Setting boundaries with your boss is about doing what matters without burning yourself out. Ryan and Erny break down how to set boundaries respectfully, stay consistent, and protect your time without damaging trust or credibility.

In this episode of Leading Ain’t Easy, we talk about one of the most common leadership traps: being so responsive and available that you accidentally teach people your time doesn’t matter.

We unpack:

• How to set boundaries without sounding lazy or “bare minimum”
• Why consistency matters (and why moving your boundary teaches people it isn’t real)
• The difference between your boundary being the problem vs your environment being the problem
• Tools that help: scheduled send, clear framing (“something else has to give”), and simple expectation-setting
• The hidden issue for high performers: getting punished with more work
• What happens when boundaries collide with real deadlines (and why you need backup systems)

Listener question: What’s one boundary you know you need, but haven’t set yet?

“Leading ain’t easy, but you don’t have to do it alone.”

Leading Ain’t Easy is hosted by Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley.

• Ryan is the founder of Reframe & Rise, a career and leadership coaching practice helping veterans and other professionals realign their work and lead with purpose.
• Erny runs Bus Pro Network, supporting school transportation leaders across California with training and development.

Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for clips, prompts, and behind-the-scenes updates.

If this episode resonated, please leave a review, as it helps more leaders find us.

Managing up is one of the most important leadership skills and one of the least taught.

In this episode of Leading Ain’t Easy, Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley talk about what it really looks like to lead when you don’t have authority over the people who influence your success: your boss, senior leaders, and cross-functional departments that control the data, budget, timelines, and decisions you’re expected to execute.

If you’ve ever been told “figure it out” without support… if you’ve been burned by a surprise that climbed the chain… or if you’ve struggled to communicate your vision clearly under pressure... then this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why leadership hates surprises (and how to avoid blindsiding your boss)
• How to tailor your communication to how your boss receives information
• How to challenge leadership without being seen as “difficult”
• Why documentation matters (and how to protect yourself with clarity)
• The mindset shift: clarity beats competence

Question for listeners:
Where do you struggle most with managing up; clarity, timing, politics, or trust?

Key takeaways

• Don’t let your boss get blindsided; give heads up early.
• Communicate to be understood, not just heard.
• Lead with the solution, then support with context.
• Use data to paint a clear picture fast.
• Document agreements and decisions (protects everyone).

Leading Ain’t Easy is hosted by Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley.

• Ryan is the founder of Reframe & Rise, a career and leadership coaching practice helping veterans and other professionals realign their work and lead with purpose.
• Erny runs Bus Pro Network, supporting school transportation leaders across California with training and development.

Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for clips, prompts, and behind-the-scenes updates.

If this episode resonated, please leave a review, as it helps more leaders find us.

Most leaders are coaching whether they realize it or not. The question is whether they’re doing it intentionally… or accidentally.

In this episode of Leading Ain’t Easy, Ryan and Erny are joined by Alicia Sanders, a Director of Supply Chain Management in hospital logistics, to break down coaching as a practical leadership skill; especially in high-pressure environments where deadlines don’t stop so “development” can happen.

We talk about the difference between managing vs coaching, why coaching creates real capability (not just compliance), and the hard reality leaders face when someone refuses accountability, including when coaching ends and performance management begins.

If you’re tired of doing the job for your team, this episode is your reminder: coaching is slower in the moment… but faster over time.

What we cover

• Managing vs coaching: directing tasks vs developing thinking
• Why coaching isn’t one-size-fits-all
• Coaching through strengths (and why EQ matters)
• Mentorship vs coaching, and when leaders must do both
• Daily huddles/check-ins as a simple, repeatable coaching practice
• The “cut your losses” question: accountability, engagement, and reality
• PDCA (Plan–Do–Check–Act) as a coaching framework
• The coaching pitfall: focusing only on the squeaky wheel and burning out high performers

Key takeaway

Coaching doesn't mean being “nice” or “helpful.” It’ means being effective and creating clarity, building capability, and holding standards without rescuing people.

Connect with us

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCLoVJP2UfHuJzOyNx4fHpg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reframerise/ or https://www.instagram.com/buspro_network/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leading-ain-t-easy-podcast/

Call to action

If this episode hit home, drop a comment or message us:
What’s the hardest part of coaching people in your environment?

"Leading ain’t easy, but you don’t have to do it alone."

Leading Ain’t Easy is hosted by Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley.

• Ryan is the founder of Reframe & Rise, a career and leadership coaching practice helping veterans and other professionals realign their work and lead with purpose.
• Erny runs Bus Pro Network, supporting school transportation leaders across California with training and development.

Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for clips, prompts, and behind-the-scenes updates.

If this episode resonated, please leave a review, as it helps more leaders find us.