It s that time of year again time for the company holiday party.
When it comes right down to it, such an event is a mixed bag. On one hand, it s a party time to leave the workplace behind and have a little fun. On the other hand, it s work; no matter how you look at it, your boss and your underlings will be there, and one misstep by you will cost you probably for the rest of your career.
Granted, you probably won t do anything terribly stupid. However, most company parties involve liquor after all, a lot of the people you work with are pretty dry morsels, and a little lubrication can always be helpful. There s a reason, though, that people say that it s a good idea to imbibe in moderation.
People do some goofy things when they ve had a drop too much. I ve seen a lot of people do way too much talking when they ve drunk a bit much, and, frankly, there s a lot in your life in fact, most of your life that really isn t the business of your colleagues. It s just a bad idea to talk too much about your personal life at work; you re there to work, after all. Moreover, if there are problems in your personal life, your colleagues could use them to hijack your efforts to lead projects ( I just don t think this is the right time for him, Boss. He s got so much on his plate, blah blah blah. ). Especially in these tough times, you don t want anyone in your family to have any ammunition to reduce or eliminate your workload.
If your life is going well, on the other hand, and you yak, yak, yak about it at the company party, you could raise the specter of jealousy amongst your colleagues. Nothing creates camaraderie like the knowledge that one of your workmates is doing better than you are. Avoid looking like a target by keeping mum about your personal life.
It s important to remember, in these days of team building exercises and posters talking about Teamwork that the workplace really is a series of contests. There are rivalries for salary increases, for promotions, and for plum projects. Those work buddies of yours, when it comes right down to it, are your competition for all of the above and don t think for a minute that they don t know this, too. Your motto should be pleasant, proficient, and professional; don t go overboard trying to be the most popular guy in the office. The fact is, popularity works for high school, but after that, one really must turn to competence and talent.
That s why it s so important to remember that your office party is a company function. The holiday season in the United States is all about excess, and it s easy to forget to pull the reins in a bit when you re enjoying a bit of that largesse on the company dime. If you don t keep this in mind, though, people will notice and they will remark upon it. It could hurt your career, or it could just be a subject of gossip that emerges from time to time. Either way, it hurts your reputation, and your reputation is everything.
With that in mind, remember one or two drinks, and drink a large glass of water or club soda in between to help you pace yourself. Don t gossip about anybody. Gossip is a common product of too much alcohol and a relaxing of the guard, and it s a dangerous consequence. I don t care who you re talking about, or to whom, or how quietly. It s more than likely that your indiscretion will become known and that can create a whole mess of office politics that will affect your job and your reputation.
Company parties also bring on the problem of what to wear. I know people who have had bosses that put together some novelty costume party even one that made everyone dress like cowboys and cowgirls because his then mistress enjoyed country music. If such an unfortunate requirement befalls you, try to handle your misfortune with flair and good taste. Ask your boss what he or she is wearing and take your cue from them. Remember the rule about costume parties at the office your clothing in all cases should cover your body as much as your work clothes do, and as loosely. Nothing too tight or too bare, and nothing that could be construed as an insult to any ethnic, religious, or lifestyle group.
If you are like most people, and your company party is an opportunity to dress up, do so properly. If the invitation is issued as black tie optional, wear a tuxedo. Especially at work, be sure that your tuxedo is classic and tasteful: satin lapels, patent shoes, a proper bow tie, and onyx studs and cufflinks.
Most likely, your party will require you to wear a suit or coat and tie. For such events, a suit is always preferable, and if you don t own one by now, make it your holiday present to yourself. A dark color gray or blue will give you the most mileage, and if you choose lightweight or mid weight wool, you ll be able to wear it all year long. Your socks should match your suit, and your shoes should probably be black. I say probably because dark brown shoes especially with some blue gray and blue suits are increasingly fashionable. However, if you haven t been a servant of fashion in the past, it s probably best to start with a sure bet.
Choose a brightly colored tie and by brightly colored, I don t mean a tie with a depiction of Bugs Bunny wearing a Santa hat and a shirt with a well fitting color. Even though this is a party, unless you re in a creative business such as advertising or publicity, it s probably a good idea to go ahead and stay conservative with your look. A good quality, not overly flashy stainless steel watch (or a very understated gold one) will complement your look, and a pair of enameled cufflinks maybe with stripes in colors that enhance your tie will give you the perfect amount of polish. There are also holiday cufflinks that you can wear which will give your look the right amount of style along with a little seasonal fun.
Author Resource:
Whether your interests are in silver, gold, artistic, sports, or other theme-related cufflinks we've got you covered. Cufflink Aficionado carries a broad range of Holiday Cufflinks designed to meet each connoisseur's individual style. http://www.cufflinkaficionado.com/holiday-cufflinks.html
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