Managers can be friendly without being friends—and maintaining that line is critical to fair leadership.

Friendships are usually built on mutual trust, but not every connection we make is genuine. Some people wear masks, often hiding their true intentions behind compliments and carefully chosen words.

If you clicked on this article because you want to be your kid’s best friend, you’re in the right place. It’s natural to want to be close to your kid(s), and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’d be ...