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Sloshing down three martinis at a business lunch went out with wide ties and bell-bottom pants. As one investment banker quipped, "No one's going to trust you to handle their money, services, or products if you get smashed over lunch."
Keep in mind that business is business. Others' impressions of you can make or break a deal--or a career. Alcohol is served at many business functions, yet more and more people are choosing not to drink.
If you choose to drink, here's what you can do to manage your alcohol intake and its effects.
- Don't feel you have to "keep up" with associates who drink.
- Remember that drinking isn't the main purpose of the get-together. Keep your underlying mission in mind, and stay clear headed.
- If you're nervous about the meeting, it might be better to avoid alcohol altogether, since you may drink too fast or too much and end up fuzzier than usual because of your anxiety.
If you attend a business dinner:
- Have only one predinner drink, if any.
- If champagne is served, sip it very slowly.
- Drink water with the meal.
- Avoid finishing each drink.
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