Disappointed with manager

[Lovemycat21]

I was very good friends with another woman at work, she was promoted and she'd use me to take notes on investigations, etc, we would have lunch out and got on really well. Then she was promoted again and has completely changed. I thought we were friends but she has dropped me. She is now my area manager and when I have to approach her about anything work related she is quite dismissive and impatient. Am I being stupid for feeling hurt

It’s very common for friendships to change when a promotion happens. She is correct to not continue to be friends with you as she was as a peer.

She shouldn’t be dismissive and impatient, but it’s likely that 2 things are happening. She’s over compensating to establish some distance and you are being over sensitive.

Hit post way too soon so will add my additional thoughts here.

Going back and rereading your post she was friendly as your manager and has now been promoted again to your grand boss? If that’s right that’s even more reason to distance.

I’m not sure if you would normally approach an area manager for work related things or should you be going to your direct manager first? Your ‘cold and impatient’ also might be her ‘busy and distracted’ so I would maybe cut a little slack there.

The bottom line is that work friendships are very situational and should rarely be confused with personal relationships. They just don’t operate under the same rules.

Thanks for your reply. I see what you're saying, I probably am being oversensitive. I too am a manager so she is my direct manager 😊