My last blog about dressing professionally seems to have struck a chord with many young professionals. Not only have I received a flood of e-mails confirming what took me six years to figure out (that dressing the way your clients or boss or audience expects you to dress will make your job and your life much easier), I also got a number of inquiries about other aspects of professional deportment which directly affect the careers of young advisors.
The most frequent question I got involved drinking in business settings, especially around clients and coworkers. Now, I'm no expert on alcohol-related problems, but let's just say I have a bit of experience in this area, and have certainly witnessed plenty of do's and don'ts over the years. Drinking alcohol is certainly a part of many settings in which you'll find yourself with clients, colleagues, employees, or bosses.
The first rule of thumb is that if you don't feel comfortable drinking, or simply don't want to, then don't. The days when folks are impressed with, or value alcoholic consumption are long past: virtually everyone will respect your decision.
The second rule is: Gauge the crowd you're in. If you're with co-workers who are truly your friends, then feel free to cut lose, and have fun. But with anyone else–clients, bosses, or folks who work for you–it's important to keep your wits about you, and don't say or do anything that you'll later regret. And that means, being careful not to drink so much that you act differently than you normally would. In these instances, you need to be able to carry on an intelligent conversation, and to remember what was said by you and others. The conversation in social situations can often be as important–or even more so–as any other time. You want to be sure you're at your best to catch the nuances of what other people mean or don't mean to reveal, and present yourself as an amiable, yet professional, companion.
