Stay in Your Lane

Post-Modern Living with Chris The Brain

In episode 6 of “Post-Modern Living with Chris The Brain,” Chris and Kait talk with guest host Ashley about being stereotyped, then punished for stepping out of the stereotype. They discuss getting comments on your looks in a business setting, resisting being confined to the box you’re put in, and ways to change society’s subconsciously malicious instincts.

We process people through stereotypes, and that becomes a problem when we confine people and don’t allow them out of the boxes we put them in. Chris mentions being stereotyped as geeky and constantly being asked to fix people’s phones, while Kait and Ashley constantly get comments on their looks in business settings. The hosts also discuss being treated like you don’t belong at a bike shop or gym because you’re not already in amazing shape, and getting crushing offhand comments about weight and diet.

We’re always struggling to grow out of the stereotypes people put us in, and feel like we have to go above and beyond to prove that we deserve to be where we want to be. You can keep who you are and be successful at the same time, though; you don’t have to conform to the stereotype of a consultant, lawyer, businessperson, or whatever you’re trying to be. People who don’t fit the stereotype for a job are often the best at it.

There’s often not a conscious malicious intent behind “stay in your lane” comments, but we typically don’t take the time to reflect and be aware of our motives. As a society, we should continue to encourage conversations for people to self-reflect and think about how, without thinking about it, they’re treating people in ways that might be harmful. Think before you speak!

On a lighter note, Chris and Kait discuss keeping your email inbox organized. Chris is an “inbox zero” person and says that for most people, when their inbox is full, it’s a bunch of deferred decisions. These are his rules for emails:

Don’t have conversations in email. Period.
It takes up too much time and inbox space. Figure out the best way to reach someone and how they prefer to communicate. It’s not always email.

No drama in email.
Email is almost always misread, and you tone rarely translates.

Don’t leave to-dos in email.
If you can’t immediately reply or complete what you’re asked to do in the email, put it in some kind of to-do list and then get rid of the email.

Shout Outs To:

Apprenace, a company creating meaningful internship programs that help businesses and careers grow
DK New Media, a digital marketing company who lets us use their podcast studio
The Speak Easy, the network of coworking spaces guest host Ashley works for
Bicycle Garage Indy, Chris’s favorite bike store, where they don’t treat him like he doesn’t belong there
Planet Fitness, Kait’s gym, where they don’t look at you funny for not already being in shape
“Lane Boy,” a Twenty One Pilots song about being told to stay in your lane
Legally Blonde, the world’s greatest “Stay in Your Lane” movie
Lauren Schregardus from Content by Carter, Speak Easy’s awesome PR person
The Pivot for Equality event led by Julie Kratz, where men and women collaborate for gender equality
Slack, a place to have conversations with your coworkers without cluttering up your email
Tony Sanders, a sales coach who’s been helping Kait with her career
Google Voice, where you can keep your personal phone number separate from your work number without having two phones
Salesforce, the most well-known CRM