Better Than An Oscar Seat Filler
The Oscars, the crème de la crème of the awards, has announced its final winners. But the unsung hero receives no award—that is the seat filler. Mocked on Seinfeld, the seat filler makes sure the room always looks full.
A golden rule of events is to make sure the room looks full. I’ve benefited from this rule by being a seat filler at numerous events. This includes sitting next to Rosalind Carter at a church service. Kinda cool! Being at the right place at the right time does have its perks!
Not all opportunities lead to sitting next to someone famous—most seat filling that mere mortals will experience is usually a last-minute invitation to a dinner or luncheon. And this week’s tip: accept the invitation!
Though we all want to be asked well in advance, those last-minute invites can be fun and fruitful.
My most recent last-minute invitation happened while working from home. I received a text from my neighbor asking if I wanted to attend a luncheon for WINGS, an organization that helps women and children survive and thrive after domestic violence.
The event’s speakers were the owners of the Blackhawks, Cubs, and Bulls. Though not an avid sports fan, I thought it would be interesting to hear from these three successful business owners.
The best part was not the program. It was the guests. The table host was fabulous and interesting. I was able to connect with several people I hadn't seen in a year or two, and met some new people that I never would have if I had stayed home.
As opposed to the official Oscar seat filler—where you are discouraged from talking to the other guests—the last-minute seat filler is encouraged to do so. And, who knows who'll you'll meet?
