A manager at Accenture has been known to say that “analysts are often over enthusiastic about the consulting industry”. At first glance, I did not understand what this meant because it seemed normal to take on as many roles and responsibilities as possible. The motto analysts live by is “never say no to managers or projects”, especially during the pandemic when clients are pulling out and consulting firms are trying their level best to attract new clients while retaining old ones.
The mistake many of us made was not understanding this manager’s advice. We later found ourselves jumping the gun too quickly, being unable to set boundaries, and having a lot on our plate.
There is of course nothing wrong with getting your hands dirty, and getting involved in almost everything. In this way, you are better equipped to quickly understand what will work for you and what you are interested in. Yet, when you take on more than what you can handle and find yourself rushing tasks because of time constraints, what happens then? This is the dilemma that many analysts find themselves in, six months into the job and buried deep within projects and deliverables.
Sometimes, you need to work smart and not hard, which is what setting healthy boundaries is all about.
1. What are boundaries? Why is it important to set them?
Boundaries are a space or limit you set between yourself and other people (Selva, 2022). It is basically the point where something starts for you and ends for the other person.
Setting healthy boundaries is important because it enables you to do two things. Firstly, to protect yourself. Putting yourself first is the highest form of self-care, and it is critical for ensuring that you maintain good physical, mental, and emotional health. Secondly, to tend to the needs of others. By setting boundaries, you clearly define what you can do, when you can do it by, and how it will be achieved. Undertaking tasks that exceed your abilities, for which you don’t have sufficient bandwidth, or where the preferred approach has not been discussed or agreed upon, is setting yourself up for failing to meet the expectations of your manager and the client.
In setting boundaries, you are setting a limit. How far can you stretch yourself before you break? Knowing the answer to this question is quite important when starting off in consulting because if boundaries are not set, you will likely experience fatigue and burnout early in your career. It is important to strike a balance between your personal and professional life so that you can avoid working too hard and explore ways to become more productive.
2. How do you set healthy boundaries in the workplace?
You can set healthy boundaries by setting limits for yourself, not overstepping them, and clearly articulating them to your manager and colleagues. Communicate clearly what you can do at a given time and how you can meet the objectives. You need to clearly identify who you are and what you are capable of so that you can make solid commitments, hold yourself accountable, and take responsibility for your words and actions. If you have established healthy boundaries, then you will be better able to identify when unreasonable work demands are being made. You can then address the issue with your manager without burning bridges.
Fridays are usually the shortest working day at most firms. The current policy at Accenture in South Africa is that all laptops should be off by 15h00. This means that work not finished by 15h00 would need to be scheduled for Monday morning. This is easier said than done as managers might schedule a meeting at 16h30 or even 17h00. By simply stating to your manager and team “I am unfortunately unavailable on Fridays after 15h00” you have set a boundary. If everyone knows that this boundary exists, and that it will be enforced, then new ways of working tend to emerge that allow the work to be completed more efficiently.
The bottom line
The greatest lesson consulting will teach you is the importance of constantly finding ways to grow and improve. By ensuring that you use your time and resources efficiently, and putting the necessary boundaries in place, you can do this in a way that reduces the chance of burnout.
Consulting becomes easier, simpler, and more fun when you know that you are working towards a goal, you are able to track your progress, and you remain conscious of the very human constraints and limitations that we all face.
Have fun, expand your horizons, but work smart and know when to stop.
Thanduxolo Love Mtsweni, is a Management Consultant Analyst at Accenture in South Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Administration in International Relations and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (PDM- Business Administration). She is passionate about empowering the youth, educating and advocating for better youth employment opportunities.
Image: Unsplash
Resources:
PostivePsychology.com. 2021. How to Set Healthy Boundaries: 10 Examples +PDF Worksheets. https://positivepsychology.com/great-self-care-setting-healthy-boundaries/ . Accessed: 15 December 2021
🔴 Interested in consulting?