How to introduce yourself
Meaning
Introducing yourself to a crowd of
people, or even just one person, can make anyone nervous. Doing it in a foreign
language, even more so. So today we’re going to go over a few phrases that you
might say when introducing yourself.
1. Go beyond your title.
The first thing you need to do is figure out who you actually
are. Bloor asks her clients, “What is it you would like to be known for?” It’s
an uncomfortable question,
but she finds it jolts people out of their comfort zones. Rather than relying
on previous accomplishments, you’re forced to consider what you’d like your
impact to be.
2. Think about the problems that only you can
solve.
Bloor believes that everyone, no matter their job or industry,
is essentially a problem solver. So when she interviews people to help them discover their unique story, she’s also trying to
find out the problems they’re particularly good at solving.
3. Flash back to your childhood.
Still stumped? Step into a time machine, and think back to your
eight-year-old self. What were you great at during that age? According to
Bloor, that special skill can often apply to your present and future selves and help you see how you’re different from everyone else.
4. Show a little vulnerability
Finding people that we connect with can be elusive, especially
at work-related events. “I think a lot of the angst in the workplace and angst with each other is because we don’t talk about whom
we really are as people,” says Bloor. So, take a chance, open up in your
opening remarks, and reveal something honest about yourself. Use phrases, such
as “I’m really passionate about X” or “What excites me most about what I do is
Y,” which can communicate your emotion and enthusiasm and prime others to
respond in kind.
After you’ve crafted your opener, practice it on five people you
know well. Then, a few days later, ask them ‘What do you remember most about my
intro?” Their few-days-later response will tell you what is most memorable
about your opener, what you could alter, and what you might try to lean into
when meeting new people.
6. Blame it on someone else.
When you first start trying out a new way of introducing
yourself, you’ll probably feel
nervous. Bloor suggests prefacing it with, “I’ve just learned a new way of
introducing myself and I’m experimenting with it. Can I try it out on you?”
People love to be asked for their advice or input.
7. Resist going back to the same-old intro.
The truth is, it will always be easier to say the stilted “I’m
job X at company Y,” stumble through small talk, and then move on to the next
person and glass of wine. In addition, when you give a nontraditional
introduction, you will inevitably run into some staid folks who don’t get it.
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