by Laura Camacho
The holiday social scene is so much fun. And exhausting. Not only that, it’s the chance to catch up with family, acquaintances while making new friends. Parties are also public relation opportunities so you be sure to let everyone know what’s new in your business.
This grandmother was Charisma Incarnate. She would literally light up any room she entered. People would always gush to me about how wonderful she was. Of course, I agreed! As proof of the pudding, she was never without a suitor, even after she was widowed in her 50’s. I recognized she was a natural at charming people, a flaming extrovert I now realize. What took me a while to figure out is that being the center of the party hinges on one thing:
Prepare yourself to succeed. Setting yourself up for social success means taking care of yourself before the event so that during the event you can focus on others. Literally that is the secret to being the center of any party.
Eat before you go. Low blood sugar drags down any conversation and sometimes it’s hard to actually eat something at the party because you’re chatting, holding a glass and trying to not spill anything.
As far as outfits go, wear something you like. Dressing up boosts your energy level so don’t be afraid to bling it up.
Don’t forget to put on that miraculous beauty enhancer, otherwise known as a big smile. Smiling not only spikes positive feelings in others, it makes you feel more confident.
Attend with the attitude of adding value to each person you come across. You have taken care of yourself before the party. Your job, as center of the party, is to shine the spotlight on others.
By preparing yourself in advance, you will have TONS of energy to light up that room once you arrive.
By setting up yourself for success, uploading a mindset of generosity, and shining your light on others, you are sure to light up that party. The hard part is finding time to rest when your bedazzling skill brings you so many invitations!
Laura Camacho, MBA, PhD, PMP, is an executive coach, trainer and speaker who opened Mixonian Institute in 2009 to rid the world of boring business communication. She has created innovative training programs for local and international companies, related to leadership effectiveness, excellent feedback, growth mindset and emotional intelligence. Multilingual, Dr. Camacho’s career highlights include facilitating The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (in Spanish,) being editor of the leading management newsletter in Venezuela. For 10 years she taught communication classes at ECU and College of Charleston. www.mixonian.com
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