The Workplace Chameleon with Dr. Celina
This podcast is about the changing organization and our relationship to it -- how we enter, thrive and exit. Each episode is meant to be thoughtful, funny, and applicable. Stories, insight, and "words to say" come from Dr. Celina's experience with over two and a half decades of listening, learning from and leading conversations in hundreds of companies. Each episode will explore a new theme about life arriving in, interacting with and leaving the workplace.
The Workplace Chameleon with Dr. Celina
Episode 84: Hold the Line
In the rush of meetings, pings, deadlines, and distractions, how do leaders hold their ground on what truly matters?
In this episode of The Workplace Chameleon, Dr. Celina Peerman explores what it really means to hold the line—to protect priorities, maintain focus, and lead with clarity when everything feels urgent. You’ll learn why it’s so hard to stay aligned (especially when you're trying to be helpful), how doubt can actually make you a stronger leader, and practical ways to say “not now” without shutting people down. This is the leadership work that builds trust, models boundaries, and creates space for what matters most.
Dr. Celina Peerman is an organizational psychologist, speaker, and author with 30 years of experience helping leaders navigate change, develop stronger teams, and lead with more intention. With humor, heart, and a focus on practical tools, she brings real-world leadership insights to every conversation.
Download the free companion worksheet to reflect on your own leadership priorities and help your team stay focused this week. Email us at hello@workplacechameleon.com for details.
This episode is part of our ongoing season on focus, prioritization, and alignment—because the best leaders aren’t doing more; they’re doing what matters most.
Welcome to the Workplace Chameleon. This is Dr Selina. In this podcast, we explore how to adapt, align and lead through continuous change without losing ourselves in the process. This season, we're digging into what it really takes to focus, prioritize what matters and lead with intention when everything feels urgent. Today's episode is holding the line. Let's be honest for a moment.
Speaker 1:Holding the line can be hard. You decide what matters, you clarify the focus and then someone else wants to shift the line again. It's a good thing vinyl records are back in, because I can now use the phrase. Now you might feel like a broken record and say things like this that's not our focus right now. That's a good idea, yet not our priority. Let's finish what we've started on this before we add the next thing. Those are examples of phrases that can help you hold the line.
Speaker 1:Yet it takes energy to stay aligned, especially when pressure or people try to pull you off course. What does it really mean to hold the line? It means committing to the focus you've already set, not because you're rigid, but because you're clear. It's about protecting what matters most. Holding the line is an act of maintaining boundaries, priorities and purpose in the face of competing demands. It means staying grounded in what you said you would do, even when new requests, ideas or crises pull you away. Clarity is key. I found that when we have clarity about goals and values, timelines and expectations, we can filter decisions and requests through that lens, or even multiple lens. It helps everyone know where to put their energy and what to say yes to and, I believe, just as importantly, what to say no to. Without clarity, it's easy to drift or say yes to the wrong things out of habit or pressure.
Speaker 1:As leaders people leaders, project leaders, technical leaders, expertise leaders holding the line might mean saying no to something that's really cool and exciting yet doesn't align with our strategy. Sticking to a decision you've made as a team, even when others are questioning it. Resisting the urge to jump into reactive mode when distractions show up. Into reactive mode when distractions show up. Holding the line is not about control. It's about clarity and follow through. Okay, great to say. Good review. So why is this so stinking hard? Maybe there are some times it's less hard. Overall, in my conversations with leaders every day, I think it's important for us to name the tension of what makes this harder to do, of what makes this harder to do. Let's look at a couple.
Speaker 1:I often see people not wanting to see unhelpful. They don't want to be seen as unhelpful or resistance, and when they hold the line, they push back other people. So when I see many leaders priding themselves on being approachable and supportive, saying no or pushing back can feel like you're disappointing people or, worse, shutting them down. But saying yes to everything puts you at risk of mission drift and burnout. Holding the line means choosing long-term impact over short-term approval.
Speaker 1:Another one the pressure to respond quickly is very real. In our fast-paced environments, delayed answers can be seen as an indecision. Leaders often feel like they need to give an immediate response to demonstrate competence. But urgency should not override intentionality. Sometimes the best leadership move is to pause, assess and respond with clarity.
Speaker 1:I do see examples where people may take it personally when you redirect or push back, and that's where we need to talk about this as one of the options we've got, because, especially in team cultures where ideas and initiatives are closely tied to personal identity or passion, it's not uncommon for people to feel dismissed when their idea isn't acted on immediately. That's why how you say quote not now matters as much as saying it at all. Empathy plus clarity builds trust. I understand that's important to you. Our next focus is right, so I can acknowledge why that's important to them. But I have to bring it back to what we're paying attention to, what we're putting resources to, what we've already agreed on is the focus. I think it's also important for us to acknowledge that sometimes we second guess ourselves. Did we set the right focus? Is it okay to hold steady when others are moving on other things? And often they're moving pretty darn fast? Here's the thing. Second, guessing yourself doesn't mean you're a weak leader. I'm going to say that one more time for us to. I'll just repeat it back again when we need it. Second, guessing yourself doesn't mean you're a weak W-E-A-K leader. It means you're thoughtful.
Speaker 1:Doubt, when acknowledged and examined, can serve as a checkpoint. It asks are we still on the right track? Has anything changed? That should make us reconsider. This kind of self-awareness builds stronger alignment over time. I use the phrase I've published, the phrase I live, the phrase normalize the doubt. It's a sign of who you are. It's a sign of how you care. It doesn't mean that we're always doubting. It's a sign that we're leading with intention, not just authority.
Speaker 1:Leadership often means being the one to pause and revalidate the direction before charging ahead. This is the opposite of what I do in my training classes when I say when does your stubborn come out? This is pause with intention, not stubbornness. It's responsible decision-making, and this is where leadership gets lonelier, but it's also where it becomes most powerful. What are some tools, then, that can help you hold the line? Stay anchored in those moments when that push at you or at the idea or at the focus feels pretty hard.
Speaker 1:Number one repeat the vision. Remind yourself and others of the bigger picture. Here's what we're focusing on this quarter. Let's realign our goals. Are we still moving towards that finish line? To stay on track, let's come back to our original purpose.
Speaker 1:Two acknowledge the value. You don't have to dismiss ideas to stay focused. That's a great suggestion. Let's add it to our list for next review. I appreciate the creativity here. Let's record it so we don't lose that spark. That could be really useful later. Can we bookmark it for our next planning meeting? For our next planning meeting? It just said not now in a variety of ways. Yet in each of these, we acknowledge the idea of the value, and we need great ideas from anywhere today. We just can't act on all of them.
Speaker 1:Use time-bound language when possible. This month, our priority is blank. We can revisit that idea next quarter. That's more of a phase two initiative. Let's make sure phase one is strong first. Timing matters. Let's give this its due when the bandwidth is right.
Speaker 1:Now I'm speaking in generalities because you know your business best. I'm not trying to use just some general business jargon here, but you choose the words that fit for you and then bring your team in Ask what helps us stay focused? Where are we drifting right now? What have we said? Yes to that? Maybe we shouldn't have. By the way, I'm just dedicating that to my own team because they ask me that all the time. And if we could do only one thing this week, what would it be? Sometimes I'll use the question out of all the things you could choose to do today, what's the most important Out of this week, out of this month, out of this quarter? Now, it doesn't mean that they don't adjust because circumstances change, but we need to hold the line without becoming the wall.
Speaker 1:There's a difference between clarity and rigidity. Clarity is about purpose. It allows you to navigate with direction, even through complexity. It's flexible when needed, but rooted in values and vision Rigidity, on the other hand, use and vision Rigidity, on the other hand, is about fear. It resists change at all costs, even when circumstances demand adjustment. Rigidity can lead to alienation, decreased innovation and resistance.
Speaker 1:Holding the line doesn't mean never flexing. It does mean being intentional about when and why you flex. Ask yourself is this a true shift in priorities or just a new distraction? What would it cost us to switch focus now? There's a cost to change and there's a cost not to change. There's a cost to switch focus now and there's a cost not to switch focus now and there's a cost not to switch focus now. We just have to decide which cost we want. And how do I invite others into the why behind our focus? When we flex, it helps to say I'm not saying no forever, I'm saying not right now.
Speaker 1:Your leadership is really a signal to other people. When you hold the line, others learn to as well. They begin to see that boundaries are not shutting things down. They're about protecting what matters. Your consistency builds safety. One more time on that one. Your consistency builds safety. It lets others know what to expect and where the focus lies. It shows that priorities aren't just words on a paper, physical or electronic. They're lived through decisions and that modeling matters. When your team sees you make choices that align with strategy, they begin to do the same. They mirror your clarity, they're more confident, saying let's stay focused or that's a great idea, it's just not the right time. That, step-by-step, is how you build a culture that values clarity and intentionality. One decision, one conversation, one line at a time, conversation, one line at a time. You have more influence than you think. When you hold the line, you model commitment, clarity and courage, and that's how we build capacity.
Speaker 1:Thanks for joining me on this episode of the Workplace Chameleon Watch for upcoming free companion worksheets to help you reflect on your priorities and how you prepare to hold the line with your team, your time and your focus. Well, that will be available on a link. If the link isn't available to you right now, please just email us at hello at workplacechameleoncom. I promise you'll only have to type in chameleon once, when you spell it correctly, and then you'll have us forever Remember. Your week ahead may be full of noise, but here's your invitation Notice it, name it and shift toward your signal. Keep smashing mental health stigmas and if today's episode helped you refocus or realign, share it, reflect on it and use it to lead just a little clearer this week. To lead just a little clearer this week. Until next time, keep leading with intention and learn something new today.
