The “wingman” is a time honored tradition and one of the most important roles you will play as a friend. When heading out on the town to meet some ladies, all men in the group become wingmen for the other guys. It’s this kind of back having that can lead to a good night for all.
In this way, It’s not necessary to “designate” a wingman but if you do, or even if not, there are some things to know in order to do your job correctly and be the Goose to his Maverick. Except for the part where Goose dies.
Here are our top tips for being a good wingman:
Good luck.
In this way, It’s not necessary to “designate” a wingman but if you do, or even if not, there are some things to know in order to do your job correctly and be the Goose to his Maverick. Except for the part where Goose dies.
Here are our top tips for being a good wingman:
- Make Your Friend Look Good. Your primary job as the wingman is to make your friend look good. This means pumping him up, saying nice things about him, and generally painting the picture of a desirable guy. Be careful about laying things on a little too strong, however. Women are not stupid and they will see what you’re trying to do if you start gushing or making outlandish claims like your friend spends his days saving children’s lives. Unless he really does, in which case make sure you bring that up.
- Work in at least one “good guy” story. Whether it’s true or fabricated is up to you and there’s no moral judgments here. Part of painting your buddy with a positive brush is demonstrating good things about his character. Buying a round of drinks is a good time to do this. Your buddy will protest and you can say something like “no, no, I owe you. You picked up that package from the post office for my mom the other day” or something similar.
- Don’t Be the Center of Attention. Your job as the wingman is not to take center stage. Remain in the background, chiming in and adding to the conversation when necessary but don’t try to inject yourself into things when you don’t need to be. Do your job but remember: this isn’t about you.
- Know when to jump in. Part of being a wingman is knowing when to grab your buddy by the ears and drag him away. Odds are alcohol is flowing and he might be about to do something that’s a bad idea such as taking home a married woman or someone with a less than stellar reputation. Whatever the reason, if your buddy isn’t thinking straight and looks like he’s about to do something he wouldn’t do if he were sober, know when to bail him out.
- Know when to go away. Comedians and bands travel with an opening act that warms up the crowd for the main event. That’s your job. After the opening act is done they get offstage and you never see them again. Once you’ve guided your buddy into the zone, excuse yourself to go to the bathroom or make a phone call. Then like Keyser Soze, poof! You’re gone.
Good luck.
