I don’t know about you, but this time of year I rekindle my love-hate relationship with holiday parties.
It’s just part of multi-preneurial life. I pull on my big-boy biz-caz dress pants. Or sweater if I am in a zoom environment.
I enter the room with a smile. Or the zoom room. Or the breakout room.
I give myself that silent peptalk that I can do this, very well, and you know what, I enjoy it! But I still have to mentally prep myself, just like an actor with stage fright. I give myself that permission.
Ahead of heading into the room, I am reviewing a repertoire of conversation topics for the evening in my head.
I make room in my persona to join in with a festive crowd of strangers and be myself. I make room for others to join us in an expanding group.
I maintain room between us for health purposes.
I do not have room to get stuck with wallflowers. I excuse myself and politely move on elsewhere in the room.
I circulate and approach clumps of energetic conversationalists, with my hand, or fist, or elbow extended.
I extend myself, beyond physically; intellectually too. After all, I am a content provider and thought leader on LinkedIn, so I make them want to follow me there and continue the impression they get when they read me into the future. I ask about their passions, background, work history, and latest accomplishments. I inquire what business plans they have for the new year. I refer and connect them to others.
You can do this too. Must.
If you need a conversation starter, and you knew I’d suggest you ask, “Why do you do what you do?” It goes a long way!
