Getting to Know You.

INTRODUCTION OF OTHER PEOPLE:

Have you ever gone to a group event-not knowing one person there and come home wishing you knew more about the people you met?

Perhaps you are hosting or leading a great group event coming up and wondering how you will connect these people initially? You desire that everyone feels comfortable- those people who seem to have mastered the art of being’ out there’ but are not really, and those people who prefer to connect with others slowly and feel safe.

Connecting the participants is all important in successfully hosting or leading a group. There are countless approaches, but why not try this approach as it is a great non-threatening way for a group of people to be introduced.

So why not experiment with this approach-it is important not to rush this step.  As the host or leader your aim is for each person to attentively listen as the other person introduces himself/herself. If this aim is achieved, then your group activity is more likely to be successful as people will have connected.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU APPROACH

1. Divide your group into pairs. You may suggest to the group that each person talk about something specific about themselves (e.g. 3 interests in their lives) or you may choose to allow the conversation to unfold naturally.

2 As a pair, each person has 2 minutes each to introduce himself/herself. (i.e. allow at least 4 minutes for the exercise).

3. Then bring the group back together and choose a pair and ask one of the pair to introduce the person to whom he/she has been speaking. After each person of the pair has been introduced, check with the other person for accuracy and any other details that were missed. It is important that you ask the person being introduced if  he/she felt it was accurate introduction as no one wishes to feel misrepresented and you, as the host or leader of the group want your group to get to know each other.

The key to successful introduction is to allow enough time- both as each person introduces himself/herself in a pair and allowing time for checking for accuracy of details. Then depending on how many in your group, each pair  needs an opportunity to introduce and be introduced. No one wants to be left out.