Leading Employees conscious to avoid favoritism. You may be able to rely on Maria to get the job done because she's your friend and you trust her, but she can't be your go-to person for everything, particularly things that are out of her area of responsibility. You also want to be careful to avoid the appear- ance of consulting your friend about other em- ployees or work projects. All decisions and actions must be clearly your own in the eyes of your employees. Set Individual Goals