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 91: Yes Has a Price Tag
Saying yes feels generous, positive, and full of possibility — but every yes comes with a price tag. In this episode of The Workplace Chameleon, Dr. Celina Peerman explores the hidden costs of commitment and why intentional leaders pause to check the tag before swiping yes. She unpacks the three main currencies you spend with every agreement — time, energy, and focus — along with the fine print most people forget: opportunity cost. You’ll hear why approval-seeking, fear of missing out, and “ten-minute favors” often lead us into bargain-bin yeses that turn out to be far more expensive than expected. With practical tools like the Alignment Check, Bandwidth Check, Trade Test, and Timing Question, Dr. Celina shows how to price-check your commitments and model a healthier culture where smart no’s and well-timed yeses are valued equally. This week’s challenge: before your next yes, pause to read the tag, consider the trade, and decide if it’s worth the investment. Because strong leaders don’t buy every yes in sight — they invest in the ones that matter most.
For more leadership tools and resources, visit www.drcelinapeerman.com
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Welcome to the Workplace Chameleon, where we chase less, choose better and lead with intention, even when it feels pretty uncertain and chaotic. I'm Dr Selina and I want to build on something that had popped up in episode 88. And in that episode we talked about every yes costs something, and I relied really on the issue of awareness in order to get us to that point. Today I want you to consider the word intentionality, how to check the price tag and model better yeses for your team. Today we're talking about one of the most powerful little short words three letters in leadership yes, y-e -S. Now yes feels so positive, it feels generous, it feels like possibility. But here's the truth Every yes has a price tag. Think of your yeses like items in a store Some are bargains, some are impulse buys and some are luxury investments worth every penny. But if you never look at the price tag, you'll end up with a cart full of commitments you might not be able to afford. So let's talk about what's really on those tags, why we sometimes overspend and how you can be a better, smarter shopper with your commitments. And what I love about this material is I also have to keep working on this. So what's really on the tag. When you say yes, you're spending one or more of the following three currencies. We've talked about this a little bit in the past, but now, with reviewing it, I want you to understand how you're choosing which intentionally Time.
Speaker 1:A new project means something else will be delayed or dropped because you still only have so many hours in the day, energy. Your brain and body only have so much bandwidth. Pouring it here means less for something else. And focus, because every yes competes with the priorities you already have. And then there's the fine print most of us forget about. I love this one Opportunity cost. What else could you have done with that same time, energy or focus? I kind of like to picture it like swiping a credit card in the moment it feels fine, swipe, tap done, but later the bill comes due, and sometimes that comes with compounding interests. You end up paying more than you ever expected. Consider this If your last yes came with a literal receipt, what would it list under time, energy and focus?
Speaker 1:I think there are some traps in our daily work right now that lead to overspending. So why do we say yes without checking the price tag? Well, here's how I think it's about. Sometimes it's approval seeking. We want to look helpful, likable and a team player. Sometimes it's the fear of missing out that shiny opportunity looks too good to miss. Sometimes it's just a habit. We've been on yes autopilot for years and it's often fear, fear that no one will hurt our reputation. So that fear that if we said no, it will hurt our reputation, our relationships or possibly our future opportunities.
Speaker 1:And then there's what I call a 10-minute bargain bin trap. A 10-minute bargain bin trap, someone who says just a quick favor and you think, sure, 10 minutes is nothing. But then come the clarifications and the follow-up questions and even another meeting. I mentioned this previously in an episode, but I think it just happens so often that we're not even aware of it. So I'm going to flip those examples around today to intentionality. When I make those choices now I'm two hours later and I'm behind on the work I'd already actually planned on.
Speaker 1:That isn't generosity. Okay, I'm going to say that again. For me, that isn't generosity. I love generosity, it is a core value of mine, something we try to do in our team. But that 10-minute bargain bin trap, just a quick favor. I like relationships, I like being helpful, I like doing quick favors, but it often costs more. It was a poorly priced. Yes. Squirrel alert Beware of the bargain bin. Yes, it often costs more than the luxury version.
Speaker 1:Smart shoppers know how to check the tag or the price before buying. Leaders, we need to do the same. Here are four filters I'd like you to consider. Number one alignment check. Does this match our top goals or values? If not, why am I even considering it? Two bandwidth check Do I realistically have the time and energy right now? Three trade test If I say yes here, what will be delayed, dropped or diminished? Four timing question Is this the right time or should it wait? Alignment, bandwidth, trade timing I think those are fantastic. Sometimes you don't need a hard no, you just need a soft deferral no-transcript.
Speaker 1:Consider this Imagine if every yes had a giant price sticker attached to it. Which ones would you keep in your cart and which ones would you quietly put back on the shelf? About your personal shopping cart. Oh, it's also about modeling wise spending for your team. The most powerful way people learn is by watching other people, and leaders who check the tag before saying yes are noticed by team members. And when leaders overspend, guess what the team does? They copy it.
Speaker 1:So what can you do. Encourage daily actions that support a culture where not right now is respected. Share your top priorities openly, so it's clear why some requests just don't fit now. Have a backlog shelf. Good ideas should not be thrown away. We need to be able to get great ideas from anywhere. We just got to be able to remember them when we need them and that log they'll be waiting for you in the right season.
Speaker 1:Celebrate smart no's and well-timed yes's. Here's a couple more reflection questions you can borrow to take to your team. One what's one yes we bought recently? That's crowding out something more important. Two if we returned one commitment today, what would it free up for us? Three where do we need a pause before purchase habit?
Speaker 1:Remember, this isn't about saying no to everything. Remember, this isn't about saying no to everything. It's about choosing the right yeses, the ones that are worth the price. My hope is this gives you some thinking time about how you use this amazing opportunity of a yes, because a yes is never free. It always has a price tag. But when you check the tag, compare the value, choose intentionally and your yes then becomes an investment instead of an impulse. So here's your challenge for the week Before your next yes, pause.
Speaker 1:Read the tag, check the cost in time, energy, focus and opportunity. Decide if it's worth it and, if not, put it on the back shelf. If it's worth it and if not, put it on the back shelf Because the best leaders don't buy every yes in sight. They invest in the ones that matter the most. They invest in the ones that matter the most, in the ones that matter the most. Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Workplace Chameleon. My hope is this episode gives you new perspective on how to say yes, share it with someone else and see, potentially, what conversation gets sparked. I will always encourage you to lead with intention, protect your priorities, smash, please keep smashing those mental health stigmas and, as always, keep learning something new today.
