Lessons Learned for Surviving Professional Social Events (03/08)
By Danielle Francis
Welcome to March, which means you are finally done with seasonal parties. From November through February we are invited to an abundance of lunches, dinners, and cocktail parties. These events, whether personal or professional, are not always easy or fun. I learned three things this year that will make these events more enjoyable and beneficial.
The BlackBerry
Everyone loves to have one, but hates when other people use them. I had the pleasure of introducing a member of the LexisNexis team to several of the librarians I work with at a LLAGNY (Law Libraries Association of Greater New York) event we sponsored in January. In the course of conversation my colleague took out his BlackBerry. I admit it, I groaned inside. Then he politely said with a smile, “You are giving me some very useful feedback that I want to ensure I capture. Do you mind if I use my BlackBerry to take notes, I promise not to check my e-mail.” The librarian did not mind. He appreciated that his comments were being taken seriously. After the discussion ended and the BlackBerry was put away they moved on to more important things, Rutgers’ sports. Gaining permission to use the BlackBerry with courtesy allowed for its appropriate use and avoided negative misperceptions.
New People
So why do we attend professional social events? To visit with friends, right? Although I have viewed them that way, I now realize this habit is a kind of trap. Three LexisNexis® Librarian Relations Consultants (Gayle Lynn-Nelson, Carol Barra, and I) cover the Metropolitan New York area, and LLAGNY has more than 600 members. We make a point of introducing each other to the people we know, so we all meet new information professionals at every event. My co-workers (and professional friends) are great resources that assist me in making new acquaintances from the safety of a well established relationship. My goal is to have both Gayle and Carol introduce me to at least two new librarians at each function we attend. Only 150 functions until I meet everyone!
Conversation Starters
For Christmas this year my brother-in-law and his wife hosted a great gathering for the family. When I sat down at the table there was an iMAgiNiff game card by my plate. While enjoying coffee we each read our card. Mine said, “iMAgiNiff I was a dance would I be a…” We had entertaining and amusing conversations that probably would not have occurred without the cards. I thought this would also work well at many professional events, using Balderdash, Wise and Otherwise, Trivial Pursuit, and Origins game cards as conversation starters. These cards provide a way to break the ice and give the opportunity to interact with everyone at the table.
There is a lot more to these events, regardless of season, than the dessert display. I learned these events offer lessons about courtesy, compromise, conversation, and simply enjoying oneself.
