By EILENE ZIMMERMAN

Q. A good friend at work has been promoted and is now your boss.
Is this the end of the friendship?
A. Possibly, although not inevitably. “The truth is, the promotion is going to change the nature of your relationship, and that is something you have to talk about, said Michelle Tillis Lederman, founder of Executive Essentials, a communications and leadership consulting firm in New York.
Discuss how you will manage specific situations, like disagreements at work, how to handle performance reviews and what work-related topics you can and cannot talk about, Ms. Lederman said.
It will help if both of you agree to make it clear whether you are speaking as friends or as manager and subordinate, said Susan Gebelein, an executive vice president at Personnel Decisions International, a human resources consulting firm in Minneapolis.
Ms. Gebelein suggested saying things like, “I want to talk to you as a friend now - literally spelling out your relationship at that moment. “If the two of you have been in a meeting and you want feedback on how you did, you could ask them, ‘as a friend’ or ‘as my boss,’ ” Ms. Gebelein said.

Q. After the promotion, is there anything you can do to make the situation less uncomfortable for both of you?
A. Pull back a little, giving your friend time to adjust to the new role. “Don’t go into their office all the time to chit-chat. You need to accept that you are the underling now and they are the boss and, at least at first, keep your relationship more businesslike, said Rebecca Roy-Jarboe, a psychotherapist in Beverly Hills, California, who coaches executives in the entertainment industry, where, she observed, this situation often arises.
It’s also important to be supportive.

Q. Should you expect to be treated differently than your co-workers because of your friendship with the boss?
A. Yes, but probably not in the way you are hoping. Don’t assume that you will receive preferential treatment or that you will be privy to confidential information about the company or co-workers, said BJ Gallagher, a workplace consultant in Los Angeles who teaches the seminar “How to Manage Your Boss and is the author of “A True Friend … Is Someone Just Like You. “You shouldn’t take advantage of the friendship by slacking off at work, coming in late or taking long lunches, Ms. Gallagher said.
If anything, expect the new boss to be a little harder on you, to make it clear to coworkers that you are not receiving special treatment, Ms. Lederman said.

Q. If that promotion was something you wanted, will you be able to work for your friend now, despite feelings of resentment or jealousy?
A. You have to come to terms with those feelings first, Ms. Roy-Jarboe said, by talking to someone outside of work, like a spouse, a good friend or even a therapist - “anyone who can be objective and is willing to tell you the truth.