[Chicago] Chicago Digest, Vol 102, Issue 33

[Jennifer Leadbetter]

> On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 11:40 AM, Bob Haugen <bob.haugen at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Do you think it would help to have an intro section at the beginning
> > of each meeting where new people could introduce themselves and the
> > old people could welcome them explicitly? (And then hopefully not
> > avoid or dismiss them thereafter?)
>

I think this is a good idea. It may need a little tweaking, though:
suddenly springing the "Hey, if you're new, come up in front of all these
strange people and introduce yourselves right now" works for some people,
but not everyone. :D

What I've seen work really well is when you have groups where someone gives
an intro to the evening's events, introduces themself as an example, and
then has everyone else go around the room (or row by row, depending on how
the room is arranged). No one stands up; people can pass; and they just say
their name and a single-sentence summary of what they do or their
relationship to [Python, Scala, tropical penguins, or whatever the group is
about].  The last person to introduce themselves is the main speaker for
the night.

This removes the burden of old-timers needing to figure out or remember who
is new (and also mistakenly thinking someone is an old-timer when they're
not, or [worse] visa-versa). It takes the pressure off of newcomers who
might feel singled-out, and it allows them to make note of names of people
they might want to introduce themselves to after the meeting.

Of course, it isn't very suitable huge gatherings, and it may or may not
fit what people in ChiPy feel comfortable with, but provided people keep it
short (name, what you do, 15 seconds or less), I've seen it work for events
of 20-25 people.

It's an interesting thought. What do other people think about intros?

Jen
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