Setting Boundaries To Support Team Development

One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment

It wasn’t the pain that stopped me. It was realizing how good I’d gotten at hiding it. For nearly a decade, I dealt with chronic back pain. At first, it was manageable. A dull ache after long walks. Then it got worse—until I couldn’t stand for more than 10 minutes without needing to sit. But instead of dealing with it, I adapted. Took shorter walks. Leaned on counters. Built my life around the discomfort. No one really noticed—not even me, not fully. Because I was functioning. On the outside, things looked fine. Eventually, surgery became unavoidable. During recovery, my physical therapist had me doing single-leg squats. One side was strong. The other side... surprisingly weak. When I asked why, he said: “Your strong side has been compensating for so long that the weak side never had to build strength.” That stopped me cold. Suddenly, I saw my team. We were the strong side. The team people leaned on when something was unclear, out of scope, or falling apart. And because we were reliable, we got asked to do more. And we said yes. Every time. Not because we were trying to be heroes. But because we cared. We had strong relationships. And we held ourselves to a high standard. But over time, that strength became a liability. We weren’t just helping—we were hiding the real gaps in the organization. And we were paying the price in quiet burnout. ✅ As a leader, it’s your job to protect your team from being over-functioning fixers 🛑 Say “no” on their behalf so they don’t have to strain their relationships to do it 📊 And if / when other teams rely on yours too often, don’t absorb the work If your team is the one everyone leans on, this is worth sharing. Tag a leader who knows how to set boundaries without burning bridges. #Leadership #TeamManagement #WorkplaceWellbeing #Burnout #WorkplaceCulture #UnspokenRules #AuthenticLeadership #BoundariesAtWork #PsychologicalSafety #ExecutiveThinking #InfluenceWithoutPolitics #PeopleFirstLeadership

The paradox that transformed my leadership: The clearer the boundaries, the greater the freedom. In the SEAL Teams, we discovered this truth in the most intense situations. The missions with the clearest parameters created the most space for innovation and decisive action. Most leaders think boundaries restrict creativity and autonomy. They don't. They create psychological safety. When team members know exactly where the lines are drawn: → They spend less mental energy guessing → They make faster decisions with confidence → They innovate within defined spaces instead of freezing in uncertainty Without clear expectations and decision rights, teams get stuck in a fog of invisible boundaries they can't see but fear crossing. Try these three types of boundaries: → Decision boundaries (what they could decide without approval) → Risk boundaries (acceptable failure parameters) → Time boundaries (protected focus time vs. collaborative hours) Human connection will be strengthened and anxiety lessened. This applies to your mindfulness practice too. The discipline of sitting for just 10 focused minutes creates more mental freedom than an undefined "I should meditate sometime." Clarity creates space for growth. Freedom isn't the absence of boundaries. It's the presence of the right ones. What boundaries need clarifying in your leadership or personal practice? ----- Follow me (Jon Macaskill) for leadership insights, wellness tools, and real stories about humans being good humans. And yeah... feel free to repost if someone in your life needs to hear this. 📩 Subscribe to my newsletter here → https://lnkd.in/g9ZFxDJG You'll get FREE access to my 21-Day Mindfulness & Meditation Course with real, actionable strategies.