Setting and Maintaining Boundaries as a Leader
Submitted by the USPS Employee Assistance Program
Strong leaders have clear boundaries. Setting and maintaining boundaries as a supervisor are important to maintain a healthy work/life balance and ensure that all team members are clear on expectations and responsibilities. Boundaries help maintain well-being and provide a greater sense of control. Without boundaries, leaders may be more susceptible to simply doing what others want, rather than making the right decisions for the team.
Recognizing When You May Need Stronger Boundaries as a Leader
1. Do you often feel overwhelmed or burnt out?
2. Do you feel resentment toward others for asking for your help?
3. Do you avoid phone calls and interactions with those you think might ask for something?
4. Do you notice yourself commenting on how you’ve helped others, but got nothing in return?
5. Do you daydream about dropping everything and disappearing?
6. Do you lack sufficient time for yourself?
If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, then your boundaries may need to be explored further and more deeply established. Boundaries best can be described as the limits you set on your time, space and energy to protect your emotional well-being and health.
Establishing healthy boundaries is one of the highest forms of self-care, allowing each person the opportunity to create parameters they uphold and respect to protect themselves physically, mentally and emotionally. This may sound easy in theory, but it can be quite cumbersome, especially with the demands of family, work and all the many obligations people have day to day. Putting so much energy into fulfilling those obligations rarely leaves space to address individual needs without being intentionality committed.
Steps to Set and Maintain Healthy Boundaries as a Leader
Clearly define your boundaries—Start by identifying what your personal boundaries are, such as how much time you are willing to commit to work and what kind of work you are willing to assume. Spell out your boundaries and share them with your team so everyone is on the same page.
Communicate your boundaries—Make sure everyone on your team knows your boundaries and why they are important to you. This will help your team understand your perspective and respect your limits.
Enforce your boundaries—It’s important to stick to your boundaries and say no to requests or tasks that go beyond them. If you consistently go beyond your boundaries, you risk burnout and resentment toward work.
Encourage others to set boundaries—As a leader, you can encourage others on your team to set their own boundaries by leading by example and creating a culture where boundaries are respected and valued.
Revisit boundaries regularly—Your boundaries may change over time as your personal circumstances and workload evolve. Take time to review your boundaries regularly and adjust as needed.
Remember, setting and maintaining boundaries aren’t just about protecting your personal time and well-being, but also about being a more effective and productive leader. By respecting your own boundaries and encouraging others to do the same, you’ll create a more positive and healthy work environment for everyone involved.
Boundaries are needed in every area of life—in families, intimate partnerships and friendships, as well as at work with colleagues and employees. This can be especially tough to navigate as a people leader. Your staff is depending on you to be accountable and responsible for operations and efficiency and to support them through some of their best and worst life experiences that inevitably impact how they present at work.
Common issues created by unhealthy boundaries in the workplace:
- doing work for others
- doing tasks alone that were intended for more than one person
- saying “yes” to tasks you cannot responsibly complete
- taking on more than you can handle
- working during down time
- working without pay
- failing to delegate
- failing to take advantage of vacation days
- failing to take needed time off
- flirting
- gossiping
- being asked about personal issues unrelated to work
- engaging in stressful interactions
- being mistreated based on race, physical ability or sexual orientation
- noticing poor and negative communication among peers or superiors
If you read through the list and realized you have participated in one or more of those behaviors in the workplace, fear not! There always are opportunities for a fresh start in building and sustaining healthy boundaries. However, there also is critical personal consequence to not addressing issues of boundaries. Unhealthy work boundaries can erode our emotional and mental health stability, which then can begin to negatively impact your ability to function in your personal life.
Boundaries are determined by the things each person values, which means boundaries will vary from person to person. What works for one person may not work for all. However, the goal is to honor and protect yourself while still being able to effectively engage with others. The USPS Employee Assistance Program offers a wide range of support so this work does not have to be done alone.
It is recommended to use a licensed health coach or even a therapist to evaluate and work toward developing and implementing healthy boundaries. Contact us today at 800-327-4968 (800-EAP-4YOU), TTY: 877-492-7341, or visit the EAP online at EAP4YOU.com.