Last year I saw a woman attend the company Christmas party and how she acted blew her chances for advancement in the company.
Unfortunately, she had a few too many drinks and got a little risqué. She approached the boss (his wife was present at the party) and made sexual remarks about seeing him after work. Needless to say, the entire atmosphere of the party went downhill from there. I felt like leaving but decided to stay to see what happened. Well, she continued on her downhill decline with a verbal and nonverbal message that left no question about what she wanted from the boss. Finally, one of her coworkers took her home.
When you attend a Christmas function this year, keep your wits about your and watch your verbal, and more importantly, your nonverbal communication.
Greet others with a hug (depending on the policies of your organization and what you feel comfortable with) or handshake. A handshake is best when dealing with higher status members of the organization.
Use eye contact to make the connection but look away and eliminate staring, particularly with higher status individuals.
Make certain you have a genuine smile. Refrain from touching another unless you have a relationship. If you don’t touch the boss at work, you don’t touch the boss at the party. The same holds true with the boss touching you.
Keep your distance — 2-4 feet is a good distance to stand from people you don’t really know or have a relationship with. 2-4 feet is the approximate distance of a handshake. When you get closer (12-18 inches), you may be perceived as invading someone’s personal space.
The Christmas party is not the time to complain to the boss or co-workers. Keep your verbal message upbeat and positive.
When you leave, leave gracefully. Shake hands; provide a positive verbal message and be grateful for this opportunity to interact with your co-workers. Nothing says thank you better than gratitude. And this is the season for gratitude and thankfulness.
