You will no doubt have countless work-related holiday networking opportunities, whetherNo need to Panic - just Practice at lunches, in the office, or holiday parties.  Here’s how to master the events and come out with connections for the well.

Before I share the tips: remember, go light on the alcohol.  You want to remember people’s names, not  where you just were.

Here are my top tips for mastering all those events:

Do’s:

  1. Arrive early and know where all the bathrooms and key points of interest are, the key people. Act as host and introduce people.
  2. Come with a name tag already on – that way you can put something funny on it, something comment-able,
  3. Do some research ahead of time on people who may be there, and craft some questions based on their skills or interests, or come up with some interesting, little-known facts about something they are interested in.
  4. Reach out to someone before the party, and offer to share a ride, or ask directions to get there, or if there’s something in the area that can be used as a landmark.
  5. Come ready with holiday humor.
  6. Introduce people, pay attention to what people like / interests and connect people with similar things – be the connector!
  7. Smile. Laugh.
  8. Offer to get someone a drink or coffee when you go to refill yours.
  9. Study up on current events: Wall Street Journal, Google news, top Yahoo.com news stories.
  10. Before the event, come up with a list of unique questions to make people think (not too deep or too serious) and / or to make them laugh.

Don’ts

  1. Don’t drink (too much) – you goal is to make and forge new connections and relationships: you want to be witty, charming, funny, intelligent, giving (whatever is your call to fame – uniquely you).
  2. Don’t complain or whine – about the service, the company’s performance, the venue, your boss, coworkers, or executives (you never know who’s connected to whom). Your goal is to enhance the experience for the other person – to get people to remember you and want to stay connected – not think of ways to get away from you.
  3. Don’t be too flashy in your clothing – that may cause people to want to stay away from you (a conversation piece is ok, it can be used as an ice breaker, or get you to tell a story.  Speaking of stories, make sure to come to see Ed Tate’s workshop, free, at the Speakers Bureau 12/14/11 meeting to learn how to create stories in 10 minutes or less).
  4. Don’t hang around only the people you know; venture out.
  5. Don’t monopolize the conversations.  Work your topics and body language to remain open and encourage people to enter the conversation.

The whole theme of this Networking Challenge, and the related posts, is to encourage you to learn new habits and form new relationships over this holiday season, where you will run into all kinds of people that you would otherwise never have a chance to meet.  Practice these skills, and work the challenge, so when LACE training rolls around, you’ll be ready! Feel free to send me your comments and questions!

(Photo courtesy of Flickr and Jim Linwood)