Tips To Help You Navigate Your Company Holiday Party

It’s a ritual that’s gone on for decades and probably even centuries—the company holiday party. Depending on where you work, attendance isn’t politically optional. It can be mandatory to show up and look like you are enjoying yourself and everyone who is there. And even if it’s not mandatory, you’re aware that the “powers that be” are noticing who is there and who is not—and how everyone is behaving.

So what to do!?

1 - Go! Yes, do attend your company’s holiday party. It’s both politically and socially intelligent. Even if you aren’t a party person, it will be noted by everyone else, and most especially your business “elders” that you are behaving like a company player. And more often than not these days company spirit, company values, and company culture are viewed and experienced as critical to the success of a company and everyone who works there. Why? Because no longer do people leave their personal selves at home, nor is it advisable to do so. Companies want your full self contributing to the richness of the work that goes on and the product/service that is provided. And work/life balance is enhanced when employees bring their full selves to the workplace.
So—DO go to the party! And do bring your spouse, date, or a friend if that’s appropriate.

2 - Wear Festive Clothing! Help yourself get into the spirit of the event by wearing holiday colors which will vary depending on the cultural/religious make up of the company, whether you are north of the equator and it’s winter or you are south of the equator and it’s summer, and/or which of the many holidays are being celebrated—Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, or these and any others combined into a celebration of the season. Get dressed up—whether it’s a little or even a bit over the top if it fits with who you are. This is an occasion where you can help enhance the party spirit with blinking holiday earrings, a reindeer nose, glorious turban, etc. Go out of your way to have fun in the way you put yourself together and it will enhance the fun everyone else has by just seeing you!

3 - Eat A Snack Before You Go! - Do not arrive at the party hungry. If you do you distract yourself from truly being there. You put yourself in danger of getting tipsy or even drunk right away. And you cannot pay focused attention to other guests since you are continually scouting around for food. You’re also apt to eat things that you know aren’t good for you. Or you can end up eating too much of no matter what it may be and then you appear to be a bit “piggy” which is not impressive. It goes without saying that getting drunk is off the table. Do not over-indulge in alcoholic offerings, no matter what. Your goal should be to appear professional throughout the party and in all ways—including how you drink and eat—while still having a good time.

4 - Before You Leave Say Thank You! Put a gracious “button” on the event for yourself by saying good-night or good-bye to all the key players—President, CEO, Your Manager, the Event Planner—anyone that is important to you and the event. This way you don’t allow yourself to sneak out the back door hoping no one sees you leave, or perhaps even worse yet you pal up with “your crowd” and never speak with anyone else. Remembering that you are being observed throughout the event will help you make polite, gracious, and attractive choices for your behavior throughout the event. And if you need to leave early for child care, another event, or whatever the reason might be, make sure you explain this to anyone who might otherwise wonder why you suddenly disappeared. Most people fail to say thank you and/or explain their early departure, so doing these basic acts of good manners will also help you stand out from the crowd

5 - Do Not Gossip Afterwards! While it might seem fun or buddy-buddy to give your “honest run down” on the event and/or the people who attended when you run into close workmates you feel you can trust don’t blemish your good name by being seen as disloyal to the company and those who work with you by talking negatively behind their backs. Instead, even if you were bored, annoyed, even critical of the event most of the time, find two or three things about the party and the people who were there that you enjoyed, admired, and made you sincerely glad that you were there. Talk about those and then get on with your good work.

Question: What other tips can you provide for making the company holiday party a positive experience?

(Photo: swissnex Holiday Party by swissnex San Francisco/Flickr)

Judith Sherven, PhD and her husband Jim Sniechowski, PhD https://JudithandJim.com have developed a penetrating perspective on people’s resistance to success, which they call The Fear of Being Fabuloustm. Recognizing the power of unconscious programming to always outweigh conscious desires, they assert that no one is ever failing—they are always succeeding. The question is, at what? To learn about how this played out in the life of Whitney Houston for example, and how it may be playing out in your own life, check out their 6th book: https://WhatReally KilledWhitneyHouston.com

Currently consultants on retainer to LinkedIn providing transformational executive coaching, leadership training and consulting as well as working with private clients around the world, they continually prove that when unconscious beliefs are brought to the surface, the barriers to greater success and leadership presence begin to fade away. You can learn about their core program “Overcoming the Fear of Being Fabulous” by going to
https://OvercomingtheFearofBeingFabulous.com

Their 7th book, short and to the point, “25 Power Speaking Tips That Will Leave Your Audiences Wanting More,” is available in kindle at: https://tinyurl.com/25PWRSPKGTips