Constant demands and requests from employees and clients can often leave business leaders feeling drained and frustrated. It is not easy for some business leaders to say “No” to their employees and clients as they feel they will become less likeable for them. However, business leaders need to understand that they are not saying “No” to the person but to their request.
Therefore, business leaders must set some boundaries to not only protect their comfort zone but also to lay a groundwork for how they expect others to treat them. When business leaders set boundaries for themselves, they also start respecting the boundaries of others, resulting in stronger relationships. Also, once strong boundaries are set, business leaders’ time, energy, and resources will no longer be taken advantage of.
However, many business leaders find it difficult to set boundaries. Do you fall into a similar category? Executive Coaching is definitely a solution to your problem. Recently, many business leaders have improved their leadership skills and learnt to establish strong boundaries at their workplaces through Executive Coaching.
Is this question, “How can executive coaching help me set boundaries” popping into your mind? Scroll down to find an answer!
Top 5 Tips for Setting Boundaries By an Expert Executive Coach
If you don’t have time and finances to opt for executive Coaching, here are a few tips on how to set boundaries given by Simon Ellson, an expert executive coach at ActionCoach:
Get Clear on Your Priorities
If you want to set strong workplace boundaries, you need to know about your priorities. Without identifying your priorities, you cannot determine what you need to focus on and what you can let go of. The first step to setting strong boundaries is getting clear on what you want. With the help of an executive business coach, business leaders can learn the skill of prioritising.
Once business leaders are clear on what matters most to them, they can focus their energy on that particular direction. Also, if a business leader is still unclear on what they want, they can reflect on the existing boundaries and look for what’s missing. It will help them identify what kind of boundaries the workplace actually needs.
Clarify your Standards
A business leader can never set healthy boundaries at their workplace without clarifying their standards. Therefore, if you want to establish strong boundaries at your workplace, you must put some thought into and come up with your standards. Not sure how to do that? Here is how you can clarify your standards:
- Reassess the hours you are prepared to commit to work, both in the office and at home.
- Decide whether you will respond to work emails, calls, or messages outside working hours.
- Get clear on what requests you will say Yes to and what you will choose to say No to.
- Identify what irritates you and set boundaries to limit the opportunities for that to happen.
Once business leaders get clear on their workplace standards, they need to follow them strictly. Otherwise, it will make employees and clients think you can make exceptions whenever you want, leaving the purpose of setting boundaries unfulfilled.
Don’t Play Favorites
Business leaders who play favourites not only fail to set strong boundaries but also negatively impact the workplace environment. If you want to set healthy boundaries at your workplace, you must make everyone respect and abide by them. Boundaries are non-negotiable for everyone.
Moreover, if a business leader states them respectfully, gracefully and firmly, there will be no room left for employees and clients to speculate. By doing so, you will not only be able to set strong boundaries but also build a reputation as a great leader for yourself.
Communicate Them Respectfully
Another important step in setting strong boundaries is communicating them properly to employees and clients. Once you have identified what boundaries you need to set, you must figure out how to communicate them to your workforce and clients.
Business leaders often aggressively communicate boundaries creating a negative image in employees’ and clients’ minds. Therefore, instead of respecting the business leader’s boundaries, they go against them. However, only smart business leaders know that their tone and words will play a crucial role. Therefore, they choose them wisely while communicating the boundaries.
A business leader should calmly and respectfully communicate the boundaries using fewer words. The more they explain, the less authoritative their position gets.
Let Go of the Guilt
While setting boundaries, business leaders might feel guilty and uncomfortable. However, there is nothing to feel guilty about. Setting boundaries in the workplace is crucial; without them, business leaders cannot lead their workforce efficiently. Business leaders should not expect perfection from the beginning when setting boundaries, as it will only overwhelm and frustrate them.
The best approach is to make a list and start step by step with the smallest things. Setting healthy boundaries is a skill that consumes a lot of time and energy. Therefore, you must allow yourself and others to make mistakes and learn at their own pace.
Conclusion:
Business leaders with strong boundaries have a strong sense of self-worth and are not afraid to express it, making them successful leaders. In order to run a successful business, business leaders need to be in an authoritative position and lead their workforce effectively. Without boundaries, employees and clients will take advantage of their business leader’s time and resources, leaving them with no authority.
However, many business leaders have no idea how to create boundaries which is a shame since it is an important skill for successful leadership. If you are struggling too, take executive coaching sessions from ActionCoach. Call us today at 01305 566150 or email westdorset@actioncoach.co.uk for the best executive coaching service. We will help you improve your time management skills to accomplish more quickly!
