I am terrible at remembering names. I think everyone feels this way. Except for the lucky ones that have a special knack of always nailing it.. How do they do it?
It has to be one of the worst feelings: minutes after being introduced and blanking on a person's name.
Here's how it usually goes: 1) Meet someone new, 2) Introduce yourselves, 3) Focus on making a good impression 4) Say Hi! It's so nice to meet you! 5) Totally forget what their name was 30 seconds later.
Especially when meeting a new business associate, it's one of those things that can make a huge difference in your relationship. Think about it. When you do something for some one.. which goes further: "Thank you" or "Thank you, Anna"
I know which one would make me feel more special and like that person is truly recognizing me (not just the monotonous task I just did).
The best of the best.
After doing some research, I found two Forbes articles that give a few tips and tricks that I am excited to try:
- The Five Best Tricks to Remember Names
- Tired of Forgetting Names? Try These Tricks
But even with these tricks.. sometimes I set myself up for failure. I get so caught up on making a good impression (showing a big smile, seeming genuine, perfecting the handshake, etc.) that I forget to even THINK about these kinds of tricks before meeting someone new.
- So give yourself a chance. I actually put a reminder on my calendar before an upcoming meeting. I know I will be meeting lots of new people and I want to be consciously thinking about remembering names.
And if all else fails.. it's not the end of the world. So you forgot their name? Life will go on. Number 3 on the second Forbes article includes how to "Recover When Memory Slips".
What do you think? How do you remember names when meeting new people? Comment below!
No comments:
Post a Comment