Give a Stellar Introduction

Recently a small gathering of people were celebrating someone but were largely strangers to one another. While this would be awkward in most circumstances, this was made more challenging because only a few attended in person and the rest joined virtually. This forced everyone to participate in one spotlighted conversation at a time. While this could have felt like eavesdropping on conversations while waiting in turn to speak, the opposite was true. Instead, the conversation felt inclusive and widely interesting for all to enjoy. If I had been at the helm, the conversation would have surely sputtered. Luckily the host was the guru of giving a stellar introduction. In an effort to dissect what make these intros so effective, here are a few qualities I observed.

Say “Who They Are” Vs “What They Do”

Introducing a person by their preferred name is the most basic mark of success for introductions. Following with who they are instead of what their work function is makes people more relatable. Learning a person is a master gardener with a killer herbal tea recipe for cold season, vs that they work in finance, allows for conversation about passions and hobbies as opposed to paid activities. This naturally fuels more interesting conversations for both you and the person of interest.

Tell Some Backstory

A great introduction includes a brief backstory of how you are both connected. Was it the trip to Asia when you met and realized you live in the same town? Was it that you participated in intramural sports during college and they scored the game winning point that one time? How about the surreptitious meet and greet at a barbeque when you realized you both used to work for the same person years apart and became a professional resource for one another?

Provide Interesting Facts

Listening to introductions with an interesting fact certainly helps make someone memorable amongst a crowd of soon-to-be friends. Knowing that someone is currently traveling and patched in online or instructs Roadkill classes (this is not made up) will link unique tidbits of conversation to this person. It also motivates members to actively listen to ensure they don’t miss an interesting part of the stories being shared.

Link People Together

By relating one person to another, this helps transition attendees from feeling like a face in the sea to being a member of a community. Helping participants link up on related interests or goals will naturally cultivate further connection and help conversation flow with natural curiosity and follow up questions. For example, one person makes homemade cheeses from local resources and another person is interested in sustainability practices. By pointing this out, you hasten the growing network within your circle of friends.  

If you are keen to improve conversation quality and talk about interests and passions rather than small talk topics, stellar introductions can set the ground work. Ease of conversation improves when members are able to speak about meaningful topics. While there is no guarantee against lulls in conversation, hopefully these tips help get things started. If you need help communicating in groups or in unfamiliar scenarios, reach out for more tips and tricks through life coaching.