~orion~

How many times have you heard that statement? I hear it all the time. It’s almost funny when two or more people almost compete or argue to determine who is the worse/worst at remembering people’s names as if it is a desirable thing. I find it hard to believe that many people are really that bad at remembering other people’s names. People just don’t try. People don’t make an active effort to remember someone’s name. Which since a name is an abstract thing, it’s harder to do than remember what someone looks like or what they’ve done. When you meet someone you instantly consciously or unconsciously determine if this person is important in some way. If they are your brain will flip into record mode, if not then it’s into the short term memory, soon to be forgotten. Think about it. If you are introduced to the CEO of your favorite company, the tour manager of your favorite band, or someone like that I bet you will remember their name because you’ll realize it is likely beneficial for you to remember that person and their name. I think conversely that if you are introduced to someone that you get no benefit from, you won’t remember their name. Just putting forth a bit of conscious effort when you initially meet someone to remember their name will go a long way because you never know when it could come in handy.

I think Dale Carnegie sums it up quite nicely in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People:

Remember that a man’s name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language.