Posted: 14 Dec. 2016 5 min. read

The Business Chemistry guide to navigating office holiday parties

‘Tis the season for requisite office holiday parties, with the associated potential for social awkwardness as you mingle. At work parties, while there are many things to avoid doing in general (drunken karaoke probably being high on that list), there are also things that are particularly unappealing to specific individuals based on their different working styles. So to help make your interactions as pleasant as possible this season, here’s a quick list of what to do, and more importantly what NOT do, with each of the four main working styles you’ll see across your bosses and co-workers.

With Drivers

Drivers appreciate intelligence and challenge, are NOT big on small talk. So this is not the group to chitchat with about the weather, or with whom you would share personal stories about how your Grandma’s sister’s second cousin once gave his pound cake recipe to your family, or . . . you get the point. And Drivers will want you to get to yours. If you really want to get a Driver engaged, choose a topic that you can debate with them. And make sure you have facts to back up your argument.

With Integrators

Integrators are the opposite of Drivers. They’re empathetic, diplomatic, and appreciate authentic connections. This is not the type to listen to with one ear while you scan the room for someone more important to talk to, or to regale with your latest set of accomplishments. If you really want to get an Integrator engaged, be inquisitive about their personal as well as professional lives, really listen, and go with the conversation flow.

With Guardians

Guardians value structure and preparation, and are the most introverted of the four styles. If it’s a Guardian throwing the party, don’t be late! This is not the type to ask to take unnecessary risks and break the rules (“shall we spike that eggnog?”) or with whom to be overly maudlin. If you really want to get a Guardian engaged, initiate a conversation about a topic they know a lot about, and ask them to take you through the details about it.

With Pioneers

Pioneers love exploring new possibilities and dreaming big. This is not the type to force to a specific agenda (“wait, you can’t have a spontaneous dance party now, we haven’t done the traditional gift exchange yet”), and won’t appreciate you raining on their latest parade with inconvenient facts. If you really want to get a Pioneer engaged, bring up anything fun or new, and enthusiastically riff on the topic together (“yes, and! . . .”).

So the next time you’re dashing off to that office holiday party, you better watch out. You’re likely to come across each of these types. And now that you know what’s bad or good, be good for goodness sake!

Subscribe to the Business Chemistry Blog

Get the most current insights about leadership, teams, and how relationships fuel our work.

Get in touch

Kim Christfort

Kim Christfort

Chief Innovation Leader | Deloitte Greenhouse®

Kim is the Chief Innovation Leader and National Managing Director of The Deloitte Greenhouse® Experience group, which helps executives tackle tough business challenges through immersive, facilitated lab experiences, and client experience IP such as Business Chemistry®. As part of this role, Kim leads US Deloitte Greenhouses, permanent spaces designed to promote exploration and problem solving away from business as usual. Kim is the architect and global leader of Deloitte's proprietary working style system Business Chemistry®, used by more than 300,000 people around the world, co-author of the Harvard Business Review cover story on Business Chemistry and the book Business Chemistry: Practical Magic for Crafting Powerful Work Relationships with Deloitte Greenhouse colleague Suzanne Vickberg. Kim and Suzanne’s second book, The Breakthrough Manifesto: Ten Principles to Spark Transformative Innovation, digs deep into methodologies and mindsets to help obliterate barriers to change and ignite a whole new level of creative problem-solving. Kim is a frequent speaker, facilitator, and coach for global businesses on insights about diagnosing why groups get stuck, crafting methods that unlock opportunities, and facilitating immersive, interactive sessions that accelerate breakthroughs.