Help! How Do I Introduce Myself to My New Team?
Have you ever struggled to introduce yourself to a new team or at business meetings? Lisa B. Marshall, aka The Public Speaker, will show you how to introduce yourself confidently and effectively, while creating a deeper intial connection.
In my experience, from my workshops, my personal training, and my podcasts, the question I hear the most from my clients and listeners is, “How do I introduce myself?” In fact. I recently received this email from a listener.
Hi, Lisa
My name is Irela Pérez. I’m a psychologist, and tomorrow I’ll meet the team of doctors that work in the same medical clinic. I’ll have to introduce myself and offer my services, for example, which kind of patients I’ll be attending. I was wondering if you could give me a few tips. Thanks for the time, I really appreciate your help.
Irela
Irela, thanks for your question, and you’re right to want to spend extra time thinking about how to introduce yourself to your new colleagues. It seems like a simple task on the surface, but it’s easy to get it wrong, which will really make a big impact on your long-term relationships with your new colleagues. In my book Smart Talk, I devote an entire chapter to “Taking the Hell Out of Hello” exactly for this reason!
As a psychologist, you know that we all take shortcuts, and categorizing people is one of them. You may also know that it only takes from one tenth of a second to three minutes for people to decide if they like someone or not, and they spend the rest of the time trying to find support for the conclusion they’ve drawn. So, first impressions are crucial, and I applaud you for giving it thought ahead of time.
When someone says, “Tell us a little bit about yourself,” most of us (including me) freeze. Why? Is it because we’re complicated people and we’re being asked to make ourselves sound simple? Is it because we don’t know exactly what they’re looking for? Or is it because somehow it feels like we’re selling ourselves? It’s probably a combination of all of those!
So, here are few steps you can use to overcome some of these feelings when introducing yourself at a meeting or to new colleagues.
#1 – Do Your Research
The first step is to do your research. You probably know some background about the medical clinic you’re going to, and some reasons why you’re a good fit for that place. If the doctors are on staff, you should be able to find out some information about them as well. Armed with this information, you can determine what you might say that will be of interest to them.
#2 – Consider the Culture
It’s important not only to consider the larger culture in the area or country, but also the culture within the clinic. Are you at a place like Johns Hopkins? Emphasize your academic pedigree. Are you at a high-end concierge clinic? Emphasize your celebrity patients. Is this an urban free clinic with little funding or prestige? Then talk about your dedication to the city, the work, or the community that the clinic serves. The idea is that every introduction should first consider the audience.
#3 – Consider What You Have to Offer
Once you’ve done some research and have considered the culture, this part should now be fairly easy. Don’t include information that doesn’t help build your credibility or isn’t of interest to this particular audience. The intro should not be a long list of everything you’ve ever done. Just pick the things about your training, experience, and accomplishments that will interest this group of doctors at this clinic. Having done your research, you’ll know which brief tidbits of information are relevant and would likely generate the most impact and interest. Before every introduction it’s also important to think about the single most important thing you think you audience would want to know about you.
#4 – Be Brief and Memorable
Being brief is important (unless you have gotten the impression they expect a longer presentation). Always communicate the information you’ve chosen as most important for this audience first. In your case, I suspect that would be the types of patients the other doctors should refer to you. If there is time you can then choose something about yourself or what you have to contribute to the clinic that will make you remembered. Do you have a special skill they need? An anecdote that relates to the situation? Natural humor that sets people at ease? (Caution: Use humor carefully, though, since you don’t know the group yet. After you’ve gotten to know them better, you can use it more.)
#5 – End with a Compliment, Kind Word, or Question
Finally, you want to end your introduction positively. One of the best ways to make a quick connection with someone is to ask for advice or give a sincere compliment. If you know good things about the clinic or the staff in general, mention it (but don’t single out one doctor, unless you are talking with each one privately!). If you are collaborative and are open to suggestions, you might tell them you would value their input. This should end your introduction on a very high note.
General Delivery Suggestions
While you want to use humor carefully, you don’t want to be boring either. Positive, natural pleasantness, while remaining professional, is a welcome attitude. If you shake their hands, shake firmly (web-to-web) and confidently, then release. Make eye contact while you speak. Make sure your clothing is professional—women are unfortunately judged on their clothing more than men are. Use a confident posture, and some appropriate gestures. I’ve done several podcasts on these subjects, so you may want to listen to them or read the transcripts.
In summary, Irela, think about your goal to begin building a professional relationship, the context and culture of the clinic, and this specific audience. With all of that in mind, you are then able to choose what is best to communicate to make a great first impression.
Let me know what you decide to do and how it goes. -Lisa
As a post-script, I received this happy email after Irela’s introduction:
Hi Lisa,
It went awesome! I decided to go for a brief introduction, by saying my name like you suggested. Later I stated the types of patients that I’ll start with, and at the end I gave out some blank forms, explaining that I believe I can always give myself greater opportunities just by asking for advice or any recommendations that they would like to share with me.
At the end of the meeting, some of them approached saying they really enjoyed how I went about my introduction. I could totally feel the good vibes. Thanks a lot for everything, Lisa, God bless you. I encourage you to keep helping us.
Irela, I’m happy it went so well for you … afterall, your success is my business! 
This is Lisa B. Marshall helping you to lead and influence. If you’d like to learn more about compelling communication, I invite you to read my bestselling books, Smart Talk and Ace Your Interview and listen to my other podcast, Smart Talk.
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About the Author
Lisa B. Marshall Lisa holds masters with duel degrees in interpersonal/intercultural communication and organizational communication. She’s the author of Smart Talk: The Public Speaker’s Guide to Success in Every Situation, as well as Ace Your Interview, Powerful Presenter, and Expert Presenter. Her work has been featured in CBS Money Watch, Ragan.com, Woman’s Day, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and many others. Her institutional clients include Johns Hopkins Medicine, Harvard University, NY Academy of Science, University of Pennsylvania, Genentech, and Roche.
