How Boundaries Help Your Bottom Line
The notion of setting boundaries is not new as a self-help trend, but bringing it into a business environment can be revolutionary to your culture and your bottom line. Let’s start by talking about what boundaries are, and what they are not. Webster’s dictionary defines a boundary as “a line that marks the limits of an area; a dividing line.” We often think of drawing a boundary as telling other people which lines they cannot cross. While this may seem like an important thing to communicate, the truth is we cannot control the behavior of others. Even if I tell someone they can’t treat me a particular way, they can choose to do so anyway. A more accurate and effective way of setting a boundary is to communicate my expectation and then clearly explain what I will do if the expectation is not met. For example, if I say, “You can’t speak to me that way,” it’s not really an accurate statement; I can’t stop the other person from speaking in whatever way they choose. What I can say instead is, “If you continue to speak to me that way I will remove myself from your presence.” Remember, a boundary is a self-responsible statement rather than a way of trying to control someone else.
How do boundaries show up in a work environment?
There are four important ways to be mindful of boundaries in a business setting. The first has to do with time. It is important to clearly delineate what others can expect from you with regard to your time. What are your working hours? What is your level of response during non-work hours? How quickly do you return texts, calls, and emails? Setting expectations for time and maintaining boundaries around this are foundational pieces of building solid business relationships.
The second way boundaries come into play in your business is by making conscious decisions about which topics you are willing to discuss with others. One vital rule of thumb is to stay away from workplace gossip or speaking negatively about others. This is especially important if you are in a leadership position, as it erodes trust and damages morale. I recently worked with a company in which the CEO would talk to his direct reports about his conflicts with other C-suite executives. They all experienced discomfort and ambivalence about this, stating that they liked the idea of being his confidante, but it also made them view him as untrustworthy and unprofessional.
A third boundary consideration is creating a clear path for stakeholders to address problems and concerns. Whenever possible, the first step in addressing a concern is to respectfully go directly to the person involved. If that’s not an option, or if this doesn’t resolve the issue, the next step is to take it to your direct leader or supervisor. (If you are leading the company and your conflict is with another leader, you should seek an outside business partner therapist or consultant to help you resolve the problem.) The final step is to bring your concern to HR and see if it can be rectified at this level. Having an explicit, accessible method for attending to troublesome situations can help keep morale intact and help stakeholders stay focused on solutions.
The fourth important workplace boundary is giving team members clear tools and guidelines for respectfully challenging leaders and peers. Feeling suppressed and unable to express dissenting opinions creates discontent. However, it’s critical to let employees know the appropriate manner and channel for speaking up, and to support them in doing so. For example, does your business encourage discussion during staff meetings? In writing? To a whole group or to a specific individual? What kind of positive follow-up or negative repercussions might occur if someone expresses dissent? Set people up for success by providing them with straightforward guidelines for challenging others within the organization.
How do boundaries help the success of my organization?
Boundaries are a foundational piece of building trust within your organization. When someone communicates clear boundaries, others know exactly what to expect from them. This predictability creates a sense of safety within the company. When people feel safe in their workplace, they report higher levels of happiness, improving morale throughout the organization. This higher morale has a significant impact on reducing turnover, which has a direct impact on the bottom line. Additionally, a happier workplace with low turnover is a tremendous boon to attracting top talent.