Leadership

It's a funny thing and a terrible cliche.  But the more amenable and flexible I try to be, the more unsettling it seems to be for the people I manage.  The more apparently ruthless and inflexible I get, the calmer they seem to be.  In my view they have an easier life and more control over their environment when I accommodate their needs and allow them to set their own agendas and time frames.  But they seem to find it unsettling.  

It seems to come down to good old fashioned boundaries.  I find it comparatively easy to provide boundaries for my kids but I don't see why I should treat my employees like they're children.  Are they mad or is it me?