It’s time for your holiday office party. Are you going to use it as an opportunity to network with VIPs, to make a fool of yourself, or to play it safe while standing in a corner?
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Rick Cobb, founder of workplace consulting firm 2-Discern, joined Rob Hart on the WBBM Noon Business Hour this week to give some pointers on making the most of holiday festivities at work. To kick things off, Hart noted that expectations for decorum seem to be higher these days than they were in the past.
“So, the ‘Mad Men’ days are gone,” Cobb agreed. “I mean, I think that’s certainly no longer appropriate or possible, even if you wanted to do it, and not that you should.”
However, that doesn’t mean one should avoid going to the party altogether. On the contrary, Cobb said skipping it would be the first faux pas on the ideal office party behavior list.
“Don’t be a no show unless you have a really good reason and you make sure that those that matter really know that reason before the event,” Cobb said. “That’s critical. And then once you’re there, before you go actually, think about what you want to have happen at that event. Is there somebody that you need to meet that you haven’t met yet? You know, what do you want from the event? Make a list of the people that you need to see and be seen by.”
The next hurdle? Resisting to spend the entire party hanging out with people who are already your work friends.
“Make sure that you don’t waste all of your time at the event getting cornered by your buddy in your fantasy football pool and never really accomplishing anything except knocking down a few beers,” Cobb warned.
For managers, Hart offered some advice from WBBM’s News Director, Craig Schwalb – use the party as a way to check in with people who you don’t get to see much during a normal work day. Cobb said that’s a great idea, and that managers can also ask their team to introduce them to others in the company who they might not work with directly.
Of course, Cobb also advises office partygoers to take it easy on libations.
“It doesn't necessarily have to be that dramatic or that theatrical,” of behavior to get the rumor mill running, he said. “You could just be the one person who has the third beer when everybody else has two, and that story could follow you for the rest of your career.”
At the same time, he also recommends not becoming part of the gossip cycle either. Instead, he said to focus on goals and building new relationships in a positive way.
“Make sure that you meet the people that you want to compliment, thank, know better as soon as you possibly can,” he said.