When Your Friend Becomes Your Boss

when your friend becomes your boss

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Switching gears from fashion and kids today to talk about work. Yes, I’m on maternity leave and it’s glorious, but I eventually have to go back to work. And when I return this time around, I have a new boss. My new boss is actually a close friend! Don’t worry, it’s not my first rodeo in this department, my previous boss was actually a close friend too before she became my boss. I know, it’s happened twice, which is a little weird or maybe I’m just too friendly at work?!?! Either way I’m going to share my tips for navigating when your friend becomes your boss.

Respect

First and foremost, you have to have respect for your friend. Yes, your relationship will change a bit, but if you respect her position and yours it won’t be an issue. In life, you want your friends to succeed, you want them to be the best version of themselves. And that doesn’t change when your friend becomes your boss. If your boss looks good to her superior then you look good. It’s a pretty simple concept. I have way too much respect for my friend professionally to make them look bad.

Set Aside Friend Time

Your new boss was once your friend and it’s ok to still have that relationship. I have always been pretty open with all my past bosses while keeping it professional. However, when my friend became my boss I had to set boundaries that allowed me to have a professional relationship and a personal relationship. When I want to talk to my friend at work and not my boss I simply tell her that I need to talk to her as a friend. We both respect that and switch off the working relationship and switch to the friend relationship. And yes I literally start off the conversation with “Friend Amy here” and we both know how to proceed.

Set Aside Boss Time

There is a time and place to have a super professional working relationship too. During group meetings, networking events and one on one time. I use this time to voice my thoughts and concerns as an employee. I leave any pettiness aside that would slip into a friendship conversation and discuss problems and solutions from a business perspective. Is this difficult to do? Actually it is not because I respect her position.

Don’t Take Advantage

The only way this new relationship will work is if you don’t take advantage of her new role. I’m not a huge rule breaker anyways so this really doesn’t apply to me. But I would never want to break a rule or a policy and expect my friend, now new boss, to cover for me. I don’t want to put her in a weird position to have to cover for me. This will not only further your friendship, but your professional relationship as well.

Advantages

There are several advantages to your friend becoming your boss at work. Chances are you are such great friends because you get along so well and nothing has to change about that. Your friend, now your boss also knows where you are coming from. She knows what you like and dislike about your job and can help change things if needed. And while she will now know your salary, it’s ok. Chances are she had a good idea of it before she was your boss anyway.