You just put this person in the office and 2 minutes into the conversation, whoops! His name flies through the window of your memory. The same thing happens when you are talking to your neighbor. Welcome to the club. What are you going to do now? Start with these 3 tips:
- Keep calm.
- Remember that it happens to everyone, and everyone is likely to forgive your slip up.
- As much as possible, stay involved in the conversation. We tend to leave it while we rack our brains for that flying name.
Should you pretend? You could fake it by asking Mrs. Office for her card. But he is risky. If he pats her bag and declares that she just gave away the last letter, you’re in the dark unless you can give him a piece of paper and a pen. It’s an awkward moment that stops the flow of conversation, especially when others are present. But if you really want her business card, ask for it. I prefer the honesty policy. Ask her her name, and the sooner the better. Here are a couple of ways to do it:
- “Tell me your name again?”
- “Please help me with your name.”
After listening, repeat *your* name, for example, “I’m Scotty.” You’re kind of assuming she’s forgotten your name too, and now you seem like a thoughtful person because you’re helping her out of name trouble.
When your memory fails in your own territory
You to know this neighbor You know she follows the Dodgers; her dog is Woofie; and her birthday is October 20th. But what the hell is her name? This is not the time to ask for her card. It is time to confess. Again, you have options:
- “Oh, this is embarrassing. Your name just slipped out of my head.”
- “I know you’re a Dodgers fan and your birthday is October 20. I remember Woofie’s name, but I can’t remember yours. Please help me here.”
- Ask your email provider. Mine is a dog lover, so I can say, “What is the name of the owner of the black lab and who is the owner of the dog named Daisy?”
Go directly to his house and put the name on your phone list. I keep the names of all my neighbors on page N. My friends from the gym are on page G.
