The Leading Edge:  How to Remember Names

When I was in grad school, I took an Intro to Business course from Dr. Raj Basu.  I had heard great things about him, and was interested to see why students thought he was such a wonderful professor.  

There were 60 of us in the lecture hall on that first day.  The session lasted an hour and a half.  Dr. Basu’s style was very interactive, asking questions, and handing out participation grades.  But afterward, everyone looked a bit dumbfounded as they asked a question to the air, already knowing the answer,

“Does he already know every one of our names?!” 

While he taught with passion and energy, it was that personal connection that stuck with people.  By the end of that first class, he addressed us all by name.  Sometimes first AND last.

In that moment I learned how important it is to know someone’s name.  And over the years, I have tried many different strategies to remember them.  Here is the strategy that works for me.  And I hope you find it helpful.

1. Read Names Aloud to Yourself:  Most meetings have an invitee list attached.   Even though it feels incredibly stupid, read the first names aloud to yourself prior to the meeting.  This trains your brain that there will be a David, a Rachel, a Kendrick.  And two Jennifers.  There always seems to be two.

2. Make a “Name Chart”:  Arrive to the meeting early and introduce yourself to 3 people at a time, max.  This is about all your brain can reliably hang on to. Then, take a little break to write those names down on a sheet of paper – ideally noting where they are seated at the meeting.  Lather.  Rinse. Repeat.

With these two steps, you increase the probability you’ll recall a name, AND you give yourself a backup plan if you forget a name, because you have them written down.

I hope this helps you.  And, we’d love it if you shared your own tips here!