leadership and falling

a riff on boundaries

In my office I see three styles creating boundaries by a leader.

This is true whether it’s a company owner, a team lead or a parent.

The primary boundary everyone faces is created by the reality of gravity.

Imagine falling.

Leaders with solid, defined, unyielding boundaries?

Those are bedrock leaders or parents.

When you reach the end, you’ve reached the end.

There are consequences and you know it.

These kinds of boundaries can be both painful and messy.

It’s much better for the falling to have a soft landing - a boundary that will yield somewhat. Think of how a trampoline absorbs the energy of someone bouncing. Even better, think of how a baseball glove moves when it catches a ball.

The worst leaders though?

They don’t catch anything.

The boundary is a bottomless pit. One can fall endlessly with no sense of where they are.

Think about the youth you know who are lost. Think about staff or students who are flailing.

They have no standing because they have no where to stand.

It’s hard to be grounded w…