Your Boss and Your Friend
Strictly Business?
More often than not, we find ourselves taking great measures to categorize and draw lines of separation, to more readily identify who is who and what is what. This is a great practice to implement, given that it aims to shed light on “grey areas,” diminishing and at some point eliminating the opportunity for confusion. No one likes to be confused. Is it possible, though, that we have taken that concept too far, especially in the workplace?
Why is it taboo to be both a supervisor and a friend? Of course, there are lines drawn in the sand and hidden in various, detailed manuals that only our Human Resources department can recount. And thank goodness for those policies and procedures that keep our working environments safe, professional and hospitable. However, there is a fair amount of research that focuses on the benefits of expressing a vested interest not just in the performance of your employees, but also their personal lives.
The Line In The Sand
Let’s begin with why these distinctions are so important. First and foremost, it is imperative that your employees respect you. As a supervisor, you aren’t just in a superior position, you are a leader, an example and a role model. Given the nature of the position, you are expected to be a problem solver, a delegator and many other roles. You have a responsibility not just to your company, but to your employees and there needs to be an element of respect in the atmosphere. When assigning someone with a task, you don’t want for them to debate with you about the execution of the task. It should be a simple request, and nothing more.
You want for your employees to respect you. Absolutely. That is, in fact, a crucial step in creating a working environment that fosters productivity. It is also very important to keep from isolating yourself from your employees. You don’t have to know each personal journeys of each member of the staff that reports to you. That approach leans more towards being both invasive and inappropriate. What you want to do is find a happy medium.
Bringing the Two Worlds Together
Research experts in the field of positive psychology have found that number of times that we experience positive events in our lives is critical to our well-being. These acts could manifest in the form of showing someone that you care about them or expressing to someone that you believe in their potential. There are countless ways to integrate a small moment of positivity into the lives of your co-workers, but the effect of your actions is dependent upon your relationship.
Speaking from personal experience, during a brief conversation with my supervisor I shared that I would be taking the GRE in a couple of months. I was not too excited about the examination, especially since my lunch time would be sacrificed to answer however many practice questions that I could fit into my 30 minute lunch break. Over the course of the next few months my supervisor would check in with me to learn about the progress that was being made and to make sure that I wasn’t overwhelmed. Not only was he interested in my endeavor, but he was supportive. On the eve of the exam, which I humorously referred to as a dramatic event in American history, he pulled me aside and said, “I already know that you’re going to do well, but I’m going to go ahead and wish you good luck anyhow.” This was a small interaction, because that entire week I had been showered with various forms of well wishes, but it had a lasting effect. In his own way, he had expressed that he cared. In a brief, but memorable moment, our relationship changed.
Being in a position of power, you have the opportunity to make a profound difference in the lives of those around you. Furthermore, you can achieve that goal by initiating a brief encounter with a coworker, laced with genuine interest and positivity. When taking the correct approach, you can develop a respectful, appropriate and lasting relationship with your employees.
Photo Credit: flickr/Victor1558