Names matter
This is Kellie, also affectively known as “lollypop lady” at the local school here on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Her job is to help direct the traffic during school hours to ensure children are safe when they cross the road.
She always has the biggest smile and greets the kids one by one using their names.
Yesterday I asked her if she actually knew all the kids’ name and she replied “yes, all 1,171 of them. It’s my job!”
Wow. 1,171 names!?!?!
Many of them are foreigners with names that are difficult to remember and pronounce.
Something as basics as learning someone’s name is the very first step to build and earn trust, yet most of us are terrible at it because other things are “more important”.
As a leader, especially if you have a big team, you will have many competing priorities. Make sure learning the name of every single on of your team members is one of them.
Remember their name and they will remember you.