Never depend on a friendship with your boss to insure career success. Think of the relationship as a business deal, a step forward on your career path. You have something to sell--your skills and knowledge. The boss is a buyer. The price paid is an investment that must earn a profit if the employer is to stay in business.

Bound by his own ambitions and the rules of the workplace, he can't carry out his assignment of supervising you on the basis of friendship. There comes a time when your boss has to say "no" when a friend would say "yes." If you think otherwise you are on the road to frustration and pain.

Spend as little time as possible alone with your boss, because ever minute one-on-one is an opportunity for him to probe, get too involved in your affairs. The more time together the more time there is for differences of opinion and conflict.

It is also wise to avoid becoming attached on a personal basis with your fellow workers, peers or subordinates.

Career Tip: Personal relationships on the job will inevitably cloud and restrict your judgment and leeway for action.

A Costly Lesson

Work hard to keep the relationship with the boss from getting too personal. You never want the boss to let his hair down about his personal affairs, his concerns and weaknesses.

Unfortunately, learning that lesson cost me a lot of money.

Early in my career as a management consultant, I had the opportunity to assist Carl W. to move from his position as chief financial officer of giant public utility to that of chief executive officer. The move, the result of a corporate shoot-out, was unexpected and dramatic.

Carl was filled with doubts that he shared with me. I spent a lot of time holding his hand from the perspective of my experience with of other corporate giants.

Unfortunately, our discussions began to take on more and more personal matters. He confided in me that he had under gone extensive cosmetic surgery. Our conversations even included his deep personal concerns about the ethics and moral considerations in the assumption of power.

He revealed his personal feelings about his associates.

He sought my advice in dealing with the social aspects of his new position. I coached him on his public speaking and CEO presence.

His Ego Ballooned

As time went by, Carl's ego began to balloon. He carried out a massive remodeling and expansion of his office space. He bought a larger jet.

He was becoming embarrassed in my presence. We began to drift apart. Eventually, he terminated my consulting services.

I came to understand that he had ended our relationship because he felt vulnerable after revealing his weaknesses to me.

Three years later I encountered Carl when he spoke to a large audience at a meeting I had arranged. Now secure and confident in his position, he thanked me publicly for my advice and gave me considerable credit for the repositioning strategy and policies that I had recommended for his corporation.

A footnote: He ignored my advice about the growth of his ego. He was fired without ceremony when he tastes for a lavish lifestyle far outdistanced his personal performance and that of the corporation.

For free career coaching click here: http://www.commonsenseatwork.com You'll receive The Career Accelerator, Ramon Greenwood's semi-monthly newsletter. You can also visit his Your Blog For Career Advice via this route. Greenwood's coaching comes from a world of experience, including serving as Senior Vice President of American Express, an entrepreneur, professional director, career coach and author.