Corporate friendship

In every office, there’s that “corporate friend” who calls you brother but forwards your email to the boss with “just for visibility.” He borrows your charger, your ideas, and occasionally your lunch. At appraisal time, he suddenly develops selective amnesia about team efforts. Yet at office parties, he hugs you, saying, “We survived together!” “We are one team!” In corporate life, friendships are real, just performance-linked and ego-driven.

A foreign CEO once met Moshiur, a regulatory genius who handled delicate issues like a chess grandmaster. Impressed, he offered him a DCEO role at his company; although financial terms stalled the move, their friendship flourished. Later, when the global CEO of Moshiur’s company hesitated to appoint someone of a particular nationality, he repeatedly consulted Moshiur, who convinced him to make an exception. The hire succeeded, careers progressed, and their bond deepened into a mentor-confidant relationship; strategic, productive, and seemingly unbreakable.

Then came a new politically backed leadership. The pressure of the conspiracy mounted on Moshiur, who confided in his trusted friend. “You’re the best performer, and don’t worry about all the politics”, he was reassured. Soon, a conspiracy emerged to protect fragile egos, and it succeeded only because that same friend chose to lie upward. Moshiur became the scapegoat. His friend climbed higher, apparently untouched by guilt. The harsh reality: In corporate environments, personal benefit and convenience usually outweigh corporate friendship.

In Bangladesh, some leaders, both local and MNC, may act unethically because they recognise the delays in the legal system. When cases can stretch for a decade or more, consequences feel distant and manageable. Time becomes a shield. By retirement, accountability weakens, and victims such as Moshiur are often exhausted, isolated, or compelled to move on, accepting defeat.

Corporate selfishness often arises from structural factors rather than personality alone. Large organisations reward measurable outcomes, proximity to power, and personal survival. When promotions and bonuses depend on senior approval, people instinctively protect their own position. Psychology explains this through self-preservation bias and fear-driven conformity. In hierarchical cultures, speaking uncomfortable truths carries risks, as in Moshiur’s case, whereas silence feels safer. During crises at companies such as Enron and Volkswagen, internal loyalty often flowed upward rather than outward because careers were at stake.

Research from institutions publishing in Journal of Vocational Behavior and Academy of Management Review shows that corporate friendships serve both emotional and strategic purposes. Employees build bonds for trust and support, but also to access information, influence decisions, and protect careers. In political or hierarchical environments, these relationships often become conditional. When interests align, friendships thrive; when incentives change, pragmatism frequently overrides personal loyalty.

Leading business thinkers highlight that workplace friendships must balance warmth with professionalism. Jack Welch reminds leaders that fairness matters more than popularity. Indra Nooyi emphasises humility in relationships. Satya Nadella links empathy with collaboration and innovation. Howard Schultz believes shared success strengthens bonds. Peter Drucker underlines the importance of trust and deep communication. Together, they suggest that corporate friendships thrive when grounded in fairness, empathy, humility, and shared purpose rather than personal advantage.

Steer corporate friendships with boundaries and awareness. Never rely on a single person for protection; build broad credibility and visibility. Document key discussions instead of relying only on verbal reassurance. Watch power shifts carefully and adapt early. Share concerns selectively and avoid emotional overexposure. Maintain integrity while building multiple alliances, not blind loyalty. Most importantly, create professional optionality so your confidence comes from capability and alternatives, not from one influential friend.

Treat corporate friendship like office tea: enjoy it while it’s warm, but don’t build your future on it. Celebrate together, collaborate professionally, and keep your blind spots covered. In a hierarchy, roles change faster than emotions. Awareness is not distrust; it is career hygiene.

The writer is the president of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh and founder of BuildCon Consultancies Ltd