Agent 47? Nope not allowed...

Tonight I'm attending a company function, a black-tie (formal) event. It's held annually to celebrate and award the top performers within the international property group I work for and will be attended by around 700 or so people who work within the group across the franchise-network and their partners. I'm not really that enthused about it and was intending not to attend however was told by the Directors of the company (multi-franchise-group I work for) that I must attend. This is interesting considering that the particular Director who said that is in fact in Europe on vacation and will not be attending. Things that make you go hmm...OK, so the truth of it is that he wants me to represent on his behalf I guess. Fair call.

There'll be some entertainment, usually pretty good, some talking (blah, blah, blah), meals and drinks. In between courses the awards are announced and winners have to go on stage, shake hands, say some words and have photographs. It's all pretty civilised I suppose. Of course, there'll be the usual event-shenanigans...You know, inappropriately dressed girls who had 3 glasses of wine too many, freaky dance moves (mostly from the blokes), wardrobe malfunctions and other such happenings that occur when large groups of people get together and start drinking. I'm not much of a drinker so don't really enjoy that aspect of it...Hmm, actually I don't like any of it.

Last night I thought I'd better work out what I'm wearing (my wife told me to) as I'll have little time between my work day ending and me having to front-up at this event. In typical style my wife put a veto on what I picked out and I ended up deciding on what she told me to wear like a good husband. For the record, I wanted to wear what you see in the picture, like Agent 47 from the Hitman video game/movie franchise however my wife said a firm no. As it turns out she thought a tie of a different colour (sort of purplish) and a pocket square in similar tones was the way to go, together with a black suit and white tie of course. I did what I was told naturally.

As you read this I am probably at this event, socialising politely, and wishing I was home with my wife and cats having fish and chip Friday. Oh, I forgot to say, Faith has decided not to attend the event this year. I don't blame her to be honest. They get tiresome and are not really enjoyable for us. I would have preferred she was there however respect that she decided not to go. My date for the night is one of the admin girls, an appropriately dressed one (I hope). I'll stay for an appropriate amount of time then drop a smoke grenade and disappear in the confusion.

I'd like to tell you that I'll capture all the shenanigans on my phone for you, video and photos, but I won't. I'll be having some polite and appropriate conversation with those at my table and will mingle with people I've known for the 15 years I've been in the industry. No juicy videos at all...Well, maybe just a couple. We'll see.

I understand the importance of rewarding top achievers and most large companies do so at events such as this one. I get it. I prefer to reward my team all the time, for their dedication, passion and professionalism; Not just through physical reward all the time of course, but through gratitude, a heartfelt "thank you for your hard work and effort" and through empowering (allowing) them to take ownership over their roles, changes and improvements that will value-add or impact upon them positively. My entire team is at the event tonight, paid for by the company at almost $200 each and they will have a great time together in this social environment just as they do within the office whilst professionally conducting business. They are a credit to themselves, and the company.

So, I better get going, I've got some awkward social scenario's to get into and a smoke grenade to drop!

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