Freedom through Boundaries

The title of this post may seem somewhat counter-intuitive if the term ‘boundaries’ evokes images of prison-like restrictions for you. However, in organisations and life generally, knowing the limits of what is acceptable provides freedom to navigate safely and productively within those boundaries.

Without an explicit statement of boundaries, people are left wondering 
what is and isn’t acceptable. This can lead to symptoms such as heightened 
stress, anxiety and depression, reluctance to voice thoughts, and low morale.        

Of course, the process of boundary-setting in a work context needs to align the goals of the organisation with the realities of what motivates human beings to genuinely commit to achieving such goals.

A practical example is a leadership team committed to building a psychologically safe work culture. Key messages include that “You will not be blamed, shamed or punished for contributing ideas and opinions, expressing constructive criticism, challenging the status quo, or even making reasonable mistakes”. This opens the door to an inclusive culture and true innovation, providing that leaders are walking the talk.

So, if you are leading in any capacity, this is a call to embrace positive boundary-setting as a key to freedom and sustainability.

#positiveboundarysetting #psychologicalsafety #inclusion