Stop buddying up to people you’re supposed to be leading. It feels good in the moment, but it costs you later. When you blur the line between friend and leader, expectations soften. Conversations get avoided. Standards quietly drop. Not because people are bad but because clarity was never set in the first place. Leadership isn’t about being cold or disconnected. It’s about being clear enough that people know exactly where they stand. Respect doesn’t come from jokes and familiarity. It comes from