New job is making me stand in front of the entire department and say a 'fun fact' about myself - AIBU?

[thisisnotforme]

I started a new job recently, I've mainly been working remotely so have only met a handful of colleagues.

There is a big departmental in-person meeting next week, I am already dreading going to it because I'm really nervous to meet people in real life, even though I have been speaking to them on Teams I'm still nervous.

Today I got an email that they are going to use that meeting to introduce me to the team and they want to stand up in front of everyone and say a fun fact about myself.

I'm really shy and this is literally my worst nightmare.

I've never understood why people get so worked up about this stuff. Just say something innocuous and get on with your life.

Say something like ‘I once helped identical twin ladies up a flight of stairs with an inflatable spider’ - something really quite mundane, unmemorable and unverifiable, but yet sounds vaguely funny as you say it.

Definitely don’t say anything about hating ice breakers etc, it will draw attention to yourself.

I think this sort of thing really depends. Do you ever need, as part of your role, to be speaking in front of groups of people? Presenting, running meetings etc? If so, really it would be an expected skill that you either are comfortable doing this or have strategies to overcome your discomfort with it, in order to be able to do your job. As such it wouldnt be unreasonable to ask this of you.
However if your role is very standalone with no meetings or presentations etc and this wouldnt be a skill you be expected to have in your role, not unreasonable to say you find this very difficult and would prefer not to be included this time.

Alternatively you could channel Kitty from the Victoria Wood sketch show:

"My name's Kitty. I could've married, I've given gallons of blood, and I can't stomach whelks. So that's me for you."

Excellent advice.

Do it your way,give them five,one is true,the rest fictional and ask them to work it out.
😀

@GoWalkabout

'hi I'm Sarah, Fun fact, I am really scared of standing up here in front of everyone' you'll get a laugh and can scurry back to your seat, or maybe everyone will be doing it as its a team building. This is a job skill, you have to do things that make you feel uncomfortable to get better at them. Good luck.

This was the excellent advice I meant!

@DeepaBeesKit

I think this sort of thing really depends. Do you ever need, as part of your role, to be speaking in front of groups of people? Presenting, running meetings etc? If so, really it would be an expected skill that you either are comfortable doing this or have strategies to overcome your discomfort with it, in order to be able to do your job. As such it wouldnt be unreasonable to ask this of you. However if your role is very standalone with no meetings or presentations etc and this wouldnt be a skill you be expected to have in your role, not unreasonable to say you find this very difficult and would prefer not to be included this time.

I don't agree with this. Most people, shy, introvert, or whatever, can deal with presenting and running meetings. I hate 'fun facts' types of things and am shy and hate being looked at, but if I know I'm going to stand up and say and do things directly to do with my job I'm fine. It's not the same as doing forced 'social' things.

It is all such bollocks isn't it - manipulative behaviour on the part of the management. I hate to hear of this happening.

Make up some bollocks.

I think this is pretty normal stuff TBH. You can just make one fact up- you were a drum majorette at school, you once dated a celebrity etc. Its just a way of starting conversations and introducing yourself.

I would hate that too. At my last place new people would have their photo put up on the news page and asked to write a paragraph about themselves to go with it. Bit better than having to do it at a meeting.

Ahhh I hate this, but I'd definitely make something up. Like you are actually an android, or you used to be the Queens personal grape peeler.

A famous actress did once nearly knock my drink out of my hand once, is that a 'fun' fact?

That's perfect! Ignore the suggestions to ask to be let off this, or to say your fun fact is that you're shy and hate announcing fun facts. To an introverted person all that does is draw attention to you.

And it's not public speaking - it's speaking in front of colleagues, speaking up in a meeting, contributing your ideas. Pretty much most jobs demand those sorts of skills and they are difficult if you're shy. Top tip for speaking in meetings - contribute near the beginning - it gives you confidence straight away and you'll contribute more as a result.

Good luck!

I was told there is nothing wrong with saying “ I agree with x” if you can’t think of anything to add.

@HeadNorth

At least you have warning so have time to make up/come up with something. It is that moment at the start of an event when an ‘ice-breaker’ is announced that is the worst. I’d say something deeply innocuous and dull like ‘I bake the best brownies’ - I certainly wouldn’t say anything personal.

I was just about to say this. Be grateful for the heads up. It would take me at least an hour to come up with a fun fact about myself and not even sure I would have one then. Having to think of one in a split second would be impossible.

I'm an introvert and hate situations like this too. You have my sympathy.

@PennineWayinSlingbacks

Next time I'm asked I'm going to say that my great great grandfather went to prison in the 1870's for attempting to impregnate a cow.

It has the added benefit of being true.

That's not a fact about you. Also I don't consider it fun, though I suppose this is subjective.

However, I think it's safe to say that every single training course I have been on, people have to stand up and introduce themselves.

I despise it, and hate it with a passion, but it's just a way to break the ice.

I think it's also safe to say that 90% of people hate it too!

And yes, I have made people do it on every event that I have ever run:

"Now the part that everybody hates, introduce yourself, and tell us a bit about you!"

@marly11

Give them one 'fun' fact and two 'fun' lies and tell them their fun will be they can work out the true fact. Then the challenge can be on them rather than you.

This is a good idea!

@FaceForRadio1973

However, I think it's safe to say that every single training course I have been on, people have to stand up and introduce themselves.

I despise it, and hate it with a passion, but it's just a way to break the ice.

I think it's also safe to say that 90% of people hate it too!

And yes, I have made people do it on every event that I have ever run:

"Now the part that everybody hates, introduce yourself, and tell us a bit about you!"

I choose my own training courses and would never use a training provider who does the "introduce yourself" bollocks. It's infantile and pointless. There are usually sessions before, during and after the course for those who wish to socialise.

The extroverts will socialise anyway. The shy/introverted won't benefit from the "introduce yourself" - they'll still be shy/introverted afterwards and won't get a look in when all the extroverts get together.

A lot of the time it's just an easy way to fill time so the course providers don't have to think about filling the session with "real" content.

choose my own training courses and would never use a training provider who does the "introduce yourself" bollocks. It's infantile and pointless. There are usually sessions before, during and after the course for those who wish to socialise.

The extroverts will socialise anyway. The shy/introverted won't benefit from the "introduce yourself" - they'll still be shy/introverted afterwards and won't get a look in when all the extroverts get together.

I think this is a bit extreme.

I'm an introvert, but if I'm in a room of strangers and we are on a training course together, I appreciate the value of people briefly introducing themselves. Unless the course consists entirely of the trainer talking to us while we sit there in silence (not a training course I'd want to attend), it's useful to know where other participants are coming from.

And if one other participant has something in common with me (same type of job for example), that's great for an introvert because I can talk to them in the breaks and not feel the need to "work the room" like an extrovert...

Fair enough, I guess that I've been skewed enough in that all of mine, most people are strangers on the course, so an introduction to everyone is useful.

Just to play devil's advocate, Is there an argument that these introductions indicate trainee's personalities early on... This will allow the trainer to modify course delivery as appropriate to the individual?

I'm not an introvert, I just think it's a pointless load of old bollocks.

You can do it. Just use your famous person dropping the drink over you it’s perfect.

Adapt as suitable …
“I was once in The Ritz and Robbie Williams bumped into me and dropped my Pina Colada over the two of us”

Job done. Smile and sit down.

A worse one was where they made you ask the person sitting next to you for their name and interesting fact and then made you stand up and tell the group about the person you were sitting next to.

And if one other participant has something in common with me (same type of job for example), that's great for an introvert because I can talk to them in the breaks and not feel the need to "work the room" like an extrovert... smile
But does this sort of info actually emerge during a "fun facts!" session? From this thread it appears to veer towards the "my auntie shagged Tom Jones", "I like raspberry jam on my toast" sort of nonsense.
Nothing particularly useful. Except to mark out the obvious loons you'd avoid if possible, maybe.