Should you be Friends with Your Boss?

Going for after work cocktails with the boss #funtimes

Boss - employee friendships can be complicated because of the power imbalance that comes with having one person supervise the other, but like every relationship, there will be good and not so good moments.

For you the subordinate, the perks of such friendship can be enormous as your boss may trust you with information that you would normally not be privy to, can pick you for high priority projects and assignments and may even speak in your favour to the people that matter in making or breaking your career within the company.  But it also has its downside which can include resentment from your co-workers, accusations of favoritism when you get rewarded with raises or promotions and having to constantly prove that your successes well deserved and earned as a result of your hard work and dedication.

Is developing a friendship with your boss a good idea? That depends on a number of factors such as;

Were you friends before you became the subordinate? It wouldn't make any sense to cut off a friendship that was already established just because your professional positions have changed. However, you have to make a conscious effort to maintain a professional candour whenever you are on the job by giving your boss the respect he deserves.

Are your intentions for entering the friendship genuine ? Be honest, are you entering the relationship because of what you think you stand to gain on the job or are you entering it because  you and your boss have the same common interests and have a natural affinity to share a social bond? Most relationships entered into for the sole purpose of gaining power run a risk of ending badly, it would even be worse for you if your boss finds out that you are only in it to gain favours.

Can you set and maintain boundaries? You would need to have a direct conversation with your friend/boss on how to keep things professional when you are within the workspace. You would also need to work on keeping your conversations both within and outside the job as uncomplicated as possible by always remembering that she is both your friend and your boss.

Would your peers be okay with it? No matter how genuine your intentions of starting a friendship with the boss are, your co-workers are going to think otherwise and you may become the subject of many water cooler conversations. You may lose your position as an insider as they will no longer trust you with certain information for fear that you would take it back to the boss plus your achievements would always raise questions as to whether you are truly deserving of them or they were bestowed upon you as a result of being the 'teachers pet'.

With the right attitude and professional candour, a friendship with the boss can thrive and should even be encouraged but if you don't trust yourself to keep things uncomplicated then its best you keep your work and friendships separate.