How to Manage Former Peers
If you recently transitioned into a management role, you know that managing former peers can be challenging.
You want to maintain personal relationships but aren’t sure whether doing so will give the perception of favoritism. To compound the problem, some of your closest friends may be on the team, which can make performance conversations even more difficult than usual.
In my last job, I made an exciting but uncomfortable leap up two rungs of the corporate ladder. I was promoted from Team Lead to Director, which meant I immediately became my boss’s boss.
One day I was everyone’s peer. The next day I was managing a department of 160 people — a department that included numerous close colleagues and two of my best friends.
I immediately faced a slew of questions I had never encountered.
Should I grab beers after work with team members? Should I participate in non-work-related conversations I overhear on the team? How could I maintain and develop my friendships without showing favoritism?
Every leader’s solution to these questions is slightly different. I will not presume to tell you how you should handle these situations. However, I strongly believe it’s in your best interest to create a few personal ground rules for interacting with your team.
