What's my name?

I don't know about you but I physically can't work in silence, so I always have the radio playing in the background. One track I keep hearing is Rhianna's new song 'What's my Name?' and it got me thinking about the importance of learning people's names. 

Just how do you remember names?   I will go through a few ideas for you but first I think it’s very important to ask yourself a question. How important is it to remember people names? How do you feel when someone remembers your name? Each and every one of us will have at some point had someone forget our name, not a great feeling is it? Questions like 'Am I that forgettable?' begin to plague our minds but only a select few have the gift of putting names to faces and keeping them there. Below are six tips to help you become one of those people. Try them out and let me know how you get on by commenting below.

6 tips to remember names and faces quickly

 
Here are a few tips which work for me…

Tip 1: The reason you forgot my name is that you did not give me 100% of your attention. You were too busy thinking about the next question you wanted to ask or you were looking at someone else you want to talk to or over there at the food. My name is very important to me and if I am your key contact then give me 100% of your attention and stop thinking about anything else. 

Tip 2: Say my name conversationally 3 times during our chat. I will love that. Not like a parrot Glen, I see what you mean Glen, I totally agree Glen. During the conversation try to bring my name in, saying it out loud will help you to remember it.

Tip 3: Sometimes a name just won’t stick, so I ask for a business card, look at it carefully and try to make an association between the person’s face and their card.

Tip 4: If someone’s name badge is visible I often take a sneak look at it. It is easy to do this when the other person is speaking as everyone, at some point, will look away – this is natural. So peek at their name badge during one of those moments. If you watch people carefully when they are speaking, you will notice that they do have a pattern of looking away. So watch and read – and go back to tip 2 ie use their name in conversation to lodge it in tight.

Tip 5:  Sometimes they will really hold eye contact and there is no opportunity, also if you are like me, my eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be so just lean over and tell them you are just straightening up their badge as it has gone askew and get a good look!

Tip 6: If all else fails be honest, be sincere, smile and ask them to tell you their name again. People really don’t take offence if you ask. Chances are they have forgotten yours and you have just let them off the hook by giving them permission to ask you as well.