Setting boundaries is a critical step every leader and entrepreneur must take to ensure long-term success and personal well-being. We might think of setting boundaries are something that only applies to interpersonal relationships, but it is just as important to apply to the working world.
There are two facets of setting boundaries as a professional: boundaries as they relate to the work itself and boundaries as they relate to the people around you. This is where you decide what is acceptable and what is not. As a leader, boundaries empower you to act proactively rather than reactively.
If you don’t define the lines that you will not cross, it is all-too easy to slip into damaging habits. Over the years, I’ve learned myself just how important it is to set boundaries consciously and intentionally as a leader and professional.
Here are five boundaries I urge you to set!
5 Boundaries that Safeguard Your Effectiveness in Leadership
Boundary Line #1: What Comes Home with You
Work-life balance is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. One way we get closer to maintaining a healthy balance, though, is by determining when we will and will not work. There will be crunches and inevitable overtime but allowing ourselves to constantly work beyond a steady 9-to-5 sets us up for failure. We’ll be more prone to burnout and our interpersonal relationships will suffer.
Guard yourself against any workaholic tendencies you may have. It’s all well and good to be productive, but workaholism is not a virtue. Work shouldn’t consume your every waking thought or action.
Example Boundaries:
· No checking work email or calls after hours.
· No working while on vacation.
· I will take regular, daily breaks while at work.
· I will not work through my lunch hour or eat at my desk.
Boundary Line #2: Oversight & Management
As a leader, you know full-well that the buck stops with you. You ultimately oversee and control the quality of work that your team produces. While you hold the responsibility, you can’t let it consume you. Without setting boundaries, you can fall into micro-management, which will breed resentment, or constantly pulling your team’s proverbial fat out of the fire.
You must ensure that your team is held accountable for their mistakes. Fixing things for them can create a sense of complacency – if they know you’ll correct their work, they may not bother to do it themselves!
Example Boundaries:
· My team will pitch ideas and solutions before I offer my own input.
· I will not fix my team’s mistakes. I will send work back to be corrected.
· I will not obsess over tasks being executed my way, only that the work is high-quality and timely.
Boundary Line #3: Personal Information & Privacy
For most of us, there exists an understood personal/professional boundary. In general, we try not to bring our personal lives into the workplace, particularly when it can be a detriment or a distraction. While there is something to be said for the virtue of transparency and vulnerability, leaders need not share their every struggle. By the same token, we must value and champion our team’s right to privacy. Their boundaries are just as valuable as yours.
Example Boundaries:
· I will not participate in or tolerate idle workplace gossip.
· I will not share or be a sounding board for relationship problems.
· Stakeholders and clients will not be privy to scrutinize the entirety of our workflow.
Boundary Line #4: Behavior
A sense of professionalism is necessary, particularly in a world that grows increasingly irreverent. This isn’t to say that leaders ought to walk on eggshells or be overly concerned with hurting feelings – conflict is a natural byproduct of good leadership. We must continually challenge and push our teams to greater heights. However, leaders must set and enforce a standard of conduct for their team. This prevents persistent interpersonal strife, harassment, and a generally toxic workplace culture.
Example Boundaries:
· Harassment of any kind will be met with swift discipline, correction, and consequences.
· I will set the example and tone for how to conduct ourselves in front of clients, stakeholders, and one another.
Boundary Line #5: Tactics
In business, integrity is everything. While it may seem like “ethical guys finish last,” you will find that a good reputation is worth its weight in gold. Once you compromise ethical and professional principles, there’s no going back. Set the standard and protect your reputation by establishing crystal-clear boundaries.
Example Boundaries:
· I will not disparage my competition in front of my team, prospective clients, or colleagues for my gain.
· My team will not cut critical corners to get ahead.
· I will be responsible and ethical in my handling of income, expenses, and book-balancing.