Have you ever gone out with co-workers, associates, partners, or clients and they’ve offered to buy you a few drinks? I’m sure if you have, you’ve enjoyed it. Hopefully, you presented your best foot forward while still maintaining your composure. Today’s networking revolves around ‘Happy Hour’ and ‘Power Lunches & Dinners’. Being included in one of these events is a great sign that you’re somebody within the organization. To maintain your inner circle connections, it is imperative to come prepared to make the deal, gain insight, or discuss important topics. If you don’t maintain the right image, continuously ask for more alcohol, and can’t stop staring at the lady in the red dress, then you are ultimately asking to not be invited next time. To prevent that embarrassment follow the tips provided and it should help you get to the second round, get that raise, or make them realize you’re the go to person.
Top 3 Drinking Tips:
- Start off light, finish just right: When you first start drinking you need to feel out everyone else. You don’t want to be “That Guy” who’s very eager to get the party started with hard alcohol or tequila shots. Let the most senior person lead the path towards getting ‘krunked’, and what they get, you get. If you want to play it safe, I suggest you start of with a beer. This way you can show that you’re part of the team and you’re playing it cool. From here you can move on to the hard alcohol as the drinks and food start to roll in. Just be careful not to mix too many things or they’ll be talking about you the next day amongst themselves.
- Learn how to talk business by not talking business: The very last thing your Boss or anyone else at the table wants to hear is the problems at the workplace. Sure the occasional gossip is good, and talking about current issues that apply is good conversation. When you get tipsy, people tend to let out fustrations or negative emotions. Be consciences of this habit, don’t let your tongue get the best of you. Learn to talk about the things that matter through indirect topics that can allow you to transition into more sensitive issues. Let’s say you want to talk about how the IT department is really making things difficult for you to implement your solution. If you just let your invitees just have it with your blabbering you’re going to come off as the guilty person. Take the round about approach by commenting on the IT department and transition quickly into how they need to be more accessible to your solution. When you master the art of talking business you’ll realize it doesn’t come from giving emotional rants.
- Open your ears and make mental notes: Really, this is your time to hear where you can help and make your next move. Your Boss, associate, or client is giving you the opportunity to openly discuss issues and resolve anything outstanding. Take the time to listen and see where the problems are and how you can apply your skill set to solving it. Most people drink to drink, but if you drink to listen you’ll find that there is much more going on. Take a step back and make these mental notes to follow up the following day. When your at the office or writing that Email, you’ll have the insight to find a connection or solve the problem that is on their mind. This is how most people take the next step. They listen diligently, network and return with the solution that otherwise would not have surfaced. So next time the drink is being poured, sip don’t gulp.
There are many more networking tips to be aware of. These are some of them and I’m sure you have more. Please provide your tips, ideas or comments below. What is your best drinking tip when networking?