What you need to know:
What can feel like distance or arrogance from one side may simply be someone trying to navigate a role that no longer allows them to show up in the same way they once did. That shift can feel personal when you're on the receiving end of it.
A few years ago, I wrote about the difficult transition from colleague to manager. I focused on the person who had just been promoted, the awkwardness of leading former peers, navigating friendships and learning to balance authority with empathy.
But there is the other side to that story I was reminded of as I overheard a rant at a friend’s gathering. A guest shared his experience of how his friend has changed after being promoted, leaving a fracture in place of their strong friendship. Now he believes his friend has changed and he wonders if he has lost a friendship.
You might be able to relate to him and today, I want to speak to the friend who feels they've lost their friendship to a promotion. The friend who suddenly finds themselves reporting to someone they used to gossip with over lunch, vent to after difficult meetings, and laugh with on the drive home.
