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Remembering people's names - solutions?

DaisyDuck

Hello

I have done a bit of research and it seems I'm not alone in having a ridiculously hard time remembering people's names. I just wondered whether anyone has come across a solution that works for them, or at least made things a little better?

  • I like facebook - repetition of seeing name/face together helps
  • I look people up on linkedin before a business meeting to see if they have a photo, literally minutes before I meet them to recall their face
  • I have tried word-association and 'nicknames' with limited success
  • Saving people's photos (from facebook / linkedin) with their number in my phone so I can look them up
  • Getting people to wear labels in training.

any other suggestions for remembering names please?

Daisy

  • in reply to Plastic

    How funny - I've only just realised I do that too. I can remember Ian (with one leg), Alan (blind), Tall Ian (who is over 6'5") no problem!

    - people who matter don't care etc.... great quote, great outlook :-)

  • in reply to DaisyDuck

    I'm ok if they have something unique about them - false leg, one arm etc. - I can log that into a smaller sub-set so deduction is easier. Everyone else falls into that "hello, what's your name" category.

    I have found that people who matter don't care, people who care don't matter.

  • in reply to Plastic

    Thank you for sharing Plastic.  I've stuffed up a few opportunities with senior people at work because I didn't recognise who they were and they were offended by it... other people's egos are not my problem.  "don't you know who I am"... "no, I don't, my name's Daisy my role is xyz, what's your name?"   

    It happens so often I've given up caring mostly and just resigned myself to not being able to remember names, otherwise I'd be stressed constantly.

  • in reply to Plastic

    I've had my share of embarrassing situations.  

    Most recently at a half day training course.  Where there were people from all over the city.  A lady greeted me by name and I had no idea who she was.

    It turned out that she was a work colleague and had just had her hair done.

  • I can identify every different car ever made, every aircraft - in fact all technical things. I cannot identify people because they are non-standard. They change their expression, their hair, their glasses, make up , clothes, the way they sit, the way they speak, tone of voice - it's like I meet them for the first time, every time. There is nothing fixed or solid for me to measure to log them in my data bank.

    I blag it in social situations too - trying to guess if I am supposed to know any of these strangers in front of me. It's very stressful.

  • in reply to Robert124

    Thanks Robert123, I usually "blag it" with generic conversation until I get enough clues from them on how I know them, but often their name completely escapes me. It's embarrassing. Weirdly I can often remember the song I last danced to with someone  (I'm a dancer) even if I can't remember their name, that has got me out of trouble a few times - I think people want to feel 'memorable' even if you don't remember their actual name!

  • With me it's both People's names and faces.  I feel very embarrassed when someone greets me by name.    But I have no idea who they are or where they know me from.

    People remember me very easily.   But I struggle to put names to faces.

    I try to remember people by their, voices, distinguishing marks on faces, clothes, hair.