Being a good wingman is all about being supportive and helping your friend to feel confident. It is about being someone your friend can rely on in any situation.
A wingman is a friend who is always up for a night out but also knows when to rein it in and go home. They’re the ones who will help you pick up the pieces after a break-up and the ones who would’ve helped you find and be in a romantic relationship in the first place.
In short, a good wingman is someone who makes life more fun and manageable. So if you think you deserve to have a good wingman in your life, learn to be a good one yourself! In this article, we’ll take you through a few steps on how you can be a good wingman.
How to be a good wingman?
1- Introduce your friend to everyone you can:
When you’re out with your friend, make sure to introduce them to people and help them to start conversations.
A wingman is someone who helps you feel like you belong, introduces you to everyone they can, and make sure they’re having a good time. Some men will go as far as to say that a good wingman is essential to any social event. They help you meet new people, make the most of your time, and ensure that you have a blast.
They’re also great for support and for keeping things fun and relaxed. So next time you’re planning a night out, make sure you bring along your best wingman. You’ll thank yourself for it later.
2- Boost your friend’s ego:
Try to boost their ego by complimenting them, but don’t go overboard. You don’t want to make them look bad by comparison. However, being a good wingman is definitely also about making your friend look and feel good. Boosting their ego and helping them feel confident is key.
You want to make sure they feel like the best version of themselves especially when they’re around the person they’re interested in or a potential love interest of theirs. That means giving them compliments, laughing at their jokes, and steering the conversation towards topics that make them look good.
You also want to be supportive if things don’t go well. So a hand on their shoulder or on their back occasionally will let them know that you’re there for them no matter what. It will also encourage them to embrace the good aspects of their personality; as they will have nothing to fear, knowing that you’re there having their back at all times.
3- Help keep your friend safe:
A wingman is most importantly someone who helps other people, usually friends, to be successful in dating or picking up new partners. Most of the time it’s a guy helping his buddy to pick up girls, but women can help each other out too.
So whether you’re a woman or a man and you want to play this role then your number one goal should be to help keep your friend safe on a night out. This means making sure they don’t drink too much, helping them avoid any fights, and stopping them from going home with anyone who might take advantage of them.
Obviously, if your friend is a guy you shouldn’t get in the way of him leaving with a willing girl and having fun in any way he can. You can only give him advice on not drinking much so that he stays alert enough and conscious about what’s going on around him, especially when he’s going home with a stranger.
He might get upset if you try to stop him from leaving with a new person he just met and he may think you’re not doing your wingman role at all, in this case.
But, if the friend is a woman then it will be smarter to keep her from leaving after your night out with someone new. You should also think about her safety and comfort above all.
In the end, whether your friend is male or female; keep an eye out for potential obstacles, like someone who’s making them uncomfortable, and help to diffuse the situation.
4- Get your friend out of trouble:
Also, being a good wingman means you’re always ready to bail your friend out if things are going south. Your friend will appreciate your support, and they’ll be more likely to return the favor next time you’re looking for a little help, support, or a boost.
Of course, your role is about helping them have fun. This means being funny, keeping the conversation going, and making sure they don’t get too down on themselves if they’re having trouble meeting anyone. But, getting them out of tricky situations and unnecessary confrontations is crucial too.
Additionally, if they somehow managed to get themselves in trouble while you were looking away for a minute; then it will be wise to get them out of it as soon as you notice what happened. If you can do these things, you’ll make a great wingman.
5- Understand your friend’s body language and signals:
Being a good wingman is all about understanding your friend and helping them to achieve their goals. If you want to do this properly then the next step is to pay attention to their body language and signals. Are they looking around the room, or are they fixated on one person? Are they leaning in or away from someone? Are they staring at you while in a group and trying to communicate some information to you?
Reading these cues will help you to know when to help them make a move and when to back off. Additionally, it’s important to be attuned to what they’re saying. If they’re talking about their ex or something that’s stressing them out, it’s probably not the best time to try and make them approach someone new.
However, if they seem confident and relaxed, then it’s likely that they’re ready to mingle. By understanding your friend and paying attention to their signals, you can be best buddies for life. And, hopefully, they will return the favor and be a good wingman for you too at the same time.
6- Be there even when your friend commits to a special someone:
As anyone who has ever been in a relationship or who went out clubbing while single knows, being a good wingman can make all the difference. When you’re in a relationship, your partner becomes the center of your world and it’s easy to lose sight of your other friends and interests. That’s where a good wingman comes in.
A good wingman is also someone who can prove his important role in your life; whether you’re busy and fully invested in a relationship or single. It’s someone who will save the day by throwing himself under the bus, lying, and doing the impossible to help your relationship succeed if you’re taken.
If you’re single though, your wingman can be someone who helps you steal the heart of the girl you like, or simply enjoy your night out to the maximum. They’re someone you can rely on to be there for you, no matter what and it is a big misconception that a wingman can only help when you’re single.
It is also a big misconception that a wingman will help a cheating partner. In fact, a good wingman wouldn’t encourage any type of behavior that could put a serious romantic relationship of yours on the line and make you lose your significant other.
Bottom line:
A good wingman is a friend who is always there for you, whether you need a shoulder to cry on or someone to help you celebrate your successes.
If you’re lucky enough to have a good wingman in your life, make sure to cherish them. Because without them, life would be a lot less enjoyable.
After all, what are friends for if not to help each other reach our full potential? So if you have the chance to be a good wingman, don’t hesitate. It may just be the most important thing you ever do.
If you think you’re a good wingman to your friend then they have to reciprocate that and be good wingmen to you too. If not, we recommend you check this article on friends that don’t reciprocate to see what your options are.