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With the holiday season coming soon, there will be plenty of parties and opportunities for many of you to share drinks with your coworkers or more importantly with your boss. For years and years, I was always under the impression that it was not appropriate to get drunk with the boss. In fact, it was frowned upon because you might end up saying something you'd regret, or you might get so drunk you throw up on your boss' shoes. Mixing alcohol and the work environment has so much potential for both levity and tragedy that I have always stayed away from my boss at any holiday party where libations were prevalent. However, after hearing a few stories from some close friends, I think getting drunk with your boss may not be so bad after all. I have a few friends who recently were promoted and not based solely upon performance, but because they had partied with their boss. So to that I say, "drink up!" The holidays just might be a great opportunity for you to bond with your boss. However, be wary that there a few guidelines to follow, when imbibing with your "fearless leader."
- Drink moderately - If you like a drink now and then, be sure to drink in moderation. If you get completely wasted you're not going to be able to get your point across and in random cases you might not even be understood. Slurry is a word used to describe an insoluble liquid, but it may also describe the words coming out of your mouth, if you've had too much to drink.
- Suck up! - And I don't mean liquor. I mean your boss is probably drunk and wants you to tell him how great he/she is, so let him/her have it. Share with him how wonderful you think he/she is, and make sure he's not so drunk he doesn't remember all the compliments that you heaped upon him. Be nice early and often, so the next day his memory doesn't elude him.
- Keep your pants/skirt on - It doesn't always pay to sleep with your boss. Although I have seen a few people sleep their way to top positions. However, there is too much baggage to carry around when you start an intimate relationship with your boss...especially if they're married! Alcohol can make some ugly people seem pretty attractive, but you must resist!
- Be a confidant - Your boss probably has no one to vent to, so make sure you listen carefully. Liquor has a tendency to break down many work place barriers. All types of useful information will be forthcoming the more he/she drinks, so be sure alert enough to remember all the juicy details.
- Drinking buddies - You would be surprised by how many career changing decisions are made over a pint of beer. I once heard a manager tell me that he assesses the merits of an individual in the interview process by this criteria. "Can I go and have a beer with this guy/girl?". If you're not a drinking buddy with your boss, this holiday season might be a good time to start.
- Do not whine - The only wine you want to see is in your glass, not coming out of your mouth. Managers tend to remember people who complain a lot. It's better to keep your thoughts to yourself rather than turn the holiday festivities into a gripe session. It's supposed to be a party!
- Stay off the dance floor - Unless you're a very good dancer I would not go near a piece of laminated wood. Under the influence of alcohol we all think we can dance like Michael Jackson, but the truth is many of us ending up looking more like David Hasselhoff. If you don't want to be the talk at the water cooler the next day, avoid the hardwood.
- Don't Drive - After all your hard work getting to know your boss don't become a statistic. Be smart and be safe.
Have fun!
