I stopped asking people their name because of this. I figure if I will be around them enough to need to know their name, I’ll learn it through other people mentioning it.
Once there was a girl I kind of liked, so I decided to ask her name, actually a big thing for me. She got super pissed off, because she thought I should have already know it… I had never spoken to her before. The previous time she was over I was sick and spent the whole night in my room. I think that was the last time I asked someone’s name…. It was 20 years ago.
It’s like when I want to see what time it is so I pull out my phone, look at the screen, and put it back. Then I realize I didn’t actually look at the time so I have to do it again.
Or what’s even worse, when you only remember half the name and keep wondering if you heard “Eve” or “Eva” and just mumble your way through pronouncing their name every time.
The way to remember it is to immediately use it after they say it, either just repeating it, or using it in the next sentence. And then use it again when you say goodbye to them.
There’s no guarantee it’ll stick, but it’s much more likely than just trying to remember it.
I’ve been working at new job for a month, this week is the first week I remembered all 5 of my immediate co-worker’s names. It took me three weeks before I got a grasp on my boss’ name.
The trick is to ask them their name. If they reply “Smith”, then you say “Yes I know it’s Smith, but it seems I can’t recall your first name”, so he says “John”. Or if he says his complete name straight away, you say “Yes I knew it was John, it was the Smith I couldn’t remember”
Bingo, you have their complete name. Works the other way round too.
if germane i like to ask how their name is spelled in case i need to email them later. then i dont need to admit i forgot or until then never cared to know
Unless I talk to you for two weeks on the dot, your name will never be associated with your face. Luckily, people’s names never come up and I’ve only worked at places that have contact books with profile pics
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