Invitation to team lunch for project I haven't contributed to

Question

Here is the situation

1. I work 'in' Team A, 5 of us. I occasionally interact with my team members for day-to-day work, but, there is zero work overlap.
2. My work primarily involves Team B.
3. Team A works closely with Team C.
4. Team A + Team C are going out to lunch to celebrate their accomplishments, which I have no part in (apart from 2-3 times I helped debug)

I haven't been officially invited for this yet. If I am (just because the entire team A is going), I want to be prepared with a response.

Head says I should just join and go along with it, but, heart says should I politely excuse myself.

I feel a bit awkward as I don't have any contributions to their project.

Any ideas ?

Answer 1

I haven't been officially invited for this yet. If I am (just because the entire team A is going), I want to be prepared with a response.

Head says I should just join and go along with it, but, heart says should I politely excuse myself.

Team lunches are rarely held for one reason alone. Often times, people will use these events to heavily network, get to know newer colleagues, and become more acquainted with everyone. These at least some of the reasons why a company would pay for such a thing. So if you're invited, don't assume it was an error. Use it as a professional opportunity to put your best foot forward. If you dislike such events (like me), still consider going. I cannot stress enough just how important networking is for career growth, especially in the software setting.

Answer 2

You don’t tell us who is paying for the lunch? The company, or the attendees? It may make a difference to your decision.

Nor have you really say why you don’t want to go, other than you don’t think that you made that much of a contribution. Chances are that a few other attendees fall into that category. Chances are also that your contribution was appreciated.

If you have no personal or professional conflict with any of the others, then why would not wish to go?

If you are shy & don’t like social gatherings, use it for practise. In any case, use it for networking, as you are sure to work with some of these people in the future.

If the company is paying and invites you, don’t upset them by not attending. If the attendees pay and you can afford it, go along, have some fun, make new friends or bond existing relationships. You were going to be working with these people for a few years yet, so getting to know them socially is a great idea, plus you *did help the project, and there must have been a reason that they called on an outsider to help – so your contribution is surely appreciated.

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Tl;dr : Go! :-)

Answer 3

Tl;dr : Go! :-)

I could leave with that to be honest.

You are part of the team. Just consider a football championship, every single sub will get a golden medal like the main team if their team wins. Even if they have 0 minutes in the field the entire season. Why is that? Because they are part of the team, if they were needed for the project they would jump on and work.

Seems like in this case you have done some debugging, I find that it is easier to debug something that you haven't been involved in as you step into it without knowing how much effort it was put in it, so I would say your participation is enough.

I mean, is everyone in the other team and yours involved that much in the project? That just makes me wonder why you are in the team A instead of B but I digress. Just enjoy a free meal with colleagues of your team.