How To Introduce Yourself With Impact
Introducing ourselves is hard. How do we communicate the core of who we are in a way that is interesting, authentic and embraces our many facets?
The default is to share what we are: “I am an executive & leadership coach, NLP master practitioner and mother of four” – passing the baton to the other person to share similar information before we desperately search for areas of interest from which to continue the conversation. No wonder networking in professional and social situations can feel heavy.
What if there is another way – a way that creates energy and connection in both parties, opening up a while realm of possibilities for where to take the conversation next?
Last week, Anne Taylor & I ran an interactive workshop with a group of fantastic partners to practice using the power of storytelling to introduce ourselves. The energy and connection that these stories created was palpable.
“What is your story?” can open up whole new avenues of conversation and opportunity. Sharing our stories connects us with others and helps us celebrate who we uniquely are. Neuroscientists have shown how storytelling lights up our brain and activates the production of oxytocin. It boosts our feelings of trust, compassion and empathy. It motivates us to work with others and positively influences our social behaviour.
Here is my introductory story: “I am an intrepid explorer of people and places, always excited to seek out the hidden potential & beauty out there in the world and inside every one of us. That is why I am an international leadership & executive coach and world traveller.”
Honing your story is a skill takes practice but the ROI is significant. Not only can it be an intriguing conversation starter but the essence of your personal brand, elevator pitch and self-marketing tool.
Where do you start?
- Reflect on past experiences in your life where you felt truly alive. What was it about those experiences that was important to you? Who were you being?
- What metaphor could therefore describe you (metaphors help create pictures for ourselves and others.)
- Start by creating a simple statement: I am a/an (adjective) (noun) who/that (verb) (adverb) for (purpose/impact) which you can then embellish and make your own.
- Practice your story with others. It might feel awkward or uncomfortable at first, like anything new. Ask people close to you, especially any particularly honest friends, what impact it has on them. Keep practising and honing it as you go.
Here are some great examples of story-telling introductions for inspiration:
I’m a writer who cannot spell, a sheep who thinks it is a lion and a dreamer who hears random voices telling me to jump, that there is more. When I manage to convince the sheep that it is really a lion and to take the leap and jump, beautiful crazy adventures begin.
What a journey… 16 years… the privilege of advising over 90 CEO’s and senior teams… travelling from Istanbul to Santiago… the science behind the art... I call myself a corporate tourist, which is a move up from the busker I was in my youth. Though even now nothing gives me greater pleasure than to bash out a tune on the old piano.