INSIGHTS FROM THE FIELD.

When everything’s a priority, psychological safety starts to fracture. Clarity fades. Expectations blur. People are left trying to figure out how to prioritize when everything feels important in an environment that keeps shifting. As a researcher focused on organizational dynamics—from the crabs in the barrel phenomenon to the invisible signals that stall high-performing teams—I’ve seen how this kind of urgency quietly undermines the very culture leaders are working to build.

Workstination is the cognitive overload that happens when priorities are unclear, expectations are competing, and everything feels equally important. Not to be confused with procrastination, it’s misdirected productivity—the state of being busy and responsive without making meaningful progress on an intended goal. For those of us with non-linear minds, workstination isn't a "bad" thing to be fixed. Often, it’s just our brains gravitating toward the tasks that provide an immed

There’s a moment that happens in almost every room I speak in. I’ll describe a specific workplace dynamic, and you can feel the shift. There's a pause. Sometimes it's a nervous laugh. Other times, it's a heavy silence. It’s the moment people realize what they’ve been navigating isn’t just an interpersonal conflict between two people. It’s patterned. As a researcher, I’ve spent years studying this pattern. It’s what I call the Crabs in the Barrel Syndrome (CBS). It’s a metapho