What a Freelance Nonprofit Consultant and Project Manager Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Consulting and Freelancing Industry
Manaf, a nonprofit consultant and freelance project manager, emphasizes the critical, often overlooked importance of "boundary setting," particularly in project-based work, advising that saying "no" and defining limitations is crucial for self-preservation and maintaining "the capacity to do good work." This skill, learned through experience as "a yes guy" transitioning to a more self-protective approach, is presented as essential for career success and well-being, regardless of industry.
Boundary Setting, Freelancing, Project Management, Saying No, Self-Awareness
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Manaf Mansure
Nonprofit Consultant and Freelance Project Manager
Self-Employed
University of California, Los Angeles
Harvard University, MEd in Organizations, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship
Fine Arts, Music
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Sales and Client Management
Scholarship Recipient, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Setting boundaries is crucial for success in freelance work and project management, and learning to say "no" is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and avoiding burnout.
2. The ability to set boundaries is not just about protecting your time, but also about self-awareness and self-love; it helps restore your energy and capacity for good work.
3. Saying "no" and setting boundaries are essential skills that are applicable not only to freelancing and project management, but to all aspects of work and life, and are often overlooked or ignored early in one's career.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
I wish someone had told me how important boundaries and boundary setting are, not only in this industry but in work and life in general. It's particularly important within the project-based consulting and freelancing world.
If you work with multiple clients, you need to delineate lines about hours and services. You have to be able to say, "No, we didn't agree to me doing this," or "No, this isn't in our scope of work. I cannot proceed with this."
It's really hard to say no; I'm a "yes" guy. I've had to practice being a "no" guy as a freelancer and project manager. Part of saying no is setting boundaries.
Often, we think boundaries are negative or bad. However, boundaries are a form of self-awareness. They help us love ourselves and restore what we need to, such as our energy and capacity to do good work.
Regardless of the industry, the most important thing I wish someone had told me at any point in my career is that it's okay to say no and set boundaries for what you can and cannot do.