A man’s account of his experience managing a team has sparked an online discussion about workplace boundaries and the risks of becoming too informal with junior colleagues. Hemant Wadhwani said he once believed in treating team members without making them feel that he was above them, but later felt that the flexibility he offered had been taken advantage of.In an Instagram video, Wadhwani reflected on his experience at a previous workplace and said the lesson changed his approach to managing people. He argued that managers should maintain a clear professional boundary with those they supervise.‘Never ever be a cool boss’“Never ever be a cool boss. I repeat, never ever be a cool boss. So, I don't know how many of you will relate to this, but this is from one of my past experiences,” Wadhwani said.He recalled working at a company where he was responsible for managing several people. He said it was his usual approach not to make colleagues feel that he considered himself superior to them simply because he was in a managerial position.Also Read: Scam at Delhi airport? Couple alleges passports scanned at duty-free, airport respondsHowever, he said his experience eventually made him reconsider that approach.“But now I realise that that is something which is very important. You need to create some boundaries, some very clear boundaries, because the leverage that you are providing is actually destroying you. You don't know when people start misusing that and start backstabbing you,” he said.Wadhwani said he had given considerable flexibility to the people on his team and those junior to him. Looking back, he advised managers to make the limits of their professional relationships clear.“I gave a lot of leverage to all my team, all the people who were junior to me, but this is one of my advice from all this experience: that it's always better to maintain a line between and to make your boundaries very clear,” he said.Also Read: Warren Buffett’s one son is a farmer in Nebraska, another musician: The billionaire’s children didn’t know how rich their father was until adulthoodSocial media users debate workplace boundariesThe video prompted users to share differing views on how managers should balance authority, approachability and leadership.One user wrote, “Boundaries are important at work,” while another commented, “Respect matters more than being ‘cool’.”Not everyone agreed with the broader message. One user argued, “Being kind is not the problem,” while another said the experience was “very relatable.”Another viewer offered a different perspective, writing, “Try to be a true leader he can overtake a boss because he knows what's leadership.”