How to Be Friends with Someone Who Works for You

When you’re friends with an employee, you must navigate some difficult terrain. One of the most difficult aspects is walking the line between confidentiality and transparency. How do you keep confidential information about the organization — or even your friend’s job — to yourself if they may become offended, upset, or hurt? Start by setting your friendship up for success. First, choose your friends carefully, ensuring that you both are mature and have enough self-esteem to build trust over time. Then set expectations at the start about what you can and can’t share. Be clear, too, in your roles in conversation, whether you’re talking in “work mode” or “friend mode.” Then, be transparent with others in your organization about your friendship. Finally, do your job, even if it requires difficult conversations.