Anyone else utterly useless at remembering peoples names?...
Discussion
My biggest customer (I'm a contractor) where I spend around 6 months of the year at, there is around 20 guys there.
So know the guys pretty well.
Ive been doing work there for 2 years, and can still only remember 3-4 of the guys names!!
They all know my name, as they usually say things like "morning Matt" which I can only respond to with "Morning...".
Its too embarrassing asking them what there name is now after all this time!! so just call most of them "mate"
The worst is when someone says, "you need to go see Mike"..........
Anyone else really hopeless with names? How do people manage at big companies with hundreds of employees?
So know the guys pretty well.
Ive been doing work there for 2 years, and can still only remember 3-4 of the guys names!!
They all know my name, as they usually say things like "morning Matt" which I can only respond to with "Morning...".
Its too embarrassing asking them what there name is now after all this time!! so just call most of them "mate"
The worst is when someone says, "you need to go see Mike"..........
Anyone else really hopeless with names? How do people manage at big companies with hundreds of employees?
Yup. Generally need to told names several times before it sinks in. Also can't associate names to people, e.g. It can be someone I've done a number of jobs for, they'll ring me and be like "oh its dave smith" expecting me to know but I'll have no clue who they are until I get an address, at which point I'll recall exactly who they are.
That and a whole load of other weird memory glitches
That and a whole load of other weird memory glitches
I often joined existing teams & like the OP found it difficult to remember names. I got into the habit of taking a picture of each of them when I started & built a little org chart, printed it out & stuck it next to my monitor so I'd see it frequently. The names soon sank in & if you do it when you join no-one seems to mind if you couch in in terms of getting up to speed quickly.
Yep, I wrote down all the names of my staff when I started a new job, about 21 people 3x Hungarians
1x Lithuanium
1x Spanish
1x Russian
10 Polish
4x English
x 1 Welsh
And the staff above me.
That was 8 years ago, I can still remember 10 of their names.
I mentioned struggling with names to my Uncle, he said ask them their name, then say "yeah I meant your surname to help me remember" (to save embarressment) then write it down again.
1x Lithuanium
1x Spanish
1x Russian
10 Polish
4x English
x 1 Welsh
And the staff above me.
That was 8 years ago, I can still remember 10 of their names.
I mentioned struggling with names to my Uncle, he said ask them their name, then say "yeah I meant your surname to help me remember" (to save embarressment) then write it down again.
Edited by jjaack on Sunday 14th April 13:37
Edited by jjaack on Sunday 14th April 13:40
Yes I have issues as well but I will remember a face for life. Its embarrassing actually as ive been on dates forgotten the name and 3 or 4 dates later if you ask its over.
The one thing i try and do is associate them with someone else i already know. So meet a Steve and think thats dads mate. Meet a jess and thats an ex but you have have to actively do it when told a name, 20s later and its gone.
The one thing i try and do is associate them with someone else i already know. So meet a Steve and think thats dads mate. Meet a jess and thats an ex but you have have to actively do it when told a name, 20s later and its gone.
Always been appalling at this, to the point that I can't remember the names of my team who worked for me for 3 years, and I only retired a year ago.
As for anyone else no chance. I can remember school pals from 40 years ago, but people in my cycle club or kit car club nope. I even have to write down the name of my neighbours
As for anyone else no chance. I can remember school pals from 40 years ago, but people in my cycle club or kit car club nope. I even have to write down the name of my neighbours
The worst time is when you meet someone out of the normal context. For example, at an exhibition where many of the people you know from the field of business but not in their territory. If you go to see them at their offices, or they come to see you then forewarned is forearmed. In an exhibition context Welsh customers are there, as are Scottish customers and Lancashire, Devon, etc. Familiar faces in unfamiliar setting.
Go to the person in question and say "I'm sorry I can't remember your name...". They say "John" or whatever, and you then say "Of course, I know it's John but it's your surname I have forgotten. This works even if they reply with their surname of course. I admit that I haven't used the method much but it seemed to work. No good for everyday use though...
Go to the person in question and say "I'm sorry I can't remember your name...". They say "John" or whatever, and you then say "Of course, I know it's John but it's your surname I have forgotten. This works even if they reply with their surname of course. I admit that I haven't used the method much but it seemed to work. No good for everyday use though...
Absolutely! Both names and faces. I’m not particularly interested in other people, or getting to know anyone new, so I really struggle when it comes to important things like work related contacts. Writing names down as soon as possible helps a bit, but I could do with a photo to link them to the actual people I meet again. I’ve searched Facebook just before meetings in the past in the hope of finding them!
Alucidnation said:
GT03ROB said:
Yep dreadful.
Not helped here by being surrounded by people with unpronounceable names even if I could remember them!
That’s a bit racist.Not helped here by being surrounded by people with unpronounceable names even if I could remember them!
I used to be bad at this, but fixed it.
I read “how to win friends and influence people” and the #1 message in this is that everyone’s own existence is the most important thing to them, and that their name is the embodiment of their identity. Forgetting someone’s name is indicative that they are not important to you.
Now when I’m introduced to someone I look them in the face, shake their hand and say to myself “this person is X” making sure I enunciate their name in my head. Then it’s imprinted and I can recall it always.
I am currently having building work done and must have had 25 people coming through the job. It’s been commented on my ability to greet everyone on the job by name from day 1 from the main contractor to the lowest labourer.
Being able to influence people is a very useful technique in life and knowing their name is a very important first step. It’s not hard with the right approach.
I read “how to win friends and influence people” and the #1 message in this is that everyone’s own existence is the most important thing to them, and that their name is the embodiment of their identity. Forgetting someone’s name is indicative that they are not important to you.
Now when I’m introduced to someone I look them in the face, shake their hand and say to myself “this person is X” making sure I enunciate their name in my head. Then it’s imprinted and I can recall it always.
I am currently having building work done and must have had 25 people coming through the job. It’s been commented on my ability to greet everyone on the job by name from day 1 from the main contractor to the lowest labourer.
Being able to influence people is a very useful technique in life and knowing their name is a very important first step. It’s not hard with the right approach.
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