Here’s a scene I’ve experienced too many times:
A group of eight to ten people participates in the same whole-day meeting. They don’t know each other well, and a moderator asks them to “shortly” introduce themselves.
Sadly, the first person spends the next five minutes on a life-revisiting journey, mixing most of her resume highlights with questionable hobbies and activities.
It sets the tone, and after more than thirty minutes of uneven introductions, you beg for an already much-needed break!
If you’re lucky, you’ve picked up a few interesting facts to help you engage in conversations. But in most cases, these introductions feel like a waste of time and a missed opportunity to get to know each other better.
If you’ve been there, too, the good news is that there are ways to get the best out of these introductions and start forging meaningful relationships.
One of them is FORD.
Not it’s not a famous designer nor a well-known automobile manufacturer.
FORD is an acronym that stands for:
Family
Occupation
Recreational
Dreams
FORD helps you structure your introductions while touching on more than your sole business activities. You can give more insights into what truly matters and trigger future conversations.
With practice, I’ve learned to use FORD to harmonize group introductions. I ensure I start first whenever I lead or facilitate a meeting. The levels of detail I share and the length of my introduction serve as a calibration for those who follow.
I like to keep these on the short side and typically go in about a minute.
But what do I typically share in these FORD introductions?
Enough for people to connect with what matters to them while keeping it professional. It typically goes like this:
Family
I’ve been living happily with my sweetheart for the past thirty years. We met in Paris, and since then, we’ve lived in a dozen places, from Europe to California. Our daughter is now married and not too far!
Occupation
I’ve been leading the teams that transformed and improved the lives of hundreds of millions of consumers with innovative technology hardware and software. I did it as a sales, marketing, product leader, and then general manager. After 25+ fulfilling years with companies like Adobe, Avid, and Plantronics, I decided I could help more businesses. So, I launched the Product Sherpa in 2020 to guide, coach, and mentor product and business leaders.
Recreational
I’m an outdoors lover. An avid runner, I’ve completed over forty full marathons and ultras, and ran at least one marathon on each of the seven continents. I’m also passionate about competitive sailing and regularly participate in Santa Cruz and San Francisco Bay Area regattas.
Dreams
I still have dreams! I mainly dream of a society where people would listen to each other more and pledge to make this world more enjoyable, safer, and healthier. Nothing more, nothing less!
You can adjust your FORD introduction to the context of the meeting. In most business settings, it’s tempting to emphasize your professional occupations. But don’t underestimate the other parts. It’s your opportunity to help others understand your personal values.
You might be concerned about some group members not fully comfortable generating their FORD on the spot. In that case, start by explaining the FORD framework and leave a few minutes of quiet time for everyone to prepare their introduction.
FORD is just one of the many introduction frameworks. Still, I’ve found it highly effective in establishing strong group dynamics and building a more trusting environment for the rest of the meeting.
So, if you’re still struggling with group introductions, try FORD or recommend it to your meeting moderator!