How can you maintain professional boundaries while building trust?

1 Define your boundaries

The first step to maintaining professional boundaries is to clarify them for yourself and others. What are your goals, roles, and limits as a conflict manager? What are the ethical and legal standards that guide your practice? What are the expectations and policies of your organization or context? How do you communicate and enforce these boundaries with your clients, colleagues, and stakeholders? By defining your boundaries, you can establish a clear and consistent framework for your interactions and interventions, and avoid confusion, misunderstanding, or conflict.

2 Build trust with respect

The second step to maintaining professional boundaries is to build trust with respect. Trust is the foundation of any successful conflict management process, but it is not something that can be imposed or demanded. It is something that has to be earned and nurtured over time, by demonstrating respect, empathy, competence, and integrity. Respect means acknowledging and valuing the perspectives, feelings, needs, and rights of others, without judging, imposing, or manipulating them. Respect also means being transparent and honest about your own motives, intentions, and limitations, and respecting yourself and your own boundaries.

3 Manage your emotions

The third step to maintaining professional boundaries is to manage your emotions. Conflict management can be emotionally demanding and draining, especially when you are dealing with sensitive, complex, or personal issues. It is normal and natural to feel empathy, compassion, frustration, anger, or sadness, but it is also important to be aware of how these emotions affect your judgment, behavior, and well-being. Managing your emotions means recognizing and acknowledging them, without letting them overwhelm or interfere with your professional role and responsibilities. It also means finding healthy and appropriate ways to express and cope with them, such as seeking support, debriefing, or self-care.

4 Maintain your objectivity

The fourth step to maintaining professional boundaries is to maintain your objectivity. Objectivity means being impartial, neutral, and fair in your conflict management approach, without favoring or prejudging any party, outcome, or solution. Objectivity also means being open-minded, curious, and flexible, without imposing or assuming your own views, values, or interests. Maintaining your objectivity can be challenging, especially when you are faced with ethical dilemmas, moral conflicts, or personal biases. To maintain your objectivity, you need to be aware of and reflect on your own assumptions, beliefs, and values, and how they influence your perception and decision-making. You also need to seek feedback, guidance, or supervision from others, when in doubt or in need of a different perspective.

5 Adapt to different situations

The fifth step to maintaining professional boundaries is to adapt to different situations . Conflict management is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but a dynamic and context-specific process that requires flexibility, creativity, and sensitivity. Different situations may require different levels of involvement, intervention, or disclosure, depending on the nature, scope, and stage of the conflict, and the needs, preferences, and expectations of the parties. Adapting to different situations means being responsive and attentive to the signals and cues of the parties, and adjusting your style, strategy, and technique accordingly. It also means being prepared and proactive to deal with potential challenges, risks, or changes, and communicating clearly and promptly with the parties and other stakeholders.

6 Review and learn from your experience

The sixth and final step to maintaining professional boundaries is to review and learn from your experience. Conflict management is a learning process, not a fixed or final outcome. It is an opportunity to grow and improve your skills, knowledge, and practice, as well as to contribute to the learning and development of others. Reviewing and learning from your experience means evaluating and reflecting on your actions, results, and feedback, and identifying your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. It also means seeking and sharing your insights, lessons, and best practices, with your peers, mentors, or supervisors, and applying them to your future work.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?