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 think thats a good idea. To give three unlikely fun facts. One true and two lies. And they have to guess which one is true. It turns the spotlight back on them and away from you.

How about "I can fart at will and play the national anthem through my anal sphincter. I am also a compulsive liar".

Oh I recently took a job and they wanted me to have my photo taken and posted on SM with a 'fun fact'. I agreed to the photo reluctantly,but 'forgot' the fun fact bit. I hate all that team building malarky,and it's one of the perks of being self employed,that you don't have to participate in such nonsense.

What a shame that you are self isolating that day 😇

We do this. And we also have a big in person meet up next week.

If it’s any consolation, no one really listens. And those who do are on your side.

It’s just a way to signal to people that you exist, and bring a bit of yourself to things. I’m an introvert, but still “get it”.

@rrhuth

This is a job skill, you have to do things that make you feel uncomfortable to get better at them. Who needs to get better at pointless crap like this? Being the kind of bore who does this is a negative trait.

Quite. Wouldn't make me any better at the job I do, and would irritate me into the bargain. I'm perfect capable of talking to people without ridiculous ice breakers.

Fun fact - I posted I was having to do this on MN and everyone agreed it was a pain in the arse thing to have to do

your fun "fact" doesn't need to be true or interesting. "I am wearing odd socks". "I ran out of muesli at breakfast and had to eat cocopops for breakfast for the first time in 20 years". Make something up that no one will care about.

Fun fact " I'm an introvert who likes baking and reading crime fiction but finds talking about myself in public really hard! " I hate this stuff too. I can do it but it's horrible and unfair.

* Just be brief - my name is x, my fun fact is Y them smile and sit down*

^This. You making this to be such a big deal when it isn’t.

It's true that no-one is listening to anyone else's fun fact. Just make up a really bland non-fact - you've never read a book/never watched [insert a tv programme everyone goes on about]/non-entity soap star is your 3rd cousin.

Oh I'd love that. Aware it's not to everyone's taste or comfort level though.

Just make something innocent and innocuous up …

“When I was little I had an imaginary friend that I called Daisy. I now have a real life friend called Daisy as well. I wonder what some of your imaginary friends were called.”

Then sit down, job done.

I hate all this shit.
I was hounded to name my favourite film on one training session.
Never mind the fact that I genuinely don't have one, because I'm not interested in films.

“I have crabs and two of them just escaped..”

At a work thing years ago we were asked to think of a boring fact about ourselves. It was actually harder than you'd think - I guess because nobody truly thinks they're boring? Anyway, my mate won because he'd spent a summer as a kid working in a cardboard factory.

I wouldn't lie about the fun fact as you could find that your secret Santa may use it to buy you something. So don't say that you own a cow unless you are prepared to end up with cow themed gifts forever more.

I'm struggling to see how a naff icebreaker is a role requirement, much less a necessary "skill" Try being honest with your line manager (if you have one) and say for personal reasons you won't be getting involved but you're happy to introduce yourself to the rest of the team/department as necessary. Nobody ever memorized every.single.name and face from those exercises anyway.

I don’t mind them … but I normally make things up . My last one was that I was a backing singer for a Eurovision act

I’m very shy and it is my worst nightmare to have to stand up in front of you like this so Mumsnet advised me to imagine you are all naked.

😂

No? Maybe not.

Have you got a pet? If not, invent one.

Job done.

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon

“I have crabs and two of them just escaped..”

😂😂😂😂😂😂

Fun fact: Most days you pay for two hours of my time that I spend on Mumsnet

I’d go along with something along the lines of I’ve never watched Star Wars/lord of the rings/James bond etc. Quick shrug of the shoulders and sit down on to the next persons cringe fest.

Watch the beginning of a couple of old episodes of Only Connect. the contestants on that have had to give a fun fact. You can just nick one of theirs (it is usually 'I used to have a pet rock called Bob' 'I once travelled all the way to Wick because I forgot to get off the train' 'I once won a welly throwing competition and the prize was a long weekend in Skegness' level of fun.)