It's an Inside Job

Unspoken Rules & Invisible Lines: Why Questioning Assumptions Leads to Success.

Jason Birkevold Liem Season 8 Episode 6

Get in touch with us! We’d appreciate your feedback and comments.

"When we push with purpose, respect, and curiosity, not defiance, we often find those lines aren't lines at all. They're simply assumptions, beliefs, sometimes inherited, sometimes outdated, sometimes just plain wrong."

Discover how recognising and respectfully challenging "invisible lines"—unspoken rules and assumptions—can unlock innovation, improve team dynamics, and boost personal growth. Learn to identify and question these hidden boundaries for a more positive mindset and effective leadership.

Have you ever hesitated to speak up or try something new, only to realize the "rule" preventing you wasn't even real?

Key Takeaway Insights and Tools

  • Invisible lines are unspoken, assumed boundaries that shape our behavior and can block innovation. These are not formal rules but cultural norms or inherited beliefs that everyone quietly follows. (0:39)
  • Challenging invisible lines with purpose, respect, and curiosity can reveal they are often just assumptions.Often, these "lines" dissolve when someone respectfully questions their existence. (2:03)
  • The cost of not asking questions about invisible boundaries is significant. Silence breeds frustration, isolates people, and leads to quiet disengagement, causing teams to lose their edge. (4:52)
  • Real learning happens through "friction" and "experience," not static belief. Actively testing perceived boundaries allows for dynamic learning and feedback. (5:13)
  • Challenge for the Week: Identify a boundary you've accepted without question in your work or team. Approach it with genuine inquiry, asking "why" or if an alternative has been explored, starting with low-consequence situations. (6:59)

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone in your network who might find it useful and hit that subscribe button!

Support the show


Sign up for the weekly IT'S AN INSIDE JOB NEWSLETTER

  • takes 5 seconds to fill out
  • receive a fresh update every Wednesday

People on this episode