Whether it is our workplace or our home or a social gathering like a party we have to meet new people every day. This obviously calls for various sorts of formal introductions in order to make the surrounding atmosphere warm and comfortable for everybody. Ignorance might be a bliss but definitely not in the case of introducing people to each other. We usually have a tendency to forget names and designation of the people with whom we have to deal frequently. It is actually very embarrassing for us if we forget the name of the person whom we are introducing to somebody else, and on the other hand it also sounds rude to the concerned person too. Therefore, the first step in mastering the art of introduction is to make a conscious effort to remember the first and last names of the people with whom we are dealing every day.
The rule of making introductions is very simple. You should properly introduce a more important or senior person to others in the group.
Other kind of introductions would include introducing:
- A younger person to an older person
- A junior executive to a senior executive
- A fellow executive to a client
- A non-official person to an official person
For e.g.: While introducing a junior executive to a senior executive we should say: Frank this is Kelvin Carl, who will be joining us as a Recruitment Executive. Kelvin, Frank Bill is the Head of HR department in our company.
Also while introducing a person who is better known to you to a person who is less known to you, you should say “Frank, this is my friend, Kelvin. Frank has just joined our company.”
While introducing friends to each other you should say “Bill this is Andy Miller- Andy meet Bill Green”
Tips for Making a Smart Introduction:
- Explain who people are when you introduce them: Try to give a brief detail of the person whom you are introducing to others. Like, Mr. Frank I would like my friend Kelvin Karl to meet you. Kelvin, this is Frank Bill, the President of this company. If you have forgotten the names then try to come with the parts of the name and information you know and use it smartly so that no one knows the difference.
- Remember to use titles when introducing people: Titles like Judge etc hold a lot of importance for some people.
- If you have forgotten a person’s name completely while introducing him or her, then it is best to politely ask them for their name.
- Introduce yourself with your first and last name if you feel that the person introducing you has forgotten your name.
Making introductions is an art. With a little practice and conscious effort from your side you can learn this art but you should not forget the fact that human beings tend to commit mistakes and committing silly mistakes is very common. Keeping into consideration the human aspect of any given situation one should try never to pin point the mistakes committed by the person who is handling the difficult job of making introductions.
For e.g.: If your name has been pronounced in the wrong way while you are being introduced to a new client by your colleague then you should softly whisper in your colleague’s ear and tell him the correct pronunciation. This will save him from feeling embarrassed in front of the client.
In case you tend to forget someone’s name or designation while making an introduction then you should not panic. Any one of us can turn out completely blank sometimes. Rather you should maintain a calm posture and softly tell that person ” We have certainly met somewhere but I just can’t recall it right now”. This way the other person will immediately come up with his/her name.
So be confident while handling any kind of conversation as only self- confidence can really assist you in mastering the art of introduction.
