How to work with a friend of your manager
8 September 2009
Read by 1541 persons
For Michel Foutrier, head of MF & Partners, it is not necessarily a bad thing to work with people you know: "A consultant works all the better if they are in symbiosis with their client. A connivance and complicity between them can facilitate their task."
But this can cause ethical problems: "There can be serious problems when the consultant derives personal benefit from their friendship with the boss. It can also go wrong when the CEO imposes their friend on others."
The boss should let their employees choose: "They can introduce their friend to their team, put them in contact, leaving their employees free to judge. Initially, they will remain open and give them a trial. And, in the end, they will recognize or not the consultant's skills and accept them." Discretion is key: "It is not in their interest to hide this connivance, or to beat the drum. Talking about it once is enough. Friendship in business is one of those things to be handled with caution."
Conclusion
"A boss who tries to impose their consultant friends would have a somewhat outdated vision of corporate life, says Michel Foutrier. The rules have indeed become more democratic. And if they decide to work with one of their friends - which can be beneficial to the success of a project - it is in their interest to obtain the support of their employees. They will then promote the consultant's work if they are convinced of their skills. They will admit it on this criterion and not out of deference to their CEO. For their part, the consultant must sell themselves to the employees."
Posted on September 15, 2008
usinenouvelle.com
But this can cause ethical problems: "There can be serious problems when the consultant derives personal benefit from their friendship with the boss. It can also go wrong when the CEO imposes their friend on others."
The boss should let their employees choose: "They can introduce their friend to their team, put them in contact, leaving their employees free to judge. Initially, they will remain open and give them a trial. And, in the end, they will recognize or not the consultant's skills and accept them." Discretion is key: "It is not in their interest to hide this connivance, or to beat the drum. Talking about it once is enough. Friendship in business is one of those things to be handled with caution."
Conclusion
"A boss who tries to impose their consultant friends would have a somewhat outdated vision of corporate life, says Michel Foutrier. The rules have indeed become more democratic. And if they decide to work with one of their friends - which can be beneficial to the success of a project - it is in their interest to obtain the support of their employees. They will then promote the consultant's work if they are convinced of their skills. They will admit it on this criterion and not out of deference to their CEO. For their part, the consultant must sell themselves to the employees."
Posted on September 15, 2008
usinenouvelle.com
