Regardless of how strong your introduction started, your best efforts will be eroded without a strong finish. When introducing yourself, how you exit introductions might be the last thing a new colleague remembers about you, so make sure you have a strong finish.
attitude
A Strong Introduction When Introducing Yourself
A strong introduction is one of the keys to successfully introducing yourself to a colleague. It’s my hope to shift mindsets from believing it’s unimportant to the belief that it’s a critical behavior to embrace in today’s fast-paced and frenetic organizations.
Introducing Yourself – A Strong Start
Approaching others or being receptive to the advance of others, great eye contact, and a confident handshake are key components to a strong start. These behaviors illustrate that you are comfortable and skilled at introducing yourself. In real time, your strong start will last from five to seven seconds. Don’t underestimate, however, the difference that a few seconds can make when introducing yourself effectively.
When Introducing Yourself, Are You a Fumbler?
When introducing yourself, do you do so poorly? Perhaps you are inconsistent, inattentive, or under-skilled. Perhaps you don’t value the benefit of a solid introduction. Whatever the reason, your inability to introduce yourself effectively leaves others feeling unimpressed and underwhelmed.
Do You Avoid Introducing Yourself to Others?
When it comes to introducing yourself to colleagues you don’t know, do you avoid introducing yourself at all costs? Perhaps you are highly uncomfortable or severely under-skilled. Much like getting a flu shot, you want your introduction to be quick and painless. In fact, you wouldn’t introduce yourself to others at all if you could avoid doing so. Do any of the following “Avoider” characteristics seem familiar to you when you think about introducing yourself to others?
Be the Catalyst of Your Own Career!
By all accounts, the world of work you are experiencing is significantly different than your parents’ world of work. The old ways of networking and measuring performance are ineffective in the face of unprecedented change and transparency.
The Relationship Between Performance and Reputation
While it is inevitable that the dreaded performance appraisal will cease to exist in its current format, some form of performance measurement will continue to exist. One reason is that roles where value creation falls into a category called “individual value” will need a performance management system to measure how foundational activities impact the organization.
Satisfactory Margin and Value
“Value is when the outcome of a situation exceeds the cost incurred by a satisfactory margin.”
But what is a ” satisfactory margin”?
Margin is the difference between the amount of cost incurred and the benefit derived. Not all margins, however, are created equal. In order to experience value, the margin must also be satisfactory. For example, a manufacturer produces an item that costs him $10.00 and sells the same item for $12.00. So this item has a 20% margin (($12.00 – $10.00) / $10.00). This manufacturer may be very happy with this margin. But for another manufacturer, and for a variety of reasons, this margin may be woefully deficient.
What to Do If You Think You Don’t Have a Positive Reputation
While the importance of a good reputation is not new, the environment in which you are working to build a good reputation is. Here are some suggestions for what to do if you think you may not have a positive reputation at work.
Don’t Know What Kind of Reputation You Have at Work?
Partner with your manager or your Human Resources business partner on ways for you to gain greater insight into your reputation at work.