I used to think that saying yes, and taking on anything and everything was the best way to show I was ready for the next promotion. In truth, it was probably responsible for a fair amount of my success. In retrospect, I'm confident I could have achieved the same, if not more, with better boundaries and been healthier and happier.
Boundaries in leadership set expectations not just for ourselves but for our team too. The harder I worked, the more I signaled to my team that they should do the same to succeed. I contributed to a precedent that created unrealistic standards for all of us. I can't unwind the clock, but we, as leaders and organizations, can set better, more realistic expectations by communicating and rewarding new, healthier standards. It won't happen overnight; like all habits, there will be some slides. Long-term physical and mental health sustainability is essential, so we must better manage many of our leadership boundaries.
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