While this seems to be a no-brainer, many of us take the wrong path in managing work relationships and confuse political schmoozing with friendship. This is a huge mistake. Weather your interacting with a coworker, subordinate, or superior, remember that it is always a work relationship first. Any information you give about yourself will inevitably be applied within a professional context. Period.
Now, this can get dicey. Because we all lead very busy professional lives, many of our friends start out as business aquaintances. So, how do you navigate this particular ocean? It's about steps and mutual interaction in communications. As you divulge small and seemingly insignificant pieces of information about yourself, pay close attention and see if they are reciprocated in kind. This kind of interaction and social play can help build a foundation for a long and solid professional and personal friendship.
However, many times, in the excitement of a connection, we go too far. Providing details about ourselves that boarder on the inappropriate, within a business context. Then when that information rears it's head in an annual review, for example, we're horrified and feel betrayed. So, the moral of this particular diatribe is this: " Know your audience." I know, this is information we all get in first year college classes; but it is fundamental rules like these that we often ignore, and are stunned when they reveal the consequences of our failure to acknowledge them.
I would love to hear your thoughts on my views....Please leave a comment, if you're so inclined.
