Dealing with an over-friendly boss isn’t easy. You don’t want to be pals but you don’t want to alienate them either. It’s a hard spot to find yourself in. These’re 7 tips to help you when you’re dealing with an over-friendly boss.
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Listen More than You Talk
If you’re dealing with an over-friendly boss, this’s a helpful tip to use. Listen more than you talk. By doing this, you’re being polite but not putting yourself out there too much. You aren’t sending the message that you want to be pals. Instead, you’re sending the message that you’re a polite listener.
Use your responses strategically to steer conversations towards professional topics. Rather than sharing personal stories or weekend plans, ask questions about work-related projects or business goals. This approach helps maintain a boundary between your personal and professional life without seeming unsociable. Plus, it subtly reinforces the idea that your interactions are grounded in workplace matters, not personal ones.
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Be Professional
It’s always a good choice to be professional when you’re on the job. This is something no one can find fault with. It lets others know that you take your job seriously and that you have the maturity to keep your personal life separate from your professional life. This’s a good choice even if your boss isn’t acting professional. In fact, your professional behavior could be a reminder to them of how they should be acting.
Being professional in the workplace not only shows maturity and dedication, but it also sets a good example for others, including your boss. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 58% of employers said that professionalism is the top attribute they look for in an employee. Additionally, maintaining a professional demeanor can help you build a positive reputation and improve your chances for career advancement. It also demonstrates your ability to handle challenging situations and maintain composure. Furthermore, being professional can help you establish boundaries with an over-friendly boss and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
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Stay Busy
Stay busy when you’re at work. If you don’t have a lot of leisure time, your over-friendly boss is going to be less likely to stop by and chat. There’s another advantage to this choice as well. You’re being a good employee by being a diligent worker. Your boss certainly can’t fault you for that.
Make it obvious that you're immersed in your tasks. When you see your boss approaching, pick up the pace on a current project or start organizing your workspace. It's beneficial to show that you're focused and committed to your work-- not only will this deter interruptions, but it may also lead to positive performance reviews. Remember to maintain a polite demeanor; a simple smile and a brief acknowledgment can suffice before you get back to your tasks. This balance shows you're friendly yet serious about your responsibilities.
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Treat Them like a Boss
If you don’t allow your relationship with your boss to get to the point where it’s casual, then you won’t be in the position of having to take an awkward step back when things get too personal. Treat your boss the way that you should. This means you should treat them respectfully and professionally. They’re usually not the best choice to share your personal troubles with. And if you aren’t sharing personal tidbits, maybe they won’t either.
Maintaining a professional demeanor is crucial, even if a congenial relationship develops. Setting boundaries from the start prevents any blurred lines between work and personal life. Remember, it's fine to have a friendly rapport, but always keep your interactions work-focused. When conversation shifts to non-work topics, steer it back towards professional matters. This approach will subtly convey to your boss the nature of your comfort zone without the need for an uncomfortable conversation later on.
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Ignore It
You can always ignore the fact that your boss is over-friendly. This may be one of the easiest options to take. Just go to work, do your job and let your boss’s behavior go over your head. After a little while they’ll hopefully get the hint that you’re not interested in being buddies. They can’t force you to be their work friend. Most likely they’ll find someone else to buddy up with if you don’t respond to their attempts to be friends.
Simply carrying on with work as usual can sometimes be the best strategy when faced with an over-friendly supervisor. There's a delicate balance to maintain, however, between cordial professionalism and cold indifference. Remember, nurturing a positive yet professional relationship with your boss is key to a thriving work environment. If your manager doesn’t pick up on the cues that their advances are unwelcomed, you may need to adopt a more direct approach, but initially, letting non-work-related chatter slide without encouragement could naturally set the boundaries you're comfortable with.
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If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence.
Be Friendly but Not a Friend
Of course you never want to be rude to your boss or any coworker. When you work with people, you spend a lot of time with them. You want to do your part in creating a good work environment. It’s good to be friendly. You just want to consider what personal information you should and shouldn’t share and be careful not to cross that line.
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Reconsider
You know, it’s not always a bad choice to be friends with your boss or any coworker, for that matter. A lot of times it isn’t the best decision but there’re exceptions to that rule. Maybe you just really hit it off with your boss and you totally get each other. Maybe you were friends long before they became your boss. It’s something you want to carefully consider and make sure you’re making the best decision.
Now it’s your turn to share. Have you dealt with a boss that’s overly friendly? How did you deal?
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