Topic 1.1.4 Introducing yourself to a group
INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO A GROUP
1.Discussion
In pairs, discuss the following questions.
- In what situations do you have to introduce yourself to a group in your own language/in English? How do you feel?
- How much information do you give about yourself?
- What impression do you think you give?
2. Listening
A multinational company is holding a training session at its offices in Chicago. Listen to three participants introducing themselves. Would you have presented yourself in a similar way? What did they do well or badly?
3.The speakers include information about these topics. Put them in a logical order:
- aspirations
- role
- who they are
- reason for being there
- achievements/activities
4. Listen again and complete the following phrases.
Key word – point
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS FOR INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO A GROUP
Saying who you are
- Hi, my name’s X. I’m from the Y office.
- As most of you will know, I’m …
- For those of you who don’t know me already, I am …
Talking about your role
- I’m accountable for …
- My responsibilities include …
- Lately I’ve been concentrating on …
- Basically, my role is to coordinate …, making sure …
- This entails …I’m responsible for …
Giving reasons for being there
- What’s the point of me being here today?
- I hope to share some of my ideas with you.
- I’m here today to …
Updating people on achievements
- I’m pleased to say that …
- I’ve now managed to …
- I’d like to point out that over the years, I have been continually …
- We’ve had a few great years.
- You’ll be happy to know that …
Talking about aspirations
- And can see ways of further improving …
- We want to help out …
- I guess I’m ready to take on board …
- I can’t wait to share our expertise with you and to help you to …
5. Take turns to introduce yourself to the class. Compare styles/ use of language.
Question about culture
- What criteria do you use to judge somebody when they introduce themselves?
- In your culture, when introducing yourself, is it appropriate to use humour, to be formal or informal, to list your achievements, to downplay the importance of your work?
- What else is important? Do you know what is appropriate in other cultures?
Role play a strategic planning meeting
The agenda is below and each student has a role to play.
Read your card and think of ideas and expressions you can use during the meeting.
Role Card 1 Marketing Manager
Background: 5 years of experience in digital marketing, specializing in social media campaigns.
Key Contribution: Bringing innovative marketing strategies to increase brand visibility and customer engagement.
Role Card 2 Financial Analyst
Background: 7 years of experience in financial analysis and budgeting, with a focus on cost optimization.
Key Contribution: Providing detailed financial forecasts and identifying cost-saving opportunities to maximize profitability.
Role Card 3 Product Development Lead
Background: 10 years of experience in product design and development, with a strong background in user experience.
Key Contribution: Leading the creation of new products that meet customer needs and market demands, ensuring high quality and innovation.
Role Card 4 Human Resources Director
Background: 8 years of experience in HR management, specializing in talent acquisition and employee development.
Key Contribution: Developing strategies for recruitment, retention, and training to build a strong and motivated workforce.
Role Card 5 Sales Manager
Background: 6 years of experience in sales, with a track record of exceeding targets and expanding market reach.
Key Contribution: Implementing sales strategies to drive revenue growth and building strong relationships with key clients.
Role Card 6 Operations Manager
Background: 9 years of experience in operations and supply chain management, focusing on process improvement.
Key Contribution: Enhancing operational efficiency and reducing lead times to ensure timely delivery of products and services.
Strategic Planning Meeting Agenda
- Introduction
– Each member introduces themselves using their role card, sharing their background and key contributions.
- Current State Analysis
– Discuss the current market situation, internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis).
- Goal Setting
– Define clear, achievable goals for the upcoming year, aligning them with the company’s vision and mission.
- Strategic Initiatives
– Each member proposes strategic initiatives related to their role:
– Marketing Manager: Plan a new social media campaign targeting younger demographics.
– Financial Analyst: Identify top three areas for cost reduction.
– Product Development Lead: Outline the development of a new product line.
– Human Resources Director: Introduce a new employee training program.
– Sales Manager: Develop a strategy to enter a new market segment.
– Operations Manager: Suggest process improvements to enhance efficiency.
- Resource Allocation
– Discuss and allocate resources (budget, personnel, time) for each strategic initiative.
- Implementation Plan
– Develop a timeline for the implementation of each initiative, assigning responsibilities and setting milestones.
- Monitoring and Evaluation
– Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor progress and evaluate the success of each initiative.
Homework
Prepare a presentation (inventing the details) to practice the expressions you have studied in this lesson.
Try to make it as interesting as possible.