Ask About Teamwork or Collaboration, Not Friendships

A decade ago, I was among the most prominent and forceful defenders of the “best friend at work” concept. That chapter of my first book has been reprinted and cited ad infinitum.

But subsequent research shows questions about friendship aren’t really useful. And too often an employee’s answers to that highly personal question have been used against him or her. (Never mind that many people’s “best friends at work” got laid off.) It’s well past time we shelve those kinds of inquiries in favor of aspects more predictive of performance and legitimately within the purview of the business.

My Harvard Business Review piece on the issue is now live on the site.