Eat, Drink and Be Smart: 9 Ways to Avoid Disaster at Your Office Holiday Party!

By Barbara Pachter

A sales woman brought her dog to her manager’s holiday party at his home. The dog proceeded to do his business on the dining room rug! At another party, a young man got drunk, cursed out his boss and was fired on the spot. And an administrative assistant wore a very tight, revealing, short dress to her office party.

Wheter you are a professional or an intern, your behavior at the holiday party matters. People do and say all sorts of inappropriate things at holiday parties. Your behavior always matters. Just because you are out of the office doesn’t mean that your behavior doesn’t count.

I recommend that you view the holiday party as you would any other business event. It is not the time to let it all hang out!

Here are 9 guidelines for holiday success:

1. MAKE SURE YOU ATTEND. Attendance at the company holiday party isn’t optional. Your absence will be noticed, and most likely, noted by your boss and other higher ups. At a seminar a young woman asked me if she should go to the CEO’s holiday party. She didn’t want to give up a Saturday night out with her friends. I had a simple answer: Go!

2. PREPARE CONVERSATION AHEAD OF TIME. Don’t just talk business. Be up-to-date on current events, happenings in your community. Read the newspaper, newsmagazines, company publications, and your professional journals.

3. STAY SOBER. Set a limit for yourself before you go to the party. It is much easier to limit your intake that way. Or, order a drink you don’t like and sip it slowly all night. A bank manager swears that he got promoted because his boss got drunk and she made such outrageous comments at the party that she was fired.

4. MINGLE. Talk to people you know and don’t know. This is an opportunity to meet new people. Don’t just stay with your group. Go up to people, say hello, introduce yourself, shake hands.

5. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY LANGUAGE. Even if the party is dull, it’s bad manners to let others see how bored you are. Don’t frown, slouch, cross arms or yawn.

6. DRESS APPROPRIATELY. It may be a party, but it’s still business. Nothing too short, too low, too tight or too anything.

7. PREPARE YOUR SPOUSE. If you’re attending the party with your spouse or significant other, prepare him or her in advance on appropriate dress and topics of conversation. Remember, his or her behavior will reflect on you. And if your spouse is supposed to attend, make sure he or she does. A CEO told his vice president that he was not advancing any further in the company unless his wife started attending company functions.

8. DON’T FORGET THAT YOUR BEHAVIOR ALWAYS MATTERS. Have a good time but…don’t make major personal revelations nor gossip. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because this is a party, you can address the company president by his or her first name.

9. SAY “THANK-YOU.” Be sure to send a thank-you note to the party’s organizer.



Barbara Pachter is a speaker, coach and author of numerous business books, including The Power of Positive Confrontation ($14.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.) and When the Little Things Count ($13.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.). She specializes in business etiquette and communication. Her client list features major organizations worldwide, including Microsoft, Cisco, Pfizer, Chrysler, and Genentech.

For a review copy of NewRules@Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, contact: Catherine Milne, 212-366-2149, or Catherine.Milne@us.penguingroup.comFor a free copy of Pachter's communication e-newsletter, “Competitive Edge,” call (856) 751-6141 (NJ) or go to www.pachter.com.