Skipping Booze at Networking Soirees Might Elevate Your Career Game
Networking events are a powerful tool for building professional relationships and furthering your career. However, many of these functions often involve mixing with unfamiliar faces while sipping on alcohol to loosen up. While alcohol may provide a temporary boost of confidence, it can lead to some unfavorable consequences.
Dr. Brooke Scheller, author of How To Eat to Change How You Drink, points out that our societal pressure and habitual nature of alcohol at networking events can drive our choice to drink. Emily Merrell, founder and business coach of the Second Degree Society, agrees, highlighting that alcohol serves as an easy icebreaker when we're face-to-face with strangers.
By skipping the booze at networking functions, you might gain more control and focus on the main intention - networking - and less on the event feeling like a party. Dr. Scheller argues that decreased alcohol consumption doesn't make you any less charming; it simply makes you more poised. Merrell adds that you'll have the advantage of maintaining control over the conversation and making more meaningful connections without an alcohol-influenced filter.
While avoiding the bar may feel intimidating, you have alternative options. You mustn't stick with just water either. Merrell suggests requesting sparkling water with a squeeze of lime or even a virgin margarita. Don't worry about what others think or say; your beverage choice is your prerogative. If someone criticizes your choice, remember that their thoughts reflect more on them than you. Merrell also recommends connecting with other attendees through the food table instead of the bar.
Building professional relationships goes beyond traditional networking events. Merrell suggests participating in structured events where you're guaranteed to meet new people or attending events that include a speaker or lecture, where you'll spend most of the evening seated.
In conclusion, while skipping alcohol at networking events might require some adjustment, the benefits are compelling. Improved communication, increased trust, enhanced presence, better judgment, a more professional image, durable interactions, and fostering a healthier work environment are all positive outcomes from avoiding alcohol at networking events. So the next time you attend a professional gathering without feeling compelled to reach for the drink, remember the proficient networking self you're capable of becoming.
Dr. Brooke Scheller's book emphasizes that societal pressure and habitual alcohol consumption at networking events can impact career growth, potentially leading individuals to prioritize socializing over networking. Emily Merrell, the founder of the Second Degree Society, emphasizes that alcohol often serves as a crutch for breaking the ice with unfamiliar faces, which can sometimes hinder career growth opportunities by impairing judgment and potentially leading to unfavorable consequences.
