Business Etiquette - How to Make Introductions

Now that Covid restrictions are being lifted in Australia, and we are hoping for the rest of the world in the coming months, opportunities for face-to-face business meetings and networking events will return.

When this happens, are you prepared? Now may be a good time to remind yourself of business etiquette. For example, are you left red-faced when making introductions in a business setting?

You could be forgiven for not following standard etiquette when in comes introducing friends, however, if it affects your reputation and chance of career success, you must know the correct thing to do.

In more formal settings it's important to know what to do, especially when with those for whom the correct protocol matters.

How skilled are you at making introductions? A proper introduction sets the tone for how others will perceive you. It’s all about first impressions and we all know we only get one chance to make a positive first impression!

Have you ever been at a networking event or conference with a colleague who runs into somebody he or she knows and starts chatting away while you stand there, feeling like the third wheel? It’s awful to be left in limbo and it’s rather rude of your colleague who didn’t think to make the introduction.

In such cases you may just have to bite the bullet and introduce yourself, which is fine, but the exchange would have been much smoother had your colleague made a quick introduction in the first instance.

Being introduced invites someone into the conversation and makes him or her feel like part of the group right from the start. Making an introduction shows you respect your friend, colleague or guest and, as my Chinese mother used to say, “Gives them face” Neglecting to make an introduction leaves that person feeling ignored and rather awkward.

Making introductions is particularly important in business settings as they give you an aura of being confident, prepared, and in control, establish a rapport of respect and gets relationships off on the right foot. Do you present the right image? This is especially important if you are a job seeker.

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Making introductions in the past used to be very formal and with a lot of rules to avoid a faux pas, but today, just remembering to make an introduction politely sets you apart from the ignorant.

Don’t stress about rigid rules or be too fancy about your introductions. Keeping introductions simple and respectful goes a long way.

Consider this scenario, you are talking to a female SVP of your company at a business networking event and a male SVP from another company joins you. As they are both of the same level, whom do you introduce first: man or woman, employee or guest, older or younger, tall or short?

If you are unsure, there will be a bit of discomfort in those first few seconds, which won’t boost your own self-confidence in the situation.  This may reflect in your facial expression, tone of voice, demeanour and even your posture!

Here are some easy to remember guidelines to follow which will help you to feel poised, polished and professional when meeting people and making introductions:

1. Introduce people in business based on rank, not gender or age.
2. In business, the client, guest or visitor outranks the boss or co-worker and should be introduced first.
3. Always smile and maintain eye contact.
4. Shake a woman and man’s hand the same, straight up and down. Extend a good, firm (not painful) handshake to exhibit respect, trust, and acceptance.
5. Keep the forms of address equal to avoid differential treatment or the appearance of preferential treatment.
6. Do not call a person by his or her first name when meeting or being introduced for the first time. Use their title and last name until invited to be on a first-name basis.
7. Never use an honorific such as Ms., Mr., or Dr. to introduce yourself.
8. Demonstrate professionalism and credibility by clearly stating your full name.

Helpful examples:

Always show respect

Always introduce the man to the woman. I know, women must be treated as equals, however, much as women don’t like these days to be known as the ‘fairer sex’, it’s still polite and demonstrates a little deference that may be looked upon favourably. ** [I'm always happy to debate this - what are your thoughts?] **

What about age differences? Respect our elders by introducing younger people to those who are older.  In business settings, you show respect to senior members of your team by introducing a person of lower rank (especially if they are new to their role) to the person of a higher position.

Here are some suggestions:

Business Introductions

Introducing business associates of different levels

• Introduce the person of lower rank to the person of higher rank, regardless of age or gender.
• Example: “Mr. Manager, I would like to introduce Jean Junior from Human Resources.”

Introducing a business associate of any rank and a client

• Introduce the business associate to the client, regardless of rank, age, or gender.
• Example: “Mr. Client, please meet our Managing Director, Greg Manning.”

Introducing two business associates of equal rank

• Introduce the person that you don’t know as well to the person you know better.
• Example: Let’s say your manager, Greg Manning is meeting the manager of the Singapore office, Mary Lim. “Greg, I’d like you to meet the manager of the Singapore Office, Mary Lim.”

Social Introductions

Introducing a man and a woman

• Introduce the man to the woman
• Example: “Mary, this is Kevin Jones who has been setting up the music for this event.”

(Note: In social settings, a man is always introduced to a woman, regardless of age)

Introducing a younger person and an older person (of the same sex)

• Introduce the younger person to the older person.
• Example: “Mr. Mature, I’d like you to meet my friend Shireen. She’s my friend from university.”

Introducing a person and a relative

• Introduce the person to the relative.
• Example: “Mum, I would like to introduce my boyfriend, Tony.”

Introducing one or more persons and a group of people

• Introduce the group to the individual.
• Example: “Greg, I would like you to meet Shireen, Tony, and Gwen.”

Notes on group introductions:

Say the names of everyone in the group slowly so that your guest will have a greater chance of remembering them.

What to Do When Being Introduced

Always remember the importance of positive first impressions. When being introduced to someone, look him or her in the eye, offer a firm handshake and say something pleasant like:

• “I’ve heard such great things about you.”
• “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
• “It’s great to finally meet you.”

(If you are a man, when meeting a woman, wait to see if she extends her hand first. If you are a woman meeting another man or woman, offer your hand. Remember this guide is for a Western business environment. In different cultures there will be different rules.)

If you can, follow up with something to start a conversation such as, “Greg tells me you’ve been working on a new project. How’s it going?”

Other Tips

• Use common sense. If in a formal situation and you haven’t been given permission to call someone by their first name, use the title they are known by, Mr., Dr or Mrs.
• Always stand up for introductions, whether you are male or female.
• Make sure you know how to pronounce people’s names correctly when making introductions.
• Say something interesting about the person you’re introducing to make the transition into a conversation easier, for example:

You: “Greg, I’d like to introduce you to Mary Lim from the Singapore office.  This is her first trip to Sydney”.

• Greg: “Welcome to Sydney, Mary. Have you managed to see much of the sights so far?”
• Instant opportunity for a conversation about Sydney to break the ice.

What do you do when you’re introducing someone to another person and realise you don’t remember his or her name? This happens quite frequently I’ve found! Say to the person, “Have you met my Manager, Greg?” That person will then hopefully reply with, “No, I haven’t. I’m Mary.”

Continue to learn and enhance your social skills in a business setting to maintain a competitive edge. Respect and correct etiquette will never go out of fashion.

Everyone needs a little guidance sometimes – coaching can improve your skills, boost your personal brand and confidence level and enhance your communication. I’d love to hear what works for you – comment below and share your thoughts too.

 Need to secure your dream job so you can put this into practice at work? Listen to my FREE ‘How to Get a Job’ podcast course and learn the steps you must take to find your idea role!

Reference:

[1] How to Make Introductions Like a Gentleman, The Art of Manliness, 10 August 2010.

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