There is an understanding when it comes to relationships people have with their manager or those they consider to be their boss. It's understood that you most likely won't become good friends with that individual and that the relationship will be based strictly on business. But that is not always the case.

I would say for the most part this is reality for people who are in a role where they manage people. It's extremely dangerous to get too close to people who work for you, and you really have to be careful.

People will often debate this topic, and there are certainly a lot of different ways you can view it. I often tell people that some of my closest friends are people I have worked for at some point in my career. But I also explain the friendship developed more after I stopped working directly for that individual. And there are many reasons for that.

When you manage people, you have to focus on business, performance and results. Sure you will get to know people on a personal level, but there has to be a line in the sand that you don't cross. You likely won't invite someone who works for you over to your house for dinner and vice versa. However, there are times when this happens and is appropriate.

I do believe that people's thoughts about this topic have evolved and changed over the years. And I believe they have become more liberal. It's extremely common for people who work together to get to know each other better than they know other people in their life. After all, you are spending more time with people you work with that you are anyone else. It's sad, but true.

Here are a few other points about this topic that are worth considering as well as a few words of caution:

Be careful of favoritism: If you become overly friendly with someone you manage, other people on your team may perceive that you treat that individual different. You have to make absolutely sure that you treat and manage everyone the same, no matter what. If not, it could be catastrophic. The last thing you want is to lose credibility and respect over a relationship.

Remember tough conversations: If you become too close with someone who reports to you, it will make the difficult conversations you have extremely challenging. Imagine having to tell someone you consider to be a friend that he or she isn't meeting the expectations of the job. Or worse, imagine having to tell a friend that they don't have a job anymore. While that is extreme, it can certainly happen and you have to be prepared for it when it does.

Use common sense: The reality is that regardless of your role, you will develop friendships with people you weren't planning on. Sometimes there will be events at places you weren't expecting. From the boss' house to weddings to parties, there will be times when you are in social settings with people who work for you. This is part of business, and it shouldn't be avoided. Regardless of what business you are in, everyone who manages people is in the people business.

Business is never personal: Regardless of the friendships you develop over the course of your career, never forget the rule that it's always business and never personal. Business is always first and that is something you can never lose sight of.

Christopher Thompson (cthompson@catch22solutions.com) writes Closing the Deal weekly for the Sunday News.