The Boundary Collapse

When kindness becomes micromanagement It started with a simple leave request. “Hey, can I take Friday off? Need a personal day,” Meera messaged Rohit. Rohit replied instantly: “Of course. All good. Just stay reachable if anything urgent comes up.” He meant it as reassurance. But the team didn’t hear reassurance. They heard a rule. By noon, two things had shifted inside The Workshop: Meera felt guilty for even asking. Everyone else quietly updated their mental handbook: Leave is...

min read

When kindness becomes micromanagement It started with a simple leave request. “Hey, can I take Friday off? Need a personal day,” Meera messaged Rohit. Rohit replied instantly: “Of course. All good. Just stay reachable if anything urgent comes up.” He meant it as reassurance. But the team didn’t hear reassurance. They heard a rule. By noon, two things had shifted inside The Workshop: Meera felt guilty for even asking. Everyone else quietly updated their mental handbook: Leave is allowed… but not really. This is boundary collapse… when a leader’s good intentions unintentionally blur the limits that protect autonomy and rest. When care quietly turns into control Founders rarely intend to micromanage. What looks like control from the outside often starts as care from the inside. “Let me help before something breaks.” “Let me stay involved so we don’t lose time.” “Loop me in… I don’t want you stressed.” Supportive tone. Good intentions. But one invisible truth defines workplace psychology: When power says “optional,” it never feels optional.
So when a client requested a revision, Rohit gently pinged: “If you’re free, could you take a look?” Of course she logged in. Of course she handled it. And by Monday, the cultural shift was complete: Leave = location change, not a boundary. A founder’s instinct had quietly become a system. Pattern 1: The Generous Micromanager Modern micromanagement rarely looks aggressive. It looks thoughtful : “Let me refine this so you’re not stuck.” “I’ll review it quickly.” “Share drafts so we stay aligned.” Leaders believe they’re being helpful. Teams hear: “You don’t fully trust me.” “I should check with you before finishing anything.” “My decisions aren’t final.” Gentle micromanagement shrinks ownership faster than harsh micromanagement ever did because people can’t challenge kindness. Pattern 2: Cultural conditioning around availability In many Indian workplaces, “time off” has an unspoken footnote: Be reachable. Just in case. No one says it directly. No one pushes back openly. The expectation survives through habit: Leave… but monitor messages. Rest… but don’t disconnect. Recover… but stay alert. Contrast this with a global team we worked with: A designer wrote, “I’ll be off Friday, but available if needed.” Her manager replied: “If you’re working on your off-day, we mismanaged the workload… not the boundary.” One conversation. Two cultural philosophies. Two completely different emotional outcomes. Pattern 3: The override reflex Every founder has a version of this reflex. Whenever Rohit sensed risk, real or imagined, he stepped in: Rewriting copy. Adjusting a design. Rescoping a task. Reframing an email. Always fast. Always polite. Always “just helping.” But each override delivered one message: “Your autonomy is conditional.” You own decisions… until the founder feels uneasy. You take initiative… until instinct replaces delegation. No confrontation. No drama. Just quiet erosion of confidence. The family-business amplification Boundary collapse becomes extreme in family-managed companies. We worked with one firm where four family members… founder, spouse, father, cousin… all had informal authority. Everyone cared. Everyone meant well. But for employees, decision-making became a maze: Strategy approved by the founder. Aesthetics by the spouse. Finance by the father. Tone by the cousin. They didn’t need leadership. They needed clarity. Good intentions without boundaries create internal anarchy. The global contrast A European product team offered a striking counterexample. There, the founder rarely intervened mid-stream… not because of distance, but because of design: “If you own the decision, you own the consequences.” Decision rights were clear. Escalation paths were explicit. Authority didn’t shift with mood or urgency. No late-night edits. No surprise rewrites. No “quick checks.” No emotional overrides. As one designer put it: “If my boss wants to intervene, he has to call a decision review. That friction protects my autonomy.” The result: Faster execution, higher ownership and zero emotional whiplash. Boundaries weren’t personal. They were structural . That difference changes everything. Why boundary collapse is so costly Its damage is not dramatic. It’s cumulative. People stop resting → you get presence, not energy. People stop taking initiative → decisions freeze. People stop trusting empowerment → autonomy becomes theatre. People start anticipating the boss → performance becomes emotional labour. People burn out silently → not from work, but from vigilance. Boundary collapse doesn’t create chaos. It creates hyper-alertness, the heaviest tax on any team. The real paradox Leaders think they’re being supportive. Teams experience supervision. Leaders assume boundaries are obvious. Teams see boundaries as fluid. Leaders think autonomy is granted. Teams act as though autonomy can be revoked at any moment. This is the Boundary Collapse → a misunderstanding born not from intent, but from the invisible weight of power. Micromanagement today rarely looks like anger. More often, it looks like kindness without limits. (Rahul Kulkarni is Co-founder at PPS Consulting. He patterns the human mechanics of scaling where workplace behavior quietly shapes business outcomes. Views personal.)

The Prince Poised To Inherit Kohli’s Crown

Waleed Hussain
Jul 6
3 min read

Picture this: a packed stadium, the air thick with anticipation, and a young man with a boyish grin strides to the crease. Shubman Gill, with his floppy hair and effortless swagger, looks like he just walked out of a Bollywood movie, ready to script a blockbuster. As India’s cricketing faithful pin their hopes on this 26-year-old prodigy, it’s hard not to feel a lump in the throat. Could this be the heir to Virat Kohli’s throne? The answer, my friends, is a resounding yes. Gill isn’t just a batsman; he’s a vibe, a hope, a future painted in bold, emotional strokes.

Natural heir

First, let’s talk about the elephant in the room—Kohli’s legacy. Virat Kohli isn’t just a cricketer; he’s a phenomenon. The man who chases runs like they owe him money, who wears his heart on his sleeve, and who’s turned Indian cricket into a global juggernaut. Replacing him is like trying to replace the sun—good luck with that, right? But here’s where Gill steps in, not as a replacement, but as a natural heir. He’s got the technique, the temperament, and—dare I say it?—the charm to carry the mantle. Watching Gill bat is like watching a masterclass in elegance, with cover drives so smooth they could make a poet cry. His 104 off 92 balls against Australia in the 2023? Pure poetry, with a side of swagger.

Now, let’s get emotional. Kohli’s journey has been India’s journey—grit, passion, and a refusal to back down. Gill, born in Fazilka, Punjab, carries that same fire, but with a millennial twist. He’s the kid who grew up idolizing Kohli, probably mimicking that iconic beard in front of a mirror. Yet, he’s carved his own path. His 208 off 360 balls in a Test against New Zealand in 2023 wasn’t just a double ton; it was a statement: “I’m here, and I’m ready.” That innings had everything—patience, aggression, and a twinkle in the eye that said, “I’ve got this.” It’s the kind of knock that makes you want to hug your TV and whisper, “You’re our boy, Shubman.”

Bollywood hero

Humor me for a second. If Kohli is the fiery Bollywood hero who storms into battle, Gill is the cool Gen-Z protagonist who wins the war with a smirk and a selfie. His Instagram game? Stronger than most bowlers’ bouncers. He’s out there posting gym selfies and travel vlogs, connecting with fans in a way that feels fresh yet familiar. Kohli brought intensity; Gill brings relatability. He’s the guy you’d want to grab a chai with, chatting about cricket and memes. But don’t let the laid-back vibe fool you—when he’s at the crease, he’s all business, dissecting bowlers with the precision of a surgeon and the flair of a rockstar.

What makes Gill the perfect heir, though, isn’t just his runs or his vibe. It’s his ability to carry a nation’s hopes without buckling. Kohli’s era was about proving India could dominate; Gill’s era will be about sustaining that dominance with grace. His 91* in the 2021 Gabba Test chase was a glimpse of that future—a young gun standing tall amid chaos, guiding India to a historic win. It’s the kind of moment that gives you goosebumps and makes you believe in destiny. Gill doesn’t just play cricket; he tells stories with his bat, stories of a new India—confident, fearless, and a little cheeky.

Not perfect

Of course, he’s not perfect. He’s had his share of ducks and near-misses, like that heartbreaking 99 against South Africa in 2024. But isn’t that what makes him human? Kohli wasn’t built in a day either. Gill’s learning, growing, and every time he walks out to bat, you can feel a nation holding its breath, rooting for him like he’s family.

He’s got the hunger, the skill, and the heart to take Indian cricket forward, not as Kohli 2.0, but as Shubman 1.0—a unique blend of grace, grit, and a grin that could melt even the toughest fast bowler’s heart.

So, here’s to Shubman Gill, the prince poised to inherit Kohli’s crown. He’s not just carrying a legacy; he’s building one, one cover drive at a time. And if that doesn’t make your heart swell and your lips crack a smile, well, you’re probably not watching closely enough.

(The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai.)

1 Comment

billyy brown

Jul 11

Seeing Shubman Gill emerge as the promising successor to Virat Kohli really brings a new sense of excitement to Indian cricket. It’s impressive how this young talent carries the weight of expectations with such poise and skill. In today’s sports landscape, engagement goes beyond just watching—websites like https://batery.org.in/ offer legal and licensed platforms for those interested in sports betting, providing access to numerous events and games in a regulated environment. It’s crucial to approach these platforms responsibly, keeping entertainment as the main goal. As for Gill, his solid technique and calm presence indicate he’s ready to take on the challenge, though only time will reveal how he adapts to the pressure. Watching this shift between cricket legends is captivating and…