and the honesty behind the answer. Being able to reply to a colleague and say, "I'm below the line today": that frankness can both free you from yourself and help you connect with the other person. Over time, these moments of vulnerability evolve into the trust and safety needed to create high-performing teams.
The wonderful thing about concepts like above/below the line is that when a group embraces them, they transform into shared language and identity. For example, at Sana Labs, where I work, everyone knows what above/below the line means and why it's meaningful. So every time we ask the question, we reinforce our mutual understanding. In doing so, we also reaffirm our collective ambition to be above the line and help each other stay or return there. That says something about who we are.
The actions of a man like Putin are the actions of someone who exists permanently below the line and wants to drag the world down there with him. That’s not a world I want to live in. So instead of feeling helpless and resigned, I’ve chosen to write.
I’ve chosen to be above the line.
I have also chosen to support Ukraine by donating to Sweden's UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). As I discovered this week, Sweden is the UNHCR's biggest multi-year donor of unearmarked funding. With unearmarked funding, the UNHCR can respond rapidly to new emergencies like the one in Ukraine because it’s free to choose how to allocate the money.
Thanks so much for reading. If you enjoyed this issue, would you please pass it on to someone else who would too?
Take care,
Lauren