The office felt lighter, but also more uncertain. The old Manager's heavy shadow was gone, replaced by the Advisor—now Manager—and his more relaxed, yet ambitious energy.
I remember the first time I had to walk into that same private office to give him the files. I knocked, but it felt different. I wasn't walking in to see a "stranger" who intimidated me; I was walking in to see someone who knew I was just an 18-year-old student who had tried (and failed) to find a room for his girlfriend.
He was sitting behind the mahogany desk, looking through a stack of papers. When he looked up, he didn't give me the cold stare the previous boss used to. He leaned back and smiled, but there was a new authority in his eyes.
"So," he said, gesturing to the chair. "I guess things are going to be a little different around here now."
I placed the reports on his desk. "Congratulations on the promotion, sir."
He chuckled at the word 'sir.' "You don't have to be that formal, but I appreciate it. Look, I know you're balancing your BBA classes, and the previous boss was pretty tough on you about the 6:00 PM cutoff. I want to keep things professional, but I also remember how much you helped me out—or tried to—when I was just an advisor."
He leaned forward, his expression turning serious. "I'm going to need someone I can trust to help me transition into this role. Someone who knows the files and hasn't been part of the 'old' office gossip."
I realized then that he wasn't just my friend anymore. He was looking for an ally.