Contents
- 1. You stopped receiving constructive criticism.
- 2. You start to feel like his pet.
- 3. You trade jokes for your peers and your co-workers don’t like it.
- 4. Meetings are more like social gatherings.
- 5. You are forced to meet outside the office.
- 6. You pour out your soul to each other
- 7. Your boss starts flirting with you.
Personal boundaries are an essential part of any relationship, especially work relationships. How to understand that your borders are being encroached upon?
Communication with colleagues is welcome, but too close relationship with the boss can do more harm than good. Research confirms that having close friends in the office is one of the biggest factors in increasing job satisfaction. But if you are friends with the boss, his power over you can seriously complicate your relationship. Here are some signs that your relationship with your boss has crossed a line.
1. You stopped receiving constructive criticism.
There is a thin line between a boss and a friend, and you have to have unpleasant conversations with subordinates. If you have become too close, you may have noticed that you have stopped receiving constructive criticism and advice from him that could help you move up the career ladder. He probably just doesn’t want to offend you.
2. You start to feel like his pet.
This is often the first wake-up call. You understand that you get the most “tasty” projects, you are more often than other employees invited to have lunch together, they devote more time to you. Following this path, you risk becoming an outcast among colleagues.
3. You trade jokes for your peers and your co-workers don’t like it.
It’s okay to be friends with your boss outside of the office. But when you start making jokes at work that only the two of you understand and exchanging meaningful glances, it can have a bad effect on the work atmosphere.
If you have a close relationship, the line between work and friendship can blur. This can lead to the fact that you will no longer receive the necessary guidance and support from the manager, as you will talk more about your own than about work issues. To avoid this, you can send the boss a list of current topics for discussion before the meeting.
5. You are forced to meet outside the office.
It’s one thing if the boss sometimes invites you to have lunch together. But if work meetings are increasingly taking place over dinner, and only you are invited, it means that healthy boundaries have been violated in the relationship. You are only allowed to work during business hours. Otherwise, you should diplomatically express dissatisfaction.
6. You pour out your soul to each other
Even if you are told that you can be completely honest and opinion about you will not change, what you hear will not be forgotten. So keep the measure. If you notice that you are complaining to your boss about life, work and colleagues, learn to keep your mouth shut.
7. Your boss starts flirting with you.
Are meetings with your boss starting to feel like dates? It’s time to put an end to this. Relationships like this get in the way. The longer you allow this behavior to continue, the harder it will be to stop.