Be prepared for an introduction

Do you struggle when you have to talk briefly about what you do? At work, there comes many a chance where you have to talk about yourself. Many of us have a natural flair to accomplish this task. Unfortunately, the rest of us struggle. Personally, I have been swept into the vortex of this situation. I have bungled out of this with hastily constructed sentences and self-deprecating humor.

Humor is a useful ally that will shine light on the way out of a difficult situation. But while introducing yourself in a professional context, humor is not the right accessory. When you use humor to describe your role, you are in fact underselling yourself. The audience may smile. At the same time, they are likely to construct a negative image of you in their mind. If you are not sure about what you are doing, how can you expect the audience to trust your capabilities or even comprehend your significance in the grand scheme of things.

Over time, I have realized I will always encounter such a situation. What I did was simple. I wrote a few points on paper. I rehearsed. All these points come out in a sequence while making sure I didn't sound like a parrot saying sentences without understanding the meaning. This way, I have avoided a sudden increase in anxiety levels while the everyone is introducing themselves, and my number is coming up.

Before signing off, I would also like to tell you an anecdote about a friend who struggled. My friend was attending a telephonic call. He was unprepared for introductions. After a brief hesitation, he announced his name. Then he asked, "Do you need an introduction (about me)?". The other friends on the call squirmed on hearing this. They knew our friend was uncomfortable about the introductions and wanted to get it over as soon as possible. But they were not sure about how the rest of the audience would have felt about this unusual introduction.

Tags: Musings, Introduction, Rehearse