Many people say, "Separate work from your personal life. They are two different worlds." I beg to disagree.
On my last post, I have written about how the friendships I have fostered with my teammates have made my professional life so much happier (and quite honestly, more efficient). There are some executives who would argue and would say that it is best to create a gap from people at work to maintain "professional distance". While I agree with this, I would still like to exercise my professional freedom and be the best version of who I am -- a talkative, honest Balot who cannot live without a close relationship with people she works with. Yes, I am THAT involved. I don't want to be a boss; I want to be a mentor.
While people would argue that friendship gets in the way of professionalism, I have realized (and somehow, proven) that this only applies to teammates with low EQ (and IQ, probably). People who I have worked with and who exemplified high potential know the border of where friendship and professional relationship lies.
There may be blurred lines along the way but it all boils down to one thing: RESPECT. It does not matter what your management style is, as long as people respect you. And respect, as you may have heard, is earned. This happens barely overnight as it comes with an ample show of credibility and ability which usually takes a long time.
I believe that we should cultivate friendships at work since we spend more time at the workplace than anywhere else. Teamwork and camaraderie play an important role in inducing a positive vibe and this is, at least for me, an integral part in keeping a healthy team.
xx,
Corporate Junkie
