Today I am taking a listener question: As a manager, how do you set professional boundaries between you and employees but still be there for them and be supportive? This specific question is motivated by a leader who is getting calls at all hours of the day and night from their employees. They want to be available, but not at the expense of their family.

This might seem like a large challenge, but when you boil it down, it hinges on something simple: Clarity. Whether you are clarifying company protocols or what decisions are within an employee's purview to make, as a leader, the clarity you bring will help create and reinforce healthy boundaries.

Often, a question that comes up once will come up again. As you notice patterns, be proactive. Get those involved in a room and document the appropriate answer. Once it is clear what protocol is, train your team. Empower them to make the call at the moment by creating clarity around an issue and providing the training need to execute it. People are more responsible than we give them credit for. Many times, it is our fault as leaders when our employees do something incorrectly. It is either a lack of training or a lack of clarity.

Clarity is easy, and it is hard; don’t be afraid to spell it out and be overly clear. The clearer you can be, the happier everyone involved will be. Clarity fills the gaps, from time zones to decision-making authority.

If you want to be heard and work with a team who will seek to clarify exactly what you are looking for and will help you plan the best vacation, check out Magical Vacation Planners. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

If you have a question, you can reach me at leecockerell.com or Jody at jodymaberry.com