I work for an IT company and I am very active on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. While I tweet for my personal satisfaction and on topics that are of interest to me, my immediate boss has started following me now and that has made me uncomfortable, as on several occasions, he has commented on my personal tweets. It is almost as if he is keeping a tab on my activities outside of work. This is an invasion of my personal space, but he is my boss, so I am not sure how I should address it. Please advise.

By becoming active on social media, you have decided to go public on your thoughts, beliefs and whatever that comes to your mind. Now, to state that your boss should not read what you state in public and also not talk about it, is kind of unrealistic and unfair. To state that it is an invasion on personal space may not be right, since you have chosen to go public. You should remember that we do not live a dual life. What we do in public space will always become known to officials in the company and it is but natural for them to chat/discuss the same.

I am glad that your boss talks about your tweets with you directly rather than speak about the same behind your back. As we spend time in a company, we do develop both formal and informal relationships with our bosses as well as colleagues and others. Such conversations/comments are but natural. May be you are making an issue out of nothing. I will suggest you introspect, develop a positive attitude towards such matters rather than assuming things.

Vivek is a Senior HR professional with over 35 years of experience, ranging several leadership positions, in India and abroad. He leads his consulting practice since 2003 and presently works as a Strategic HR Advisor to Reliance Industries, and is also an independent Director on the Board of Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd. Prior to this, he was based at Singapore for several years where he was Director HR - Operations at Hewlett Packard for the Asia Pacific Region.
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