Can You Be Friends With Your Boss/Employees?

As a kid, have you been asked “Did you make any friends at school today?” The reason we ask this question of children nervously is that we know that school without friends can be a lonely and hostile place. With friends and on the other hand, it can be really good fun. And so you can work. But what are some of the common pitfalls that we can come across with friendships at work?

A question I am asked often is, can you be friends with your boss/employee? And my answer is this, friendly but not friends. There are a few challenges that come with being friends with your staff, particularly if it’s a larger team.

In Episode 13 of my Level Up Leadership Podcast, I’m talking about Work Friendships – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly and how to navigate this minefield.

We’ll talk about:

• How to create friends at work

• How to be friendly but not friends with your boss/employees

• Creating some boundaries to make this work well

• Practical things you can do to build relationships at work (like suggest a work event outside of the office or something to do virtually. Perhaps a happy hour or team lunch. Building small social connections can make work a much more enjoyable place).

With International Day of Friendship day coming up on 30th July, we spend so much of our life at work with our work colleagues so the best thing is to be able to have a great interaction with people.

Do you have people stepping into leadership roles? See how Kate can help get them leadership ready here.