Sunday's Greek Savoir-Vivre - Making Introductions

Not long ago, I was invited to a social event where everything was just perfect except one thing. I didn't know anyone there and, to make things worse, no one bothered to make introductions. I felt awkward but I took things into my own hands and introduced myself. However, being introduced shows respect for your guest and makes you feel part of the group in addition to inviting you to the conversation. 

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1. In general, men are introduced to women unless men are elderly people or people of a high rank. So their names should be mentioned first.

- Mr President, may I introduce my wife Cathy?

- Mr Williams, may I present my husband John?

2. Younger people are introduced to other people.

- Grandma, I'd like you to meet my friend, Chloe.

3. Guests of honour are introduced to others attending a social event.

- May I introduce Mrs Gordon, our guest of honour?

4.  When introducing family to other people, always mention their relationship to you.

- Mrs Newton, this is my son Richard.

5. A client is introduced to anyone in your company including the CEO.

- Mrs Thorton, this is  Mr Roberts, our sales manager.

6. Men introduced to women, older people or people of a high rank should wait for the person to extend his/her hand. If not, they should simply smile and say: "Nice to meet you."

7. In Cyprus, in informal situations, it's ok to introduce a person with Mr/Mrs and first name only:

- Mrs Maria, this is my cousin Alexis.

8. If a Greek priest is introduced, you should kiss his hand.

 

Comments

[Stefania]

Thanks for this very useful guide to making introductions. I always get confused which name to mention first.

[Christina]

I know from my own experience how embarrassing it is to be invited to a social event where the hosts forgot to introduce me to the other guests. I joined the conversation and had to introduce myself, like you did, but I felt really awkward.

[Jeff]

Introductions are an incredibly powerful way to get to know people who can help you with your business or in your personal life. It's also great to be able to give an introduction to two people who will mutually benefit from knowing each other, either socially or in business.

[Alexia M]

In my job, I make introductions all the time and this involves people of different cultures and nationalities. So, I keep it simple while respecting the basic rules.

[Laura]

Knowing how to introduce a friend or a client is an important skill and although everyone is expected to be proficient, many of us are uncomfortable when we need to introduce people. The most important point about introductions is to make them. Failing to do so causes embarrassment and discomfort. If given a choice, most people would prefer you to make the introduction incorrectly, even if you forgot their name, rather than stand there unacknowledged and disregarded.

[Agnes]

Honestly, I had no idea. I often introduce older people to younger people! Uh-oh.