Last updated on Jun 14, 2024
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1
Identify the problem
2
Communicate clearly
Be the first to add your personal experience
3
Set boundaries and expectations
Be the first to add your personal experience
4
Involve others if necessary
Be the first to add your personal experience
5
Monitor and follow up
6
Learn and grow
7
Here’s what else to consider
Working in a team can be challenging, especially when one of your colleagues oversteps their boundaries and interferes with your tasks, decisions, or authority. This can create conflict, resentment, and frustration, affecting your performance and morale. How can you deal with this situation effectively and professionally? Here are some strategies to help you handle a team member who oversteps boundaries.
Key takeaways from this article
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Effective communication:
Start by having a direct, respectful conversation with the person overstepping boundaries. Discuss specific instances, how they impact the team, and work together to find solutions.
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Empathy and understanding:
Take time to understand the reasons behind boundary overstepping. It could stem from a lack of social skills or misunderstandings about hierarchy, which can be addressed through support and training.
This summary is powered by AI and these experts
- Karin Philippczyk Program Manager Customer Marketing @…
1 Identify the problem
The first step is to identify the nature and scope of the problem. Is the team member overstepping their boundaries intentionally or unintentionally? Are they aware of their role and responsibilities, or are they confused or unclear? Are they trying to help, control, or undermine you or the team? How often and how severely does this happen? How does it impact your work and the team's goals? By answering these questions, you can assess the situation and decide how to address it.
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- Karin Philippczyk Program Manager Customer Marketing @ SmartRecruiters
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Be empathetic. What is the reason the employee is overstepping boundaries and which boundaries are we speaking about. If the employee is overstepping social boundaries - is it because they are socially less competent but ultimately they are great professionals? If the employee is overstepping hierarchy boundaries - is it because of a misunderstanding of scope. Not saying we should coddle those employees but most companies do not train their managers in an open and transparent communication style. Bring in a mediator if nothing else works for you.
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In my experience, I have mostly seen these root causes and potential contributing factors: 1. Motivations and Intentions: Uncover the driving force behind overstepping – is it a quest for excellence, lack of awareness, or personal motives?2. External Influences: Consider external factors shaping behavior, like workload or personal challenges, for a holistic perspective.3. Pattern Recognition: Identify recurring patterns in behavior to tailor targeted intervention strategies effectively.4. Communication Style: Assess communication nuances, pinpointing potential barriers for more effective resolution.
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Evaluate if the team member is confused or unclear about their role. Is there a lack of communication or understanding regarding expectations?
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2 Communicate clearly
The next step is to communicate clearly and respectfully with the team member who oversteps their boundaries. You can do this in person, by phone, or by email, depending on the context and urgency. Explain what the issue is, how it affects you and the team, and what you expect from them. Use specific examples and facts, not emotions or assumptions. Listen to their perspective and try to understand their motives and concerns. Avoid blaming, accusing, or criticizing them, and focus on finding a solution.
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3 Set boundaries and expectations
The third step is to set boundaries and expectations for the team member who oversteps their boundaries. You can do this by referring to the team's norms, rules, or agreements, or by creating new ones if needed. Define the roles and responsibilities of each team member, and clarify who has the authority and accountability for each task or decision. Establish how the team will communicate, collaborate, and coordinate their work, and what the consequences will be for not following the guidelines. Make sure everyone agrees and commits to the boundaries and expectations.
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4 Involve others if necessary
The fourth step is to involve others if necessary, if the team member who oversteps their boundaries does not respond to your communication or respect your boundaries and expectations. You can seek support from other team members, your supervisor, or a mediator, depending on the severity and frequency of the problem. You can also escalate the issue to the human resources department or the senior management, if the problem persists or affects the team's performance or reputation. Be prepared to provide evidence and documentation of the problem and your attempts to resolve it.
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5 Monitor and follow up
The fifth step is to monitor and follow up on the situation, and see if the team member who oversteps their boundaries changes their behavior or attitude. You can do this by observing their actions, giving feedback, acknowledging progress, or addressing setbacks. You can also review the team's norms, rules, or agreements regularly, and make adjustments if needed. You can also celebrate the team's achievements and successes, and foster a positive and respectful team culture.
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Yes, clearly you can setup a metrics to meaaure performance. It can a probational assessment to ensure the right thing is done. Remember as a team leader, you take responsible for a bad and good result.
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6 Learn and grow
The sixth step is to learn and grow from the experience, and use it as an opportunity to improve your skills and knowledge. You can do this by reflecting on what you learned, what you did well, and what you can do better. You can also seek feedback from others, and identify areas for development or improvement. You can also share your insights and best practices with your team, and learn from their experiences and perspectives. You can also apply your learning to future situations, and prevent or minimize similar problems.
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most of the times you can learn from those situations, mainly that every person and situation is unique. the sooner you acknowledge that the merrier!
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7 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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- Olufemi Alabi Automation and Control Systems Engineer
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I think the manager has a whole lot to do in this situation.The role of every of his or her subordinates has to be clearly defined and each are to deliver in their given roles and areas of coverage, a good target must be set either quarterly or yearly etc. Daily job reviews must be done in a set up meeting to allow concentration on areas of coverage and focus on target delivery by each employee. The Manager should be able to discover everyone in his or her team, close the knowledge gaps and treat everyone equally, to make a good and happy employer’s target delivering team.
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