One thing that stood out to me when I was reading the popular book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is the advice to remember people’s names and use their names when talking to them. Indeed, one thing that leaves an impact on me when interacting with some Senior Masters is when they take the effort to remember my name, and they don’t just remember my name, they remember everyone’s name and they make everyone feel important!
When trying to be a person of influence on others, it is important not only to impart a direction or knowledge, but it is also important to make sure that those we lead know that we care. This sense of caring is especially important when we need to deliver bad news to a student. If they know that we care about them, they will trust what we say with the best of intentions, and they will respond better to make improvements. A very basic way to become more personal with others is to use their name when speaking to them.
Remembering and using people’s names does not just apply to being a leader within the martial arts or being an instructor. The same lesson can be applied to the workplace. When working with someone for the first time or working with someone from a different team, remembering their name and saying hello when you see them will help you to make friends and to increase your level of rapport with that person. This will increase collaboration and productivity all while being sincere and genuine.
Remember people’s names, even the names of those that you just met. It could be someone that works in a store, an employee at the gym where you exercise, or a server at a restaurant. In doing so your relationships will grow and improve!
Sources:
Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People: The First – and Still the Best Book of Its Kind – to Lead You to Success. General Press, 2019.
