ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > August > 13
Monday, August 13, 2007
Friends with your boss?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Your boss sends you an invitation to be her “friend” on MySpace. Do you accept and invite her into your “cyber” world?
A place where you share photos, invite people to parties and update your inner circle on what’s new in your life? A refuge that allows you to actually escape from the pressures of the office? Or…do you ignore her invite and hope she will forget about it!? Actually, neither.
I posed this “workplace cyber” drama to a group of emerging managers in a recent leadership seminar. Opinion was unanimous that you need to tread carefully in this situation. The group suggested that you should have a conversation with your manager and politely but firmly refuse. For instance you could say, “Thanks for reaching out to me. I make it a policy not to mix my personal and business lives. However, I would be happy to have lunch or coffee if you would like to connect.”
Part of success in an organization is managing perceptions. Giving your boss access to the possible off color remarks of your friends or the photos from the latest bachelor party probably won’t help when raise time comes around.
What are your thoughts on this one? Have a healthy rapport with your boss or is it hard to draw the lines of professionalism with him/her?
