In this episode of Agile Unemployment, Sabina Sulat examines the workplace term “insubordination” and why it often operates less like a clear behavior and more like a subjective label. Prompted by recent public commentary around Scott Pelley’s departure from CBS (while acknowledging we don’t know what happened inside the room), Sabina explores how “insubordination” can be used to control narratives in organizations that claim to value ethics and a speak-up culture. We unpack the speak-up paradox, the link between insubordination and psychological safety, the culture damage caused by misuse of the label, and practical options for speaking up with strategy and agency—plus how to talk about it in interviews if you’ve been tagged with the word.
What We Cover
Why this topic is back in the public conversation (and what we can and can’t know)
“Insubordination” on paper vs. how it’s used in real workplaces
The 3 things people confuse: principled dissent, interpersonal breakdown, and power/control
Psychological safety and the role of standing up for others
The “speak up” paradox: encouraged to speak until you do
What kind of culture forms when “insubordination” becomes a catch-all label
How misuse drives toxicity, fear, low insight, and low creativity
Why the threat of “insubordination” often signals a failure of management and coaching
What to do: options for speaking up with strategy (channel, framing, documentation, allies)
When leaving is the most adult expression of agency
Interviewing after a conflict: a clean narrative structure you can use
Key Takeaways
Insubordination is often less about what was said than what it threatened.
A true speak-up culture requires governance, not slogans.
Psychological safety isn’t comfort; it’s the ability to raise truth without retaliation.
You can be principled and strategic: choose channel, frame in outcomes, document cleanly.
If a culture punishes truth, you have options—and exiting isn’t failure.
Practical Framework: “How to Speak Up Without Self-Sabotage”
Try these options depending on your environment:
Clarify the directive and success metric
Separate facts, impact, recommendation, and what you need
Choose the smallest effective audience first
Document for clarity (not paranoia)
Anchor to values and risk (fairness, compliance, customer impact)
Build allies/sponsorship when the culture is political
Know your line (preference vs integrity)
Know when the cost is too high and plan a dignified exit
Quote Pulls for Social
“Discomfort gets mislabeled as misconduct.”
“If you punish truth, you get silence. Silence becomes surprise. Surprise becomes crisis.”
“Psychological safety isn’t comfort. It’s truth without retaliation.”
“A label is not a verdict. Learn the system, then choose your move.”
“Leaving isn’t failure. Sometimes leaving is agency.”
Related Listening
Sabina references the work of Jocelyn Davis and her book Insubordinate and encourages listeners to revisit prior episodes featuring Jocelyn for another lens on the fine line between being “insubordinate” and being principled.
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