DEAR HARRIETTE: I was hired at my company in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, so I have met my boss and co-workers only via Zoom or other videoconferencing platforms. We don’t even live in the same town since it didn’t matter where I lived when everyone was working from home.
My boss took a trip to my city recently, and he invited me to meet him for dinner. We have been working together for six months now, but I was nervous about meeting him. I have been doing a pretty good job, I think, but he is a powerful man, and I find him intimidating. I went to the dinner, and it was very pleasant, but I was still nervous. At first it was hard for me to talk normally. It was weird. Then I kept fidgeting. It was awkward. I wonder if I should say anything to my boss. I don’t think I made a good impression. -- First Impressions
DEAR FIRST IMPRESSIONS: You should follow up to say how nice it was to meet in person. You can add that you didn’t realize that you would be so nervous to meet your boss in real life. Admit that it was a big deal for you to be face to face with him, and you know that you were a bit anxious. Reinforce how nice it was to meet, how much you enjoy working for him and that you look forward to being part of the team in the coming weeks and months. Do not dwell on your awkwardness. Briefly mention it and move on to the positives.