“I honestly don’t know what to do…”

That’s how a CEO opened a coaching session with me.

One of his closest employees had lost a family member.

Out of deep humanity, he gave him time, space, and quiet.

But two months passed, and reality began to press in.

The business was affected. Clients were demanding.

Technological changes wouldn’t wait.

In the quiet space of the session, we allowed ourselves to sit with the tension.
Without judgment. Without rushing to fix.

“Who am I to say anything now?” he asked.

Every option felt wrong,
Either a cold manager or one losing control.

The shift began when we realized together that
A boundary can sometimes be the greatest act of compassion.

I suggested an honest, empathetic, truly human conversation,
one that doesn’t give up on the needs of the organization,
but also doesn’t give up on the person sitting across from you.

Sometimes, setting a compassionate boundary
Is exactly the lifeline a person needs to begin finding their way back
To themselves, to life, to routine.

As Prof. Amy Edmondson of Harvard reminds us:
Psychological safety is not about being nice or lowering standards.

It is created through the combination of humanity
with a clear demand for accountability and excellence.

Leadership in times of disruption is the ability to hold this tension

Not choosing between humanity and effectiveness,
But communicating both, with courage and an open heart.

When was the last time you set a boundary from a place of compassion?