02-06-2005, 06:56 AM
If it's any help, you'll find it's a similar situation in the business world. When you start out, your usually on 1 of the lower level jobs within a company and your friends tend to be others of a similar level. As you advance within the company, your responsibilities tend to increase, often resulting in you being accountable for people that report to you. (the big jump in business is when you go from unionized worker , to management) The higher up you go, the more people your resposible for.
Of course, with increased responsibility, there are costs. You start to stand out from the other workers you previously considered your friends and buddies, whereas before you blended in. People below you tend to look up to you for leadership and guidance. Infractions that you used to chuckle about are no longer funny, because your now responsible to deal with them. A person (it escapes me at the moment who it was) once said "It's lonely at the top" and there's alot of truth to that. You'll find that your friends list will change as you move up. You'll no longer fit in with the 'old' crowd and you'll tend to associate and be most comfortable, with others of a similar level.
It gets trickiest, when family members are involved. The most difficult circumstance I've ever had to deal with was being my own father's boss (I was my mother's boss for a time too, but that wasn't NEARLY as difficult to deal with). We had to seperate work life from family life to deal with it. Business's, and the military too if I'm not mistaken, tend to frown and try to avoid such situations. It's not easy to avoid favoring,or being seen as favoring, another family member. You have to be very honest and straightforward when working with them, and they ,in turn have to realize that you have a job to do and support you.
This is starting to ramble a bit, so I'll bring this to an end. I hope it's of some use to you. Do your best, maintain your integrety , use your best judgement and you should be fine. If your friends or buddies don't understand that(and most WILL understand), realize that friends lists do change and accept it as a part of life.*S*
Of course, with increased responsibility, there are costs. You start to stand out from the other workers you previously considered your friends and buddies, whereas before you blended in. People below you tend to look up to you for leadership and guidance. Infractions that you used to chuckle about are no longer funny, because your now responsible to deal with them. A person (it escapes me at the moment who it was) once said "It's lonely at the top" and there's alot of truth to that. You'll find that your friends list will change as you move up. You'll no longer fit in with the 'old' crowd and you'll tend to associate and be most comfortable, with others of a similar level.
It gets trickiest, when family members are involved. The most difficult circumstance I've ever had to deal with was being my own father's boss (I was my mother's boss for a time too, but that wasn't NEARLY as difficult to deal with). We had to seperate work life from family life to deal with it. Business's, and the military too if I'm not mistaken, tend to frown and try to avoid such situations. It's not easy to avoid favoring,or being seen as favoring, another family member. You have to be very honest and straightforward when working with them, and they ,in turn have to realize that you have a job to do and support you.
This is starting to ramble a bit, so I'll bring this to an end. I hope it's of some use to you. Do your best, maintain your integrety , use your best judgement and you should be fine. If your friends or buddies don't understand that(and most WILL understand), realize that friends lists do change and accept it as a part of life.*S*
Beware my dark side......oh! Hi Dark.