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Working for a friend? Don’t ignore professional behaviour
Ravi was all jubilant. His friend Rakesh had begun a business venture and he wanted him to take charge of the communications department that Ravi specialised in. His thoughts sprung back to those times when they would hang out in a gang and were room-mates and he was all excited about working in the same office with his friend. However, there was a hitch somewhere…he did not want the sanctity of this friendship to get affected by professional confrontations and other
predicaments that would arise as a result of the personal-professional mix up.
On consulting a mutual friend, Ravi did learn a few ways to avoid these pitfalls. His friend advised him to think over the prospect of working with Rakesh, from a professional point of view. What did the job have for Ravi? Would it propel his career in the right direction and add to his experience or was it just a breezer? Ravi knew that since he was supposed to head the communications branch, it would do wonders to his career. This greatly helped reduce his apprehension.
Another important factor that characterises all our job experiences is that of job satisfaction. Where there exists no satisfaction, new problems are bound to arise. Therefore, Ravi tried not to equate job satisfaction with the possibility of working with a close friend. He chose to perceive it from a strictly professional point of view and found that the job was challenging enough for him to exercise his skills to the fullest.
No doubt, friendship is a bond that transcends all other obstacles. However, on the professional front, it does cause some disturbances. Rakesh could favour Ravi over the other employees. He could imagine having those private talks in Rakesh’s cabin, having lunch together and leaving together after work. It certainly would be tough to demarcate their personal and professional lives.
However, the mutual friend had a different angle to the notion. He felt that professionalism is something that is synonymous with one’s career and working together is no excuse to rise above this aspect of one’s work life.
He suggested that Ravi treat the two aspects like two different layers of his personality. This would avoid jealous feelings from colleagues and instead gain respect for both of them. Their personal friendship and their professional attitudes would be appreciated and praised.
Their personal friendship was bound to be fodder for gossip and in the case of Ravi getting promoted or even having a private lunch with Rakesh, it would lead to wagging tongues. The friend advised Ravi to consider Rakesh as his employer, and work to the best of his ability, for all to see. This would certainly curb people’s sneers and jeers when his performance was appreciated.
Over a cup of tea, Rakesh and Ravi spoke at length, on how they would separate their personal relations out of the professional sphere of activity. They decided upon meeting out of office for personal talk and within the office, it was to be all about work. Personal favours or chats or perks were things they decided to avoid.
Ravi was relieved that his friend Rakesh was all ears to his apprehensions and also understood his dilemma. Rakesh too was happy that Ravi was sensitive to this issue that would have been the talk of the office if it had taken the wrong turn. In short, the two friends did learn that communication was the best way by which they would clear out misconceptions and apprehensions; and this certainly was a lesson that they would carry over to their workplace as well.
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PREETI RAGHUNATH
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