DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Be an instant hit at office parties

How to make work related social events work for you
Ahsan Sajid n
Some people are naturally gifted with the art of conversation. They can turn on the charm as effortlessly as flipping a switch and comCAREER mand the attention of ASCENT individuals and groups. However, for a number of people, communicating with others does not come so easily. It is certainly not natural and when effort is made it comes off as trying too hard. Both school and university curriculum are set up in a way that even introverted individuals will have to come out of their shell be it through presentations, team assignments, debates, research presentations, etc. Since these are all a part of the curriculum one has no choice but to give them a hundred percent effort if one wants to pass. But when we are older and starting our first jobs, our need to socialise, to break the proverbial shell is no longer motivated by passing a class or earning a grade everything hangs on the balance. You can be the best at what you do but if no one at work knows you, chances are you will keep getting overlooked for promotions, uninvited to lunches and other office gatherings and not regarded as a team player. The motivation to become more forthcoming becomes fueled by the desire to succeed and move ahead at work. Not everyone is a social butterfly; if you are more of a wallflower, it can be extremely frustrating and demanding to successfully get along with people at work events. You are in the midst of colleagues, some of whom you know but a lot of whom you dont, and all seeking similarly self-interested outcomes; your only value is whatever value you hold for the person that you are talking to. All these ideas together are overwhelming for an introvert. Following is a compilation of tips that may help you navigate the waters successfully through an office event, such as a dinner or a picnic. Start the conversation earlier: Its easier to use impersonal networking prior to an event; for example, email or message someone from the organising team with a relevant question such as Do not be late: There is no fashionably late for work events. No one cares how swamped you have been all day. Arriving early means being there before people have created conversation groups. Once a conversation group has been created and it is heated up, it is not an easy task to break into it. Being early also allows you to welcome people as they arrive, which is the easiest conversation starter. Juggle between conversation types: At any work event you will have two kinds of conversations long and short conversations. Long conversations take place at low traffic regions such as corners, the terrace or balcony, smoking area etc. Short conversations take place at high traffic areas such as the washroom queue or around the buffet table. Both types of conversations have their importance and it is important to have a bit of both. Take the initiative: Work events are not your average social gathering; everyone is there to get to know their colleagues better and you dont get points for being mysterious. Instead of waiting for people to greet you, take the initiative and introduce yourself. Keep your first contact with people simple. Make eye contact, smile, say hello, extend hand for a handshake and introduce yourself its the simplest ordering of events for a first introduction. Dont hijack conversations: If there are more than four people talking in a group, the chances are that the group is already too full. If there are two people talking, they most probably do not want a third person shimmying in. Be mindful when joining a group for conversation. Stand about an arms length away, listen to the conversation of the group and make eye contact with a friendly face. Join the conversation if you are invited, and if not, move on within a minute. Make nice: Think optimistically and be sociable with everyone; everyone is at the event for the same reason as you, to get to know their colleagues better and hopefully further their career in the process. Everyone is a stranger before they become an acquaintance; the easiest way to look at it is to see everyone as a potential friend. l

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expected dress code, if you can bring a plus one or directions to the venue. This gives you an excuse to start a conversation with the person who helped you, and also gives you someone who might introduce you to people. Get online: The chances are that the event will have a Facebook event page or a message thread at the very least. For the morbidly shy, this is the ticket use this opportunity to have relevant discussions online about the event. These discussions will be easier to pick up at the event than starting fresh ones. Furthermore, youll have somewhere to go back and talk to the people

again right after the event. Research: While this sounds immensely creepy, it is something we all do to an extent. Research the people that you expect or hope to meet at the event on their Facebook and Twitter; Google their names in case they have blogs or accounts on other social networking sites. When you speak with them, they will not only be impressed with how well informed you are, but the conversations will flow easier than if you made a cold call and started talking with someone you dont know at all. Also, people love to talk about themselves, and they will love you for tak-

ing an interest. Make sure you dont get carried away with your research work; its a thin line between that and flat out stalking. Prepare talking points: This is something that politicians, celebrities and anybody else in the limelight does. Prepare some topics of discussion in advance that are pertinent to the people you are going to be talking to. Discuss current affairs without getting too opinionated so as not to step on any toes; you can search relevant current events online and read up. Read different opinion pieces on the same subject. Most people love to talk about what

they think, or what they believe is right; ask them open-ended questions about their thoughts and opinions on an issue. Find a counterpart: You are probably not the only introvert at work. Find someone you think is in the same place as you, and you can become each others personal PR agents. Simply having a friendly face beside you can boost your confidence while conversing with others. Additionally, during a conversation you can slip each other praises and talk one another up in front of others. You can also meet people individually and introduce each other to the new acquaintances. Having a partner is a big plus.

Touch base with idioms

n
Career Desk
Ace up your sleeve If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage particular segment of the market, to which they supply a product or service, and develop their expertise in that area Cash in your chips - If you cash in your chips, you sell something, especially shares, either because you need the money or because you think the value is going to fall Too many chiefs, not enough Indians This expression refers to a situation where there are too many people giving instructions and not enough people doing the work Cog in the machine - If you say that someone is a cog in the machine, you mean that, while they are necessary, they only play a small part in an organisation or plan Make cold calls - If you make cold calls, you telephone potential customers from a list of people you do not know Copper-bottomed - To describe something such as a plan, a contract or a financial arrangement as copper-bottomed means that it is completely safe or reliable Creative accounting - This term refers to the presentation of a companys results in a way that, although generally legal, glosses over the problems and makes the results appear better than they are Cut and dried - If you refer to a situation, problem or solution as cut and dried, you mean that it is clear and straightforward with no likely complications. Dead wood - The term dead wood refers to people or things which are no longer considered useful or necessary Do the spadework - Someone who does the spadework does the preparatory work or the preliminary research In the doldrums - To say that a person, a business or the economy in general is in the doldrums means that the situation is gloomy and that nothing new is happening Donkey work - This expression is used to describe the unpleasant, repetitive or boring parts of a job

Ride the tide instead of falling under it

Career Desk n
The amount of tasks at work sometimes seems insurmountable. This often happens through no fault of your own you did everything on time to make sure tasks didnt pile up, you skipped a lunch break or two to stay ahead of the game, and yet you still cannot go home in time. Moments like these would try anyones patience. Patience is one of the most difficult virtues to practice at work. This is truer in instances of frustration, for example when a single weak link in the chain is slowing everyone down, or the nonchalant attitude of a supervisor despite it being a good few hours beyond your workday. It is common human nature in such situations to become volatile and impatient. People who cannot control their impatience in these situations tense up, start sweating, get agitated, and may become unduly rude with colleagues, doing irreparable damage to their reputation. Losing your patience at work is doing yourself the biggest disservice. Impatience is a weakness. Your colleagues may view your impatience as arrogance, insensitivity, and impulsiveness. Your seniors will most probably view it as a sign that you are likely to make poor decisions, quick judgments or interrupt others. If people know you to be impatient, they will be reluctant to come to you for assistance, and bosses will hardly regard you for new projects or promotions. If you want to manage your impatience, and take it in stride instead of letting it ride you till you lose your temper and do lasting damage at work, try some of the suggested tricks. Breathe easy: Take deep, slow breaths, and count to 10 in your head or out loud if it helps. This one is the most obvious trick but the most likely to work. This works because doing it helps slow your heart rate, relaxes your body, and emotionally distances you from the offending situation. Do it several times, till you feel calmer. Doing this out in the open has added advantages. Take charge of your body: When you become impatient, your body manifests this impatience in ways that you are not consciously aware of. Impatience causes you to tense your muscles against your will. Consciously focus on relaxing your body. Like the previous tip, take slow, deep breaths w h i l e c o n sciously trying to relax your muscles, starting from your toes and all the way up to the top of your head. Slow down: If you start by acting patient, you will soon feel patient. When things are not going your way, simply slow down speak and move slowly. Submit to the fact that it is beyond your power to change things around and relax. Listen: Impatience causes one to stop listening. Be sure that you are practicing active and empathic listening. Give other people your full, undivided attention and plan your response. Dont get in the way: Much of what impatience may make us do, such as yelling at someone or being pushy, is not helping the situation but adversely affecting it. Remind yourself that your impatience does not get others to work faster or better. Instead, it interferes with their ability to perform well and may slow you down more. l

BIZ VOcab

Hold all the aces - A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position because they have more advantages than anyone else Ambulance chaser - A lawyer who finds work by persuading people injured in accidents to claim money from the person who caused the accident Back to the salt mines - A humorous way of talking about returning to work, usually with some reluctance Bait and switch - Advertising a low-priced item to attract customers, then telling them that the product is out of stock and persuading them to buy a more expensive article In the black - To say that a person or organization is in the black means that they are financially sound, have a positive balance on their account and that they owe no money Blamestorming - A discussion among a group of people who try to determine who or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing Blue chip company - This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings Get down to brass tacks - When people get down to brass tacks, they start to discuss the essential aspects of a problem or situation Bricks and mortar / bricks and clicks An established trading company (office/ shop) is referred to as a brick-and-mortar business Carve out a niche - A person or company who carves out a niche concentrates on a

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