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How to... Introduce people

Want to meet new people and improve your social and business graces? Here's how to make proper introductions at business functions, parties, dinners and other social situations

From How To Do Just About Everything in the Office, in association with eHow (Collins, £9.99)

Steps

1. Introduce individuals to each other using both first and last names.
2. If you're introducing someone who has a title - a doctor, for example - include the title as well as the first and last names in the introduction.
3. Introduce the younger or less prominent person to the older or more prominent person, regardless of the sex of the individuals. (However, if a considerable age difference lies between the two, it is far more courteous to make introductions in deference to age, regardless of social rank.) For example: 'Arthur Dent, I'd like you to meet Dr Gertrude Smith.'
4. If the person you are introducing has a specific relationship to you, make the relationship clear by adding a phrase such as 'my boss', 'my wife' or 'my uncle'. In the case of unmarried couples who are living together, 'companion' and 'partner' are good choices.
5. Use your spouse's first and last name if he or she has a different last name than you. Include the phrase 'my wife' or 'my husband'.
6. Introduce an individual to the group first, then the group to the individual. For example: 'Dr Brown, I'd like you to meet my friends, Kim Howe, Simon Campbell and Michael Vince. Everyone, this is Dr Kurt Brown.'

Tips
If you've forgotten a name, you'll seem impolite if you try to ignore the need for the introduction. It's less awkward (and better manners) to apologise and acknowledge that the name has escaped you.
If your host neglects to introduce you to other guests, feel free to introduce yourself, but make your relationship to the host clear in your introduction.

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