How to Have Polite Social Introductions

It's okay to introduce yourself.

Introductions are part of daily life and they happen on a consistent basis. Sometimes there is confusion as to how to properly introduce people. When deciding the most polite way to introduce someone, take into consideration what type of occasion it is, who the people are, and how well you know them.

Instructions

1. The most important rule of polite social introductions is to "identify the king (or ruler) of the situation." Polite social introductions are done by gender. The most important person (ruler) in a group is the eldest woman present. When introducing, you always say her full name first. Always introduce men to women and younger people to their elders. For example, boys, men and younger people are the people being introduced and their names are stated second. For example, "Mrs. Smith, I would like to introduce you to my tennis coach, Mr. Jones."

2. If there are no women in your group, the first name spoken is that of the eldest or the most distinguished man. If you are unsure of their ages, introduce the person you don't know as well to the person you know better. Say the name of the person you know better first.

3. For business introductions, gender doesn't matter, but the pecking order does. The ruler is the highest ranking member of the group. For example, if you're introducing your colleague from another department to your boss, your boss is the highest ranking member and you say your boss's name first. You generally should use full names when making introductions. Also, when introducing someone, provide some general information that explains your relationship to the person.

4. When introducing yourself to others in general, provide your full name unless you have reason to not feel safe doing so or if it's simply unnecessary. Tell them something about yourself (but not too much) and then ask questions of them as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Always introduce new people who don't know each other, even if they know you.

• Never leave one person out of introductions in a group. Each person should be identified.

References

• SelfEsteem.org: When Introductions Are Necessary