The Guide to Being Friends With Your Boss at Work - The Muse

The Guide to Being Friends With Your Boss at Work - The MuseThe Guide to Being Friends With Your Boss at Work You spend a good majority of your time in the office. So, its really only natural that youll establish friendships with the people you work with. And, having a great relationship with your co-workers can actually make working day after day that much more enjoyable But, when you develop a close bond with your boss? Well, that dynamic can get a little trickier. On one hand, a relationship with your superior can lead to increased communication and a boost in your morale. However, the blurred lines between your personal and professional lives can also complicate things within your office.So, here are seven dos and donts of being tight with your work supervisor. Hint you dont ever want to make jokes about his or her terrible management skills. But, you already knew that much- I hope. Do Always Remember Your Boss AuthoritySure, maybe you and your boss grab drinks together on a Frid ay night or buy each other gifts for birthdays. But, that doesnt mean you should ever forget that your boss is indeed your superior in the workplace. So, even though you think of your manager as your friend, you do want to exercise a certain level of control and censorship when it comes to your interactions outside of the office. The general rule of thumb is that he or she is your boss first, and your pal second. Dont complain endlessly about the duties of your position. Dont make jokes about which of your co-workers should be fired. And, please, dont get blackout drunk- or even obviously drunk. Yes, youre friends. But, you should still make an effort to uphold your professional reputation. After all, your friend can fire you. Dont Flaunt Your Friendship in the OfficeHave you ever hung out with two close pals who spent the entire time reminiscing about stories you werent a part of, talking about people you didnt know, and telling inside jokes they knew you wouldnt understand? It was annoying, wasnt it?Now, imagine how your co-workers will feel toward you and your boss if youre like this every day in the office. Theres bound to be some tension and animosity. Needless to say, its important that you dont flaunt your friendship in the office. It can be pretty off-putting to all of your other colleagues, and even spark some pretty nasty office gossipWhile you should never hide your relationship, you absolutely dont want to rub your bond in everyones face- especially if your manager doesnt have the same relationship with other team members. If you do, you may be left with a great relationship with your manager, but you can kiss your friendships with co-workers goodbye.Do Be InclusiveJust because you have a great relationship with your boss doesnt mean you want to form this exclusive office clique that no other co-worker can penetrate. To avoid any conflict or hurt feelings, make an effort to include others in the office.If youre heading out for happy hour after work , extend the invitation to everyone else you work with. Doing this will not only reinforce the fact that the relationship is fair and legitimate, but will also cut down on the snide remarks and judgment from your co-workers.Dont Get Too Cozy on Social MediaWork relationships mustve been so easy before social media was a big deal. But, now were all tasked with the overwhelming decision of whether or not we should accept that dreaded friend request from our boss. Hitting accept really comes down to personal preference. However, regardless of what you decide, its best not to become too familiar or cozy with your superior on your social media accounts. Why? Well, it introduces a whole new personal element (and possibly even a need for censorship) into your already complicated relationship.Plus, those frequent tweets back and forth between you and your manager can cause your other co-workers to feel uncomfortable or even left out. Do Avoid Office GossipOffice gossip is a bad idea in any circumstance. But, when its taking place between a manager and subordinate? Well, thats just a recipe for disaster. As a best practice, you and your supervisor should stay away from discussions about anything work-related when youre outside of the office. It only serves to expand your gray area and further complicate your already delicate relationship. Plus, you need to keep in mind that this person is still your boss (remember my point about constantly recognizing authority?). After all, your seemingly harmless venting could very well be job jeopardizing for the co-worker youre complaining about. Dont Leverage Your Friendship for Special TreatmentThis should go without saying, but you should absolutely never use your personal relationship for pull in a professional scenario. In the office, your boss should treat you as he or she does any other employee- and you should expect that from him or her. Wouldnt you be furious if you always had to set an appointment with your supervisor, w hile another employee could simply breeze into his or her office whenever he or she pleased? Its a surefire way to make someone feel unten liegend and disrespected, whether thats your intention or not.Do Openly CommunicateBalancing your personal and professional relationship is bound to get complicated, so you and your superior should make an effort to always openly communicate with one another about any problems, concerns, or conflicts.Also, its not a bad idea for you and your boss to sit down and talk about some ground rules pretty early on in your friendship- as awkward and formal as it might seem. This sets boundaries that you can respect both in and out of the office, as well as makes both of your expectations clear right from the get-go. Theres no doubt about it- navigating a friendship with your boss involves some serious thought and consideration. However, its definitely doable, and even surprisingly common Practice these dos and avoid the donts for a friendship thats ethica l, honest, and (hopefully) judgment-free.