Reasons to be cheerful are thin on the ground in the business world right now. It turns out we’re in a recession (really? The media should have said something!). But chances are, companies will still be trying to do what they can to keep morale high. In many parts of the world that involves getting staff drunk.
Perhaps you’ve even had a summer party in recent weeks.
Whatever the occasion, it’s likely you’ve found yourself drinking with colleagues, and for somebody in a management position this is a minefield to be navigated carefully. See if you recognise these three characters and feel free to admit, if only to yourself, which sounds most like you:
- The ‘cool as ice’ boss: Turn up with the first people to arrive and ensure everybody has a drink; in fact, put your own card behind the bar because a few drinks isn’t going to dent your bank balance too much and will mean a lot to your team. Then, once everybody’s got a drink and you’ve said “hi”, enquiring after their health, wealth and happiness thank them all for letting you crash the party before heading off into the night to let them talk disparagingly about the management team behind your back. Deep down you know they all like and respect you and were grateful for your time but you also know they need to let off steam sometimes, particularly in the current climate.
- The ‘are you still here?’ boss: First in, last out - you’re trying too hard to please people who really just want you to leave so they can get on with the serious business of writing off the first few hours of the working day tomorrow. The only reprieve on the horizon for your colleagues is they’ll all be more sobre than you before long because your days of regular drinking have been curtailed by family commitments or the simple onset of the ageing process. You’re not a child anymore, which is why you get rotten drunk on six pints, start telling sensitive company information to the receptionist and ultimately spend the next week batting back enquiries about ‘whether you meant what you said about a pay rise?’
- The ‘everybody’s best friend’ boss: They actually want you there, and not just because you’re buying drinks. People come up to you to chat and no matter how long you stick around they really seem to still respect you. You have a vague recollection of paying for the taxi and entry to a nightclub, but these people are your friends and it’s appreciated when you treat them. During the evening you regale people with tales of management prowess and hilarious stories from a career rich in endeavour, encounter and experience. The next day they’ll personally thank you for coming along and playing such an integral part in the success of a great evening.
So which was it?
The bad news is that if you picked the third scenario then you’re actually the second type of boss. You just haven’t spotted the warning signs yet.
