What's In A Name?
by Rebecca L. Morgan, CSP, CMC365 words
My husband and I are at Charles and Suzanne's cocktail party. We sit next to someone we don't know.I introduce myself, "Hello. I'm Rebecca Morgan." Shaking my hand, the stranger replies, "Hi, Becky. I'm Bill Hawkins."
"Hi, Bill," my husband offers his hand, "I'm Robert Fish."
"Good to meet you, Bob. How do you know Susie and Chuck?"
Already Robert and I know a lot about Bill. We know that he doesn't listen, or he doesn't care about getting our names right, or that he's trying to be too familiar. And we don't like it.
Right or wrong, we make assumptions about Bill based on this one behavior. Later, if he suggests a business deal, we would already be on guard. Bill starts out with two strikes against him.
When people introduce themselves, the name they give is how they want to be addressed. If we had wanted to be called "Becky" and "Bob," that's how we would have introduced ourselves.
One of our friends has high visibility in our professional organization. She introduces herself as "Patricia," yet some who want to demonstrate their chuminess with her call her "Pat" or "Patty." This immediately signals to those of us who do know her that the offenders don't. They try to seem closer to Patricia than they really are.
Even worse is when someone who introduces you as a "good friend" mispronounces your name or gives the wrong name. It is embarrassing to correct the introducer; but you need to do so, otherwise the new person will call you by the wrong name. You could politely say to the introducer, "I'm sorry, I guess I haven't told you, I go by Rebecca instead of Becky."
If you find yourself with someone whose name is Richard, ask him what he prefers to be called. Don't assume that he is a "Dick," "Rick," or "Rich" without verifying it. Robert could also be a Rob. Suzanne could be Sue or Suzy. And, Suzanne and Susan are not the same.
Dale Carnegie said, "A person's name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language." Take responsibility to listen and use the right name.
© 1996 Morgan Seminar Group
_______________________Rebecca L. Morgan, CSP, is a dynamic speaker and seminarist. She is the author of four books, TurboTime: Maximizing Your Results Through Technology, Calming Upset Customers, Life's Lessons: Insights and Information for a Richer Life, and Professional Selling. For information on her speaking services, books, and tapes contact her at 1440 Newport Ave., San Jose, CA 95125, 408/998-7977, 800/247-9662, fax: 408/998-1742, rebecca@RebeccaMorgan.com, www.RebeccaMorgan.com. Please contact Rebecca for permission to reprint or repost this item.
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