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What is the correct introduction???

post #1 of 52
3/20/09 at 11:39pm
Thread Starter 
I am in my mid-forties. Today I was in a business meeting at a new client's offices.

A group of my colleagues and the new client (age 57) were sitting around their conference room table. When the owner of the company walked in (age 70) the new client said "I want everyone to meet John Smith". I immediately stood up, walked towards him, extended my hand and said "Hi John, Robert Thomas. Nice to meet you."

Later one of my colleagues said that I should have addressed him as "Mr. Smith", not John.

My grandfather always said that you should greet someone new in the way that you were introduced to them. In my case, first and last name. Not formal "Mr. Smith"

Any thoughts on this? What is correct?

Thanks
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post #2 of 52
3/21/09 at 12:33am
You should've said Mr. Smith.
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post #3 of 52
3/21/09 at 12:38am
I would have said Mr. Smith.
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post #4 of 52
3/21/09 at 12:46am
'Nice to meet you' is so passive and vanilla. I can't say it anymore.

In a formal situation I usually just go for the address, last name, and sometimes title if I introduce others.
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post #5 of 52
3/21/09 at 12:56am
You should punch new people you meet in the face and push them to the floor to assert your dominance.
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post #6 of 52
3/21/09 at 1:49am
I haven't called anybody mister in years. Doctor sometimes.
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post #7 of 52
3/21/09 at 1:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
I haven't called anybody mister in years. Doctor sometimes.

Barbarian!
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post #8 of 52
3/21/09 at 1:52am
I think it depends on your status, as well...

If you're the junior man in the room, I'd think Mr. Smith.

If you've got a team of subordinates staffing you while you meet the client, you're fine.

jag
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post #9 of 52
3/21/09 at 1:57am
i would have said pimp daddy smith. but thats just me.
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post #10 of 52
3/21/09 at 2:05am
Eh, I always call everyone by their first names when introduced to them. I used to say Mr. Smith or Mr. Jones and so forth but would always get corrected to just call them Jack or John. Also, I can't remember meeting anyone in a business environment who introduced me to someone or introduced themselves to me without using their first name.
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post #11 of 52
3/21/09 at 2:13am
I'd have gone with mister, but I'm from the South, so even the goth high school girls working at the coffee shop are ma'am.
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post #12 of 52
3/21/09 at 3:07am
I call everyone "sir" or "ma'am".
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post #13 of 52
3/21/09 at 3:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DocHolliday View Post
I'd have gone with mister, but I'm from the South, so even the goth high school girls working at the coffee shop are ma'am.

That deserves bold.
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post #14 of 52
3/21/09 at 1:50pm
people still say mister?
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post #15 of 52
3/21/09 at 1:53pm
'How d'you do". No address.
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