Navigating the relationship with your boss can be a treacherous game. On the one hand, you need to be on good terms in order to work together effectively and want him to think that you're the kind of guy who deserves to move up the corporate ladder. On the other hand, you've got a working relationship to maintain, and it's going to be awkward if one of you wants to hang out every night and play Wii.

Greg Bennett, National Practice Director of Sales, Marketing & C-Level Search for the Mergis Group, says that having a boss who wants to be friends with you isn't really such a bad thing. "With the economy flipping up and down, it's probably not bad to have a decent relationship with your boss," says Bennett. "So if you mean 'friend' as in someone you'd want to go to a game with or go out to dinner with once in a while, that's probably not a bad level of relationship to have with your boss."

He also says that sometimes "friend" can get a little too close. "You start asking How close is too close? when you begin crossing that line where your boss starts to get into that very selective list of 'close friends' or you get into his."

After the jump, Bennett gives some tips on being tight, but not too tight with your boss.

Be Aware of Your Boss's Intentions
"Friendly relationships don't get created; you can't push them," says Bennett. "And the idea of a boss -- a superior -- coming towards you and saying, 'Let's be pals,' is probably over the line." So if you think your boss is coming on to you (as a friend, of course), make like you would with an unwanted lady -- be friendly, but non-committal.

Don't Booze Together
"I would avoid anything that involves alcohol," says Bennett. "I have seen so many times when people get themselves in trouble at a company Christmas party." Often, drinking is an unavoidable part of building office relationships, though. So if you do find yourself in a situation where you've got to drink with the boss (or other co-workers), we'd recommend following Asylum's handy guide.

The Ball Is in the Boss's Court
Bennett also offered some tips for what to do in the awkward situation where a friend and co-worker who has come up through the ranks is promoted to be your boss. "If they're in [a new role as your superior], how the boss handles this new working relationship is going to determine how the thing goes," says Bennett. "The boss probably has to pull themselves away a bit from being the friend." It may not be all of a sudden, but you might want to look into getting someone else to co-sponsor your beer pong tournament.

Be Aware of What Your New Role Is
He may have been your equal, but in the new scheme he's on top, so you can't act the same way. "Everyone has to maintain that respective pecking order regardless of what's going on personally between them," says Bennett. So if your boss/friend is sending you mixed signals, Bennett says it may be a good idea to talk about the situation and make sure you're both on the same page. "The best thing everyone can do is lay out what the ground rules are."

Check out the links below for more workplace advice ...
Sartorial Tips to Climb the Corporate Ladder
Four Points for Making Yourself Essential at Work
Keep Your Office E-mail from Coming Back to Haunt You