Balancing Warmth and Boundaries in Client-Facing Roles

I’ve been reflecting on how to maintain a friendly vibe while keeping professional boundaries intact, especially in roles where reimbursements or client interactions are frequent. It’s easy to slip into being overly accommodating, but I also don’t want to come across as rigid or cold.

For those of you in similar positions, how do you strike that balance? Are there specific phrases or approaches you’ve found effective for gently reinforcing limits without shutting down the conversation? I’d love to hear what’s worked or even what hasn’t in your experience.

Keep it chill but firm like setting respawn rules in a raid. “Happy to help, but let’s stick to the guidelines” works without killing the .