Do's and don'ts for holiday mingling.

• Position: Parties

If you are dreading the holiday office party or attending one more open house, and small talk does not come naturally to you, consider creating your own "Do's and Don'ts" cheat sheet, suggests Debra Fine, author of The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills--and Leave a Positive Impression!

The cheat sheet includes: Don't ... wait to be properly introduced. Do ... take the risk to introduce yourself and be the first to say, "Hello." Act as if you are the host and introduce new arrivals to your conversational partner.

Don't ... be uncertain and wait for the other person to extend his or her hand. Do ... smile first and always shake hands when you meet anyone unless that person is prohibited by religion or culture.

Don't ... rush through introductions. Do ... take your time. Make an extra effort to remember names, and use the names in the conversation frequently.

Don't ... look around the room to see what is being served at the buffet table. Do ... maintain eye contact. People do not feel listened to if you are not looking at them.

Don't ... talk about yourself, work, kids, or that upcoming vacation in the Alps for more than a few minutes. Do ... show a genuine interest in others. Get somebody to talk about why they are attending the event or what their connection is to the host. Remember, people want to be with people who make them feel special, not people who are special.

Don't ... get distracted easily by party noise and activities or give one-word answers and fall into a conversation rut. Do ... listen carefully for information that...