Matt Abrahams

Those are ways of getting a dialogue going even though the other person isn't speaking back versus just me broadcasting information.

Yeah, it's that build up because it's getting closer and closer and closer.

And the anxiety that you're feeling is getting stronger and stronger.

I don't like go around the room and introduce yourself.

If there's a need for people to do that, I will always have people partner up or get in groups of three and then have somebody introduce somebody else.

It's just much easier.

I do exactly and I coach exactly what you do.

I tell people, listen to everybody else and think to yourself a question you would ask them based on what they've said, because that causes you really to focus on what they're saying.

So you're not getting into your head and you're not really living at the peak, all the anxiety feelings you're having.

Now, to help people introduce themselves, I have a way I like to teach people to introduce themselves.

Don't start with your name.

Start with something you care about, you're passionate about, something that interests you, and then say who you are.

for two reasons.

There's actually a third.

First is you're gonna stand out because nobody does this.

So people are actually gonna remember you.

Second, if you start with something you're passionate about, you care about, you can use emotion and inflect your voice.

It's very hard to inflect your voice when you say your name.

And then finally, if you're a non-native speaker or you're speaking to non-native speakers who might have an accent,

Hearing something in advance primes our brain to say, oh, that's how that person speaks.