Should I be friends with my employees?
Short answer
Friendly, not friends. They need a boss who will tell them the truth more than they need a buddy.
The line
You can care about them. Show up for their kid's game. Cover their shift when something hard happens. That's leadership, not friendship.
Why it matters
Friends don't fire each other. Friends don't have hard performance conversations. The moment you need to be the boss, the friendship is in the way. Keep the role clear and they'll respect you more, not less.
Ask your version of this question
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