Transcripts

Susan Roane:
Go over to the group that's having the most fun - A: they'll be more open to someone joining them and B: why would you pick the group that looks like they're not having fun?

Susan Roane, author of the book How to Work a Room...

Stand in the periphery, do agreeable body language, smile, nod your head, and when someone looks your way you can step in. But here's the magic of the mingling maven - when you see someone in your periphery when you are in a group, step back. And then you'll have included that person that was excluded and they will always remember you kindly.

It usually feels more comfortable to be the host of a party than the guest. So Susan says even though you're not, act like the host.

I have an aunt, she was a guest everywhere - bring me food, tell me amusing stories; we all know people like that - make me have a good time. And then there are the other people - they are the ones who say something nice, they make the introductions, they make you feel comfortable, they tell you that what they're eating is delicious, that you should try one. They're just that kind of person. We all really have had host training, most of us know how to treat people when they're invited in our homes. So, we just need to take those transferable skills to those events where we're not actually the host - but we can act like one.

At somethingyoushouldknow.net I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.