Recently, a listener let us know about a transition at work. She is being promoted and one of her new responsibilities is to manage a coworker. That coworker is a friend, leading her to wonder… can you be both a friend and a boss?

We sit down with our CEO for 15 minutes each week to get practical business advice so we can advance in our careers. On this episode we learn what to do if you’re your friend’s boss…

Key Takeaways

• If someone asks you take on a new role for them and you agree, your responsibility is now to wear the new “hat” and fulfill the role you’ve agreed to fill
• Remember that when you remove that “hat” you can still be friends
• If you’re the one who just got the promotion, it’s your responsibility to change your behavior to reflect that new job title
• There is a difference between being a friend and being friendly
• You can be well-liked and well-respected but you don’t have to be both
• In business, it’s more important to be well-respected than it is to be well-liked