Slacker Manager

Office Holiday Party Survival Tips

by Phil Gerbyshak on December 13th, 2007

It’s that time of year again when most companies have holiday parties, which means most managers have to make an appearance and show their best side, at least for a few minutes. Being an office holiday party veteran, and having not always been as savvy about things as I am now, I thought I’d share my tips for surviving the holiday party. Share your favorite tips, or horror stories, in the comments section.

1. Moderation is the key - Don’t eat too much, don’t drink too much, and for heaven’s sake, don’t dance too much. Just be moderate and have a little bit of everything. Pukers are losers, so keep the amount of everything you do in moderation. If you’re even a little sick, be especially careful. A few year’s back I went to a holiday party and was sick, had a few too many appetizers, and wretched my guts out for over an hour. Oddly, I haven’t been invited to join that group for another event. I wonder why. NOT!
2. Smile at everyone - Nobody likes an office grump especially not at the holiday party. Take some time and smile and folks and folks will smile at you.
3. Give thanks - Think about your interactions over the past year with the person you’re standing next to. Did you work with them? Did they help you out? Did they win an associate of the month award? Anything specific is great, but even a nice “Thanks for all your help this year” goes a long way to building a great relationship for next year. Every year I make time to find the folks that help my team and me the most and to remind folks how much I appreciate their help.
4. Avoid hanky panky - Just because you’ve had a crush on Sally from Accounting all year, or Ted from Marketing, doesn’t mean now is the time to pounce. Nothing looks cheesier than going home with someone from the office at the holiday party, especially if you’re married. Sexual harassment isn’t just for lawyers anymore. Use your head, and keep your hands to yourself. I’ve seen married folks spend time with the office cutie, take her to a hotel, and then find themselves divorced or fired in the next few months because things didn’t work out and nobody has any respect for them anymore. This is especially important to remember for managers. No fraternization with your directs or directs in your manager’s department, no matter what!
5. Don’t sequester the boss to tell her/him about what a GREAT year you had - Now is now the time to tell your boss, or your boss’ boss, what a great job you did over the past year and that you REALLY deserve that big promotion. Save that for the office, not the holiday party. I worked at a company where the holiday party was the only chance to interact with the owner. Each person took their best shot at him the whole night, and he was completely oblivious to the whole thing. Didn’t hurt that he always had WAY too much to drink, but still. Save your best negotiating skills for the office, not the holiday party.

What are YOUR best holiday party survival tips, or your best horror stories? Share them in the comments below.

Photo credit to Sam Judson

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POSTED IN: principles, work life