Leaders are often celebrated for their dedication, frequently demonstrated in working overtime and sacrificing personal care for the organization. In most organizations, this is celebrated as exemplary behavior, “it is what leaders do!” However, this mindset has led to decreased job satisfaction, which can negatively impact work behavior through lack of interest in work, a decline in productivity, burnout, frequent use of vacation time, fatigue, and eventually, seeking a career change. As leaders, it's crucial to understand the importance of setting healthy boundaries, both professionally and personally, to fulfill our God-given purpose.
Jesus demonstrated the importance of boundaries by setting aside time for healthy spiritual practices like solitude, prayer, silence, etc. We are called to follow His example, yet many of us struggle to set healthy boundaries, often due to misconceptions about the purpose of boundaries or their perceived impact on others. However, as we become healthier through utilizing boundaries, our leadership improves, which positively influences our employees and co-workers. Setting boundaries is not a sign of weakness but a source of empowerment, giving us the confidence to lead effectively. It can be challenging to set boundaries in our careers; however, joining a Christian Leadership Program can help. By setting boundaries, leaders can regain control of their time and energy, leading to a more balanced and less stressful work life.
Cultivate Leadership Institute (CLI) is a Christian Leadership Program that equips individuals to become mature, healthy leaders through comprehensive instruction, training, and guidance. This digital on-demand learning environment has specific courses designed to deepen your understanding of boundary setting. The live class instruction on this topic is facilitated by a Christian mental health professional who provides expert teaching on boundaries and answers frequently asked questions. As Tony Gaskins rightly states, “You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce.” This principle is at the core of the boundary-setting process. While CLI delves deeper into this practice, it also provides the necessary guidance and support, instilling confidence in leaders as they embark on their journey of setting healthy boundaries. The first four steps to begin healthy boundary setting as a Christian leader are to identify needs, define the boundary, communicate the boundary, and be consistent with the boundary.
Identify
As we begin setting healthy boundaries, we must first identify our needs. These needs vary and are specific to each leader. CLI offers guidance on everyday needs leaders have in their work and ways to determine boundaries associated with them. A common type of boundary discussed in CLI is a time boundary, which encourages margin in your day—for example, allowing breaks between work meetings to pray about the previous meeting and prepare for the next meeting. As leaders, we can all relate to needing more time in the day, yet many of us have difficulty setting boundaries to protect our time. Take a moment to reflect and identify the needs you have in your leadership role.
Define
Once we identify our needs, we must define what it looks like to have those needs met. In the example above, time between meetings is helpful, but how much time do we need? Do we need the time if it is a short meeting or only if it is a long meeting? This is where we must get specific and write out the parameters of our boundary. For example, “If a planned meeting is over an hour long, then I need to schedule a 15-minute break in my calendar before attending another meeting.” Take a few minutes to write out one boundary you want to implement in your work setting to improve your leadership skills.
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Communicate
The third step of boundary setting is explicitly telling people the boundary. We often skip this step or indirectly express a hopeful boundary. We can only expect people to honor our boundaries if they know the boundaries we are implementing. Many people in our organization and family want to love us well, and openly sharing our boundaries is one way to let them support us. CLI helps individuals practice communicating their boundaries and instills confidence in people as they practice this new skill.
Consistent
After we communicate our boundaries, we must be consistent in reinforcing them. It confuses our colleagues if we tell them about our boundaries and then do not follow through on them. Consistency is key when it comes to boundary setting. If boundary setting is a new concept, give yourself grace as you start this process. CLI is a safe place that encourages and supports individuals as they implement workplace boundaries.
