The last topic I’ll cover is a focused practice but goes a long way. If you have ever read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, you’ll know where I am coming from. If you haven’t, I would recommend it above any other book for guidance on being a good listener, problem solver, leader, and quality person. It offers a number of great points that allow for better communication and means to understand other people.
One of the topics within the book is learning people’s names. Before you disregard the rest of this suggestion, know that before I made an active attempt to get better at remembering names, I was awful. And I mean truly awful. I would forget anybody and everybody’s name. I chalked it up to ‘being bad at remembering names’, namely because I genuinely thought that remembering names was some natural ability and not a practice. I was wrong, and can now say that I fall on the other side of the fence in terms of perspective.
Remembering names is not easy, especially at the beginning. Mnemonics help, but the biggest means to remember is after meeting someone, use their name within the conversation. Repeat it to yourself a handful of times until it sticks. When on a phone conversation (with anyone, whether it’s AT&T or Dominoes), repeat their name right back at the beginning of the conversation after they introduce themselves. With a little practice and effort in remembering peoples names at work, parties, or elsewhere, you can quickly become good at it.
I find that remembering someone’s name is the easiest way to show that you care. When I have started a new internship or job, I have made a habit of learning everyone’s name as quickly as possible. This even came to a point of flipping through employee photos to quiz myself, writing down someone’s name right after we spoke, or repeating their name when saying hi in the hallways. Each person’s name is the first and most important means of identifying him or her and his or her personality. Remembering your friends, coworkers, or other acquaintances can go a long way in showing how much you care. Give it a try!
On a side note, the SELF Alumni are here for you. We want to be involved in what you’re doing and keep up with you all as best as we can. If you have ideas of ways we can stay connected, let us know. We might not be the movers and shakers in our respective industries, but we have been where you are and know how much it takes to get through KU Engineering successfully. If you have ideas or just need someone to contact, you can reach me at [email protected] or (913) 742-5619.
Lastly, for something fun next Thanksgiving, try a vegetable turkey. My wife found it on Pinterest and it was the hit appetizer with the in-laws.
Thanks for letting me share over the past month, I hope you all have enjoyed hearing a bit about my industry and experiences, and feel free to contact me going forward!
Thanks,
Joey