Happy Man Day! ‘Tis the season for holiday parties and I know that you fellas really want to know how to act at the official office soiree. I did a prior post about office party behavior, but this one from Be Better Guys is specifically for you fellas. Enjoy!
How to Be: The Office Holiday Party
By David Boris
To our parents, the office holiday party was a chance to get rare face-time with the boss, maybe even the boss’ boss, and was a real opportunity to strut your stuff to management and position yourself for real advancement up the ladder. A person could flaunt their creative ideas to leadership, grab a Scotch with key decision makers, and rub shoulders with the boardroom folks who were usually inaccessible. To those of us in the modern era, the office holiday party is about not screwing up, period.
Between not drinking too much, not hitting on the hot paralegal, not telling dirty jokes, not dancing like a schmuck, not cussing, not gossiping like you’re in college, and making sure your date doesn’t get sloshed and barf in the bathroom, the office holiday party is more about playing defense than the old days where it was all offense, all the time. What you want to do is come off as a restrained, classy professional. You want to show that you are respectful, tasteful, and congenial. What you don’t want to do is come off like Pacman Jones on his first night back at the Gold Club after a two-month layoff. And so, The Be Better Guys Tips for How to Be at the Holiday Office Party, listed in order of importance.
Above All, You Are at Work. You may be in a bar, a hotel lobby, or a swanky restaurant, but make no mistake about it – this is work. Just because it’s a social event doesn’t mean that you can, well, act as you might “socially” (barking at bartenders, for example).
A Tip On Bringing Clients or Uninvited Guests. For the former, it’s your responsibility to squire clients around and introduce them to as many of your key coworkers as possible, since you’re the chum who invited them. For the latter, just don’t. Pretend Like You’re Running for Office. Speak to as many folks as you can, if nothing else, to wish them a happy holiday. People will notice your effort and will be proud of you for navigating the waters. You’re here to flash your grin, show off your impeccable taste, and make a play as a professional. Let the IT geeks be the wallflowers. You step off the wall and circulate.
Pay Special Attention to the Boss’ Spouse. Why? It’s one of the details that people remember. You thank the boss for the invite, compliment the spouse, oozing charm like you’re Mrs. Butterworth and he or she’s a stack o’ flapjacks on a cold Sunday morning. This is purely a political move, and played well, will make you part of the drive-home conversation. It’s like someone’s selling you and you don’t have to be there to encourage it.
Dress Like a Winner, not a Wiener. You don’t have to wear your power suit, power tie and power shoes, but you should dress in a restrained manner. People will notice you tasteful choice of attire, instead of your “Too sexy for my shirt” clubwear. See the What to Wear When: The Office Holiday Party article for more tips.
Watch That Mouth of Yours. Once you get a little booze flowing, a loose vibe, a few coworkers around, then suddenly you’re telling dirty jokes to the executive assistant. Purple jokes and purple language speaks directly to that “don’t screw up” theme mentioned above. Seriously, control yourself and what you say. These are your colleagues first,, then perhaps your friends. There is a difference.
Great Chance to Tell the Boss About My New Ideas, Right? Wrong. Look, you’re ambitious, bright, and eager. But, don’t pick the office holiday party to ambush your boss with your latest brainstorm. People want to leave the office behind for a night, so do yourself a favor and avoid talking shop.
So, Do I Bring a Date? Yes and no. Wife? Of course. Significant girlfriend? Yep. The “flavor of the minute” from last Thursday’s beer-pong tournament at Cooter McGee’s? Hell no. Are you trying to torpedo your career? Forget it. You’d be better served going solo than introducing a first-timer to your work crowd, where the unpredictability of a first-time date could reflect way negatively on you if you don’t know how she might behave.
OK, I Get It. But I Have A Massive Crush on a Woman I Work With! Mazel tov, as my people say. despite you sentimentality for the season, the office holiday party is not the time to do anything about that. Mixing business with pleasure is risky enough, but definitely not tonight. The holiday party can be a booze-soaked affair. You run the risk of making things way more uncomfortable for her and you.
And the most important tip to keep in mind:
Know When to Say When. Believe me when I tell you that your colleagues, your boss, your boss’ boss will not forget it if you get hammered on free top-shelf liquor like it’s your last day on Earth. To paraphrase the inimitable Vince Lombardi, “Son, act like you’ve been out before, ok?”
Office holiday parties are usually something to be tolerated. They won’t be the greatest night of your life, but they won’t be your worst, either. You’re here to show yourself, mingle, give off an air of elegance, and of course, have some fun on someone else’s dime. Don’t screw it up.
Enjoy and keep is strictly stylish!
