In our quest to eliminate or prevent workplace chaos before it turns into a crisis, there is one must-have component: boundaries.
Establishing Personal Boundaries
Setting clear personal boundaries and ground rules that everyone in the workplace must adhere to—and everyone at home can agree on—is essential to avoiding unnecessary conflicts. Boundaries inform people how they’re expected to treat each other. They protect privacy and allow everyone to feel like they’re operating in a safe, fair, and comfortable space.
Boundaries can be related to:
- Communication: Establishing times when employees are expected to be available and when they are not. For instance, no work-related emails or calls after a specific time.
- Workspace: Defining personal and communal spaces in the office to respect each other’s work areas. For example, a clear desk policy can ensure that personal spaces are not invaded.
- Meetings: Setting clear start and end times for meetings to ensure they are productive, not unnecessarily long, and respect everyone’s time.
- Respect and Professionalism: Creating a zero-tolerance policy for disrespectful behavior, harassment, or abuse.
Wherever turmoil or problematic behavior occurs in the workplace, the root cause often lies in the absence of boundaries or in crossing boundaries without consequence.
Establishing and maintaining boundaries leads to:
- Higher Morale: Employees feel respected and valued, leading to a more positive workplace atmosphere.
- Increased Productivity: Clear expectations and guidelines allow employees to focus on their work without unnecessary distractions.
- Reduced Conflict: Boundaries prevent misunderstandings and disputes, fostering a more harmonious work environment.
Addressing Disruptive Behavior
When you identify patterns of disruptive behavior resulting in similar outcomes, you have two choices: let it fester until it tanks morale or set boundaries that address the behavior. Conflict is averted when you recognize what specifically triggers the conflict and place the boundary ahead of it.
Examples of addressing disruptive behavior:
- Conflict Triggers: If conflicts often arise from misunderstandings in email communication, establish a boundary that sensitive topics should be discussed in person or via video call.
- Work Hours: If burnout is an issue due to excessive overtime, implement a boundary that employees must leave the office by a certain time and encourage regular breaks.
Communication is key to setting, maintaining, and enforcing boundaries. One effective way to get ahead of this is during onboarding.
The Importance of Onboarding
We can’t expect new employees to learn about boundaries, work culture, and performance expectations “on the job” or through line-level employees. Often, the message gets diluted, or the reason behind the boundary, rule, or policy gets muddled. Your success as a leader—and the success of the employee—begins with onboarding.
The FBI, for example, sends every new employee, including Agents and Professional Support Staff, to a three-day onboarding training at the FBI Academy. During those three days, everything the employee is expected to know about the FBI, its culture, expectations, and how to represent the brand is communicated. This ensures everyone starts off on the same page and knows what the FBI Director expects of them.
How You Can Set Boundaries for Yourself
Creating boundaries is a fundamental step in leading through and eliminating chaos. By establishing clear guidelines, communicating them effectively, and reinforcing them through consistent practices like thorough onboarding, you can transform a chaotic environment into a structured and productive one.
To get you started, here is a go-to process for identifying and setting boundaries for yourself:
- Identify Your Needs: Reflect on what you need to feel safe, respected, and productive at work. Consider your work hours, communication preferences, and personal space requirements.
- Communicate Clearly: Once you’ve identified your needs, communicate them clearly to your team, colleagues, and supervisors. Be specific about your boundaries and the reasons behind them.
- Be Consistent: Consistently uphold your boundaries. If you make exceptions too often, your boundaries will lose their effectiveness.
- Seek Support: If you find it challenging to set or maintain boundaries, seek support from a mentor, HR, or a professional coach. They can provide guidance and reinforce the importance of your boundaries.
- Review and Adjust: Regularly review your boundaries to ensure they are still serving you or your team well. Adjust them as needed to adapt to new roles, responsibilities, or changes in your work environment.
Embrace the power of boundaries to elevate your leadership and create a workplace where everyone can thrive. Setting and maintaining boundaries not only helps in managing chaos but also fosters a healthy, productive, and respectful work environment.
About Gina L. Osborn
Gina’s career began in the U.S. Army’s Counterintelligence Program investigating high-profile espionage cases in Germany at the end of the Cold War. After graduating from the FBI Academy in 1996, Gina became the only FBI agent on a task force addressing Asian organized crime in Orange County. Post-9/11, she coordinated counterterrorism efforts in Los Angeles and led the FBI’s Cyber and Computer Forensics Program, notably investigating the Sony Pictures hack. In 2022, as LA Metro’s Chief Safety Officer, she reduced violent crime by 34% before being unlawfully terminated after a whistleblower complaint. Now an international speaker and host of Lead Like a Lady podcast, Gina shares insights on leadership in male-dominated fields and inspires with her message to “just accomplish the mission.”
To learn more about Gina’s speaking topics and book her for your next event, visit www.ginalosborn.com.