Lesson 2: Making Introductions
And Handshaking
Another way to improve your communication style is,
when you first meet someone, to introduce yourself and, on
some occasions shake hands.
Making introductions and handshaking are common
practice in the workplace. Although the rules about how this is
done are quite relaxed, there are some guidelines to help you do
this confidently.
Introduce Yourself
You: [Smiling and making eye contact with the group] "Hi
everyone! I’m [Your Name]. It’s great to meet all of you."
You: "I’m [a little about your role or what brings you here]. For
example, I’m a Voctech student, RAC and I’m really excited to get
to know everyone.'"
You: "A bit about me: I love [a personal interest or hobby, e.g.,
'hiking' or 'trying out new recipes'].
You: "I’m looking forward to learning more about what everyone
does and hopefully finding some common interests. Please feel
free to [ask me questions, share about yourselves, etc.]. I’d love
to hear more about what everyone’s up to!"
Follow up Question
You: [If appropriate, end with a light question to get
conversation going] "So, what’s one thing you’re all passionate
about or something fun you’ve been up to recently?"
Etiquette: Protocol of Introducing People
The purpose of introducing people is to give them an
opportunity to know each other. Beyond just stating names of
the two parties, the person making the introduction is often
obligated to establish an acquaintance and help the two parties
initiate a conversation.
The Art of Making Introductions: Four Steps
The basic protocol of introductions calls for introducing the
‘lesser-ranking’ (socially, professionally, by age or seniority) to
the ‘higher-ranking’ person. Here are four steps:
1. First, state the name of the person being introduced to. This is
the ‘higher-ranking’ person.
2. Second, say “I would like to introduce” or, “please meet” or,
“this is,” etc.
3. Third, state the name of the person being introduced. This is
the ‘lower-ranking’ person.
4. Finally, offer some details about each, as appropriate. Add a
snippet of information about a topic of common interest
between the two parties. Do not elaborate. This will help them
connect and pursue a conversation.
The foremost principle of etiquette for making introductions lies in
understanding reverence and respect. Here are some guidelines.
When introducing people of equal seniority or status, you
may introduce either person to the other.
Introduce a younger person to an older person. “Grandma,
please meet Alicia and Carlos, my neighbors.”
Introduce a relatively junior professional to a senior
professional. “Ms. Director, I would like to introduce Mr.
Nakamura, the Chief Product Architect for our software
division.”
Introduce an employee to a customer. “Mr. Sung, I would like
to introduce our plastics engineering team. This is Mark Smith,
Jessica Ramos and Liang Zhu. All three participated in last
week’s teleconference regarding product definition.”
Introduce a host to a guest. “Elaine, I don’t think you have met
my daughter, Anna. Anna arranged for all the food at this
festival party. Anna, Elaine is my Project Manager.”
Introduce a local guest to a guest from out-of-town. “Charlie,
this is Debbie. Debbie is my colleague from work. Debbie,
Charlie is visiting me from New York. We shared an apartment
when we were at Columbia together.”
Introduce a peer from your company to a peer from another
organization. “Melissa, I would like you to meet Steve, our
Systems Engineer. Steve, Melissa Hoffmann is from Marketing.
She is our Account Manager for Wal-Mart.”
Exercise 3 (10 pts.)
Write five examples of introducing each person to another
and ensure that your answer should be written in sentence
form.
Shaking hands allows the opportunity to establish friendly
communication. It may be used at an initial introduction, at the
beginning and sometimes, also the end of a job interview, or, if
someone extends their hand to you.
In some cultures, and religions, it is not acceptable for men
and women to shake hands. Between a male and a female, the
easiest way to remember what to do is to wait for the female to
extend her hand before you offer yours.
If you do not wish to shake a person’s hand, regardless of
whether you are a male or female, a simple thing to do is to put
your right hand on your heart. This signals to the other person
your position, and it should not cause embarrassment to
anyone.
10 Tips on How to Shake Hands With Confidence
A handshake is more than just a greeting. It is also a
message about your personality and confidence level. In
business, a handshake is an important tool in making the right
first impression.
1. Begin With an Oral Introduction of Yourself
Before extending your hand, introduce yourself. Extending
your hand should be part of a business introduction, not a
replacement for using your voice. Extending your hand without
a voice greeting may make you appear nervous or overly
aggressive.
2. Pump Your Hand Only 2-3 Times
A business handshake should be brief and to the point.
Consider a handshake a short “sound bite” greeting, not a
lengthy engagement. Holding on for more than three or four
seconds can make other people feel uncomfortable.
3. Shake From Your Elbow
If you shake from the shoulder, using your upper arm
instead of just your forearm, you risk jolting your handshake
partner. The idea is to connect, not be overbearing.
4. Do Not Use a Forceful Grip
A handshake should be a friendly or respectful gesture, not
a show of physical strength. An uncomfortable handshake is
never a pleasant experience for anyone. Imagine you are
opening a door handle and use close to the same level of grip in
your handshake.
5. Avoid Offering a “Fish Hand”
A limp hand is never a good idea when it comes to a
business handshake. Do return the grip, but do not get into a
power struggle, even if the other person squeezes too hard.
6. Forget “Lady Fingers”
It is not a Southern cotillion; this is business. Offering only
your fingers to shake may be appropriate in some social settings,
but in business settings, you are an equal, not a “lady.” Extend
your entire hand, and be sure to grasp using your entire hand as
well.
7. One Hand Is Better Than Two
Avoid the urge to handshake with two hands. It is always
better in business introductions to only use one hand—your
right hand—for the shake. The use of two hands with strangers
is seen as intrusive, and too personal. In fact, a two-handed
shake is called the “politician’s shake,” because it appears
artificially friendly when used on people you barely know.
8. Shaking a Sweaty Hand
If you shake hands with someone who has sweaty palms,
do not immediately wipe your hands on your clothing,
handkerchief, or tissue. It will further embarrass the other
person, who is probably already aware they have sweaty hands.
You can discretely wipe them on something after you are out of
sight and wash them later.
9. Ending a Handshake
End the handshake after 3-4 seconds or 2-3 pumps. To
avoid creating an awkward moment, your shake should end
before the oral introduction exchange does. Without
conversation taking place during the entire handshake, it
becomes too intimate and can feel more like hand-holding.
10. Covering Your Mistakes
Even if you make a mistake, do not panic. There are many
ways to save the moment. If you are worried that your
handshake did not convey the right message about yourself,
simply change the focus of the moment by offering a quick
compliment or asking the other person a question.
When you meet someone for the first time, you usually get
an impression of what sort of person they are within the first
few minutes. The impression we get is based on a number of
factors which include: how the person is dressed, how they
speak and what they say, and their body language.
At a job interview, it is vital to make a good first
impression. It is important to pay attention to how you present
yourself so the person you are meeting will be interested to
know more about you and, hopefully, offer you the position.
Performance Task 3
In your group, practice handshaking and introducing each person
to another. Later, your group will demonstrate proper handshaking and
how to introduce people to one another. Reflect on this activity and
consider the impression you received about people based on their
handshake.
Content- 10
Presentation- 15
Teamwork- 5
Total: 30 points
