Clarify boundaries
Often confusion arises because there is a lack of clarity about who is responsible for what. The more pressurized the situation is, the more likely this problem is to occur. This confusion can breed anxiety and that anxiety, in turn, can lead to fuzzy thinking which then contributes to confusion about boundaries. There is therefore much to be gained from being clear about where the boundaries lie. It is important to be clear about what you are personally responsible for in any given situation. But it is also important to be clear about what part you play in any shared responsibility. Are the others who share that responsibility clear about their contribution and are you all clear about how you are going to exercise your shared responsibility? Are you also clear about what is not your responsibility so that you can avoid stressing yourself out by worrying about matters that are someone else’s responsibility? Establishing clarity about boundaries not only makes our own position easier to manage, it also provides a much firmer basis for working in partnership.
I agree that we must be clear about role and what our responsibilities are within that role. Boundaries are their to remind us of our responsibilities within partnership working.
Equally, if we are completing a shared task, my work colleagues and I must know what task we are responsible for.
It can be challenging in social work practice as we work in partnership with other professionals to remember our remit among others is to advocate for our clients. At times, that voice can get smaller in the dynamics of working in partnership and we must remember to keep it at the centre. There should be no problem in reminding our colleagues of this.