A Help People Know You Story
Christine Moore, PMP, CPF - September 2011
I recently observed a Senior Vice President (we'll call her Karen), address a group of approximately 20 people from her organization which numbered over 300 in total. Very few in attendance knew her personally, as she was fairly new to the organization, but all reported up to her through several layers of management. Most worked away from the headquarters location where they were gathered, and this was the the first time they had encountered her in person. Karen's purpose in the room that day was simply to say hello, introduce herself and welcome the attendees.
The group consisted mostly of safety experts who worked to keep the company's facilities safe and in compliance with standards. The meeting was not to address any specific problem or incident, but was a rather routine planning meeting to discuss operations for the coming year.
When the time came for Karen to begin, she welcomed everyone to headquarters and then proceeded to tell them a story. She described the small town she had grown up in, and how her mother worked for the local hospital and her father had worked for the town's major employer which was a manufacturing facility for a large food company. She proceeded to tell about her father who was severely injured in an accident at work when she was in high school. She explained the impact this accident had on her and her family and how preventable it had been. She told them how angry she had been at the pain and suffering her father had endured. She also told them how ironic it was that the safety of workers in their organization fell to her, and how "humbling" the responsibility was. She told them that their planning work may not be exciting, but it was important to everyone who worked in the organization even though most wouldn't think about it unless there was an incident. She said, "Plan well, because your efforts over the next couple of days set the stage for the safety of our colleagues in the future and the peace of mind of their families. And, if we all do our job well no one will notice—so I'm thanking you ahead of time." After inviting questions she wished them luck and left. She did this in 20 minutes.
Karen used this story to tell her audience important things about her:
- She cared enough about their visit and their work to greet them personally.
- She had a personal experience that gave her a unique perspective on safety.
- She valued the attendees professional area (safety) and the work they were set to do during their meeting.
If Karen would have addressed the group and told them the above three facts minus the story, they may have listened, and they may even have believed her. But when Karen told her story, those people, who only knew Karen as a Senior Vice President, could now relate to her at a human level of compassion. They had connected to her, and they had connected their work to the well being of their colleagues and their families. In the most critical moments of introduction, Karen established a relationship with everyone in that room.