By Penny Power – Speaker, Author, and Human-Centred Business Voice
In 2018, someone said something to me that changed everything:
“Penny, you don’t seem to have any boundaries.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, mostly because, at 54, I genuinely thought she meant garden fences. But what she saw in me was real. I was depleted. I was giving everything, to my business, my family, my community, with nothing left for myself.
It wasn’t resilience. It was survival.
Now, as a leadership motivational speaker, I often speak about this moment. Not because it’s unique, but because it’s universal. So many people, especially women, are conditioned to give endlessly. To say yes when we mean no. To overextend in the name of kindness. And in doing so, we lose ourselves.
Boundaries Aren’t Walls, they are Bridges
In my book Business Is Personal, I wrote:
“Boundaries are made when you love yourself, know yourself and protect yourself.”
This line still rings true, but the journey since has shown me something deeper. While weak boundaries leave us drained, rigid boundaries can leave us isolated. There’s a middle way. A wiser way. A human way.
As an inspirational speaker (female), I often work with leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs who are navigating this tension. How do we stay open and grounded? How do we serve generously without self-sacrifice?
The most emotionally intelligent people I’ve met, from CEOs to new founders, aren’t those who gatekeep fiercely. They’re the ones who know their values, express their needs clearly, and bend without breaking.
The Cost of Being the “Friendly One” in Business
There’s a danger in being “the friendly one” , I know it well. As an emotional intelligence speaker and long-time community builder, I’ve built a career around kindness. But kindness without boundaries becomes exploitation.
“Being a friendly person in business does not mean becoming a poor person through your kindness.”
(Business Is Personal)
If you’re constantly drained by “quick chats,” “free coffees,” or requests to “pick your brain,” you’re not alone. These are signs that your boundaries need attention. And as a business keynote speaker, I help audiences unpack what that means practically, emotionally, and commercially.
Boundaries in Leadership and Teamwork
When I speak as a leadership speaker or teamwork speaker, boundaries always surface. They affect performance, culture, trust, and burnout. Leaders who model healthy boundaries create stronger teams. Teams that respect each other’s time and energy perform better, and feel safer doing so.
“Being flexible is personal, but maintain your self worth through gentle control.”
(Business Is Personal)
Whether I’m invited as an event keynote speaker or facilitating a session as a networking speaker, I return to this truth: boundaries are a sign of self-respect. And when modelled well, they ripple through organisations, communities, and families.
This Week, I Invite You to Reflect:
- Are your boundaries too porous… or too rigid?
- Where are you saying yes when your heart says no?
- What’s driving your need to please — and is it helping or harming you?
- Who in your life respects your boundaries… and who challenges them?
- And how can you create loving boundaries — ones that honour you, without shutting others out?
Because boundaries aren’t about being hard. They’re about being whole.
They’re how we stay aligned, steady, and centred in a world that constantly pulls us away from ourselves.
If you’re looking for a good motivational speaker or a leadership motivational speaker who speaks with honesty, emotional intelligence, and lived experience, whether at a conference, corporate event, or team retreat, I’d love to bring this message to your stage.
