When the Ugly Sweater Unravels: A Lesson in Collaboration and Boundaries
by InKNOWnative, Shari Soroka
Aug 17, 2025
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We’ve all had moments in our careers where the line between professional collaboration and personal relationships becomes blurry. Sometimes, what starts as a fun, casual venture devolves into frustration and disappointment. Today, I want to share a story that illustrates this challenge, especially in the context of psychological safety, trust, and setting healthy boundaries in collaboration.
Introduction: Why Anonymity Isn’t Optional
When we think about psychological safety, we often imagine teams openly sharing ideas, leaders inviting dissent, and colleagues having the courage to speak up. But the foundation of that trust is fragile—especially in environments where relationships and reputations matter deeply.
Anonymity is not about hiding. It’s about creating the conditions where ...
The economic downturn of the early 2000s, coupled with the tech bubble and widespread mortgage crisis, marked a time of immense uncertainty for many of us. Jobs were scarce, and financial security seemed like an impossible dream for those hit hardest by the fallout. During this period, I found myself navigating a patchwork of odd jobs—working in a restaurant, taking on temp roles, and eventuall...
There’s an unspoken risk that comes with being a Scrum Master in a culture where agile is a checkbox, not a value. That risk grows exponentially when your manager sees no value in your role at all. They see contractors as less value as well and will defend their full-time employees.
I was hired to support teams using agile. The manager I ultimately reported to? A former developer who never embr...
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