OT: Calling Miss Manners

[LionJim]

I have a colleague Joe Blow Mr. A who I need to bring to a conference with my boss, Big Shot Mr. B. They haven't yet met. Do I say, "Boss, this is Mr. A; Mr, A this is my boss Mr B?" Or do I say, Mr A, this is my boss Mr. B; Mr. B this is Mr A?" Or is this something that I shouldn't give a rat's ass about and waste this board's valuable time with?

 

[Op2]

I have a colleague Joe Blow Mr. A who I need to bring to a conference with my boss, Big Shot Mr. B. They haven't yet met. Do I say, "Boss, this is Mr. A; Mr, A this is my boss Mr B?" Or do I say, Mr A, this is my boss Mr. B; Mr. B this is Mr A?" Or is this something that I shouldn't give a rat's ass about and waste this board's valuable time with?

Introduce whoever came in last. If Boss is already there and you walk in with Colleague say "Boss, this is Colleague. Colleague, this is Boss." If you're already in the meeting with Colleague and then Boss walks in say "Colleague, this is Boss. Boss, this is Colleague."

 

[fairgambit]

I have a colleague Joe Blow Mr. A who I need to bring to a conference with my boss, Big Shot Mr. B. They haven't yet met. Do I say, "Boss, this is Mr. A; Mr, A this is my boss Mr B?" Or do I say, Mr A, this is my boss Mr. B; Mr. B this is Mr A?" Or is this something that I shouldn't give a rat's ass about and waste this board's valuable time with?

Since this is a business situation, if the colleague is a client, you would speak to him first and say "A, this is my boss, B". If he is a person in the company of lower rank than your boss, you would speak to your boss and say "Boss, this is Mr. A from the accounting department." Do not use the word "meet" and do not say "A, this is B", followed by "B, this is A". Just, "Jim Apple, this is my boss Joe Boss" if (Apple is a client) OR, "Joe Boss, this is Jim Apple from Accounting." CAUTION: This is my memory of the proper form of introduction from my class on Manners at Penn State, many years ago. It is for purposes of discussion only and should not be relied upon for any poster for any reason. In other words, if you screw up and get fired, don't blame me.

 

[LionJim]

Since this is a business situation, if the colleague is a client, you would speak to him first and say "A, this is my boss, B". If he is a person in the company of lower rank than your boss, you would speak to your boss and say "Boss, this is Mr. A from the accounting department." Do not use the word "meet" and do not say "A, this is B", followed by "B, this is A". Just, "Jim Apple, this is my boss Joe Boss" if (Apple is a client) OR, "Joe Boss, this is Jim Apple from Accounting." CAUTION: This is my memory of the proper form of introduction from my class on Manners at Penn State, many years ago. It is for purposes of discussion only and should not be relied upon for any poster for any reason. In other words, if you screw up and get fired, don't blame me.

Thank God I'm tenured.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I don't think most people would care, but I do agree with the easy choice of introduce the new person in the room to the person you are already there with. Again, I have never give this much thought. I'm not in the business side of the business, so I don't get very deep into formality.

 

[Aoshiro]

I have a colleague Joe Blow Mr. A who I need to bring to a conference with my boss, Big Shot Mr. B. They haven't yet met. Do I say, "Boss, this is Mr. A; Mr, A this is my boss Mr B?" Or do I say, Mr A, this is my boss Mr. B; Mr. B this is Mr A?" Or is this something that I shouldn't give a rat's ass about and waste this board's valuable time with?

I'm old school and I was taught that the first is correct. This blog agrees: http://www.cliseetiquette.com/2014/02/11/art-business-introduction/

 

[psuro]

Since this is a business situation, if the colleague is a client, you would speak to him first and say "A, this is my boss, B". If he is a person in the company of lower rank than your boss, you would speak to your boss and say "Boss, this is Mr. A from the accounting department." Do not use the word "meet" and do not say "A, this is B", followed by "B, this is A". Just, "Jim Apple, this is my boss Joe Boss" if (Apple is a client) OR, "Joe Boss, this is Jim Apple from Accounting." CAUTION: This is my memory of the proper form of introduction from my class on Manners at Penn State, many years ago. It is for purposes of discussion only and should not be relied upon for any poster for any reason. In other words, if you screw up and get fired, don't blame me.

The hierarchy is to introduce the lower level person to the higher level person. An underling is lower than the boss, and the boss is lower than the client. The thought is - you are "presenting" to the higher person in the hierarchy.

 

[Blueblood4eva]

The hierarchy is to introduce the lower level person to the higher level person. An underling is lower than the boss, and the boss is lower than the client. The thought is - you are "presenting" to the higher person in the hierarchy.

Nice earrings on that gal in the pic Ro!

 

[psuro]

Nice earrings on that gal in the pic Ro!

Really? I swear, I have not looked that far up yet.

 

[fairgambit]

Nice earrings on that gal in the pic Ro!

True. They bring out her breast best features.

 

[demlion]

I have a colleague Joe Blow Mr. A who I need to bring to a conference with my boss, Big Shot Mr. B. They haven't yet met. Do I say, "Boss, this is Mr. A; Mr, A this is my boss Mr B?" Or do I say, Mr A, this is my boss Mr. B; Mr. B this is Mr A?" Or is this something that I shouldn't give a rat's ass about and waste this board's valuable time with?

Think of it like this: you always present the lesser person to the greater one. The exception is when you are trying to sell something to a client. So if you are taking some guy who works at the same level as you in the org in to meet your boss, you say, "Big Shot, I would like you to meet Joe Blow, my colleague.

The reason for the rule is simple. Big Shot has, by virtue of his prominence, the "right of first refusal." He can say--"Get Mr. Blow the f*ck out of my office." If you present Big Shot to Blow, and Blow hates him and stalks off, Blow has rejected Shot even before Shot has a chance to reject him first. Bad craziness.

 

[PSU73]

The hierarchy is to introduce the lower level person to the higher level person. An underling is lower than the boss, and the boss is lower than the client. The thought is - you are "presenting" to the higher person in the hierarchy.

This seems to make the most sense, especially if the intro is "...I'd like you to meet..."
When one seems pleased to have someone else meet another, to me it suggests the hierarchy you reference. Also, it puts the burden of the initial reply on the person you would be introducing to the other higher station person, saving the higher station person the opportunity to think about their reply.
To me that seems the most gracious action on your part.