I was at a work function last week, an event that began with lunch followed by an afternoon of business-industry-organisation-related stuff I can't talk about until about 18:00h then a very legit dinner with the other attendees, about seventy people in total at a great Argentinian restaurant nearby. The event was very costly for the company but don't worry, they make plenty so can afford it, and over all I enjoyed it.
Many attendees chose not to drive their company vehicles - there's a zero-alcohol policy when driving company vehicles - but I drove as I'm not a big drinker and am able to abstain without any trouble at all and several others did too. The dinner proceeded along and the bottles of (expensive) wine, spirits and cocktails flowed rather freely...and the room got louder and louder due to the state of those in it and due to the alcohol. It was a good night generally.
One aspect I didn't like was the way an individual at my table (of ten) was pushing others to drink alcohol.
Because I'm usually content to have only one or two alcoholic drinks this has happened to me on occasion, people pushing at me to have an alcoholic drink or to drink more than one or two. I don't like it because there's very good reasons I limit my alcohol intake, none of which I feel inclined to have to tell people in a bid to get them to back the fuck off.
I guess some get a little exuberant and with some alcohol in their system they relax a little, their behaviours loosen up and instead of applying their usual propriety they cross lines they might not usually and don't know when to pull back, or simply can't through inebriation.
The person I mention above went a little too far and, try as I might not to judge, I found myself changing my opinion of them which will almost certainly spill over to the workplace.
That may seem harsh but the event, the daytime conference and the evening dinner was a work event and I believe it should have treated that way, with a little decorum despite the unlimited supply of free alcohol. I know some may disagree and that's ok, but I feel a work function like this is the last place one should be drinking to excess and pushing others to do the same - at what point does one think, this could adversely affect my career? I'm not the only one who thinks it either, the rest of the table commented later on in the week in some form or other, even those who were drinking alcohol.
I don't think it'll negatively impact the person too much from a work perspective although people may harbour residual impressions based on that night and that may affect how they interact in the future; I also don't think the individual will be asked to attend another such meeting...ok, I know they won't.
Have you ever had something like this happen? I mean someone vociferously trying to push you into doing something you'd rather not? What was the situation and how did you handle it? Feel free to comment below if you feel inclined.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Image(s) in this post are my own
