Should leaders have friends at work?

Leaders often fear that having friends at work would compromise their ability to take decisions. So should people in leadership positions have friends at work?

I would say some “leaders” are indeed afraid to have friends at work fearing their ability to take tough decisions would be compromised. I think this is a “good fear” since it keeps them honest when they try to take decisions. A truly great leader is able to overcome this fear and is able to separate personal relationships at work from business decisions therefore acting fearlessly and taking decisions on merit alone. Companies with such leaders survive and thrive.

The problem is the “so called leaders” who cannot understand the separation between “being friends” and “running an organisation without biases”. I have personally worked with and observed people who have completely compromised their organisation to protect and promote their “friends”. But probably they came into leadership positions in the first place because of friends who had a similar problem and so the chain goes on…..

So should people in leadership positions have friends at work – of course they should; should they compromise work, business & organisational interest on the altar of friendship – of course not!!