Soar to Success July2021

Lessons from My Dad – The Hidden Elements A s my Dad took me to middle school most every morning, we would have wonderful conversations about most any subject you can imagine. I learned life lessons through those conversations and stories. One was remembering the names of people we would meet as we dropped by the Post Office, which we did frequently. Some of the people we encountered would call out my Dad by name and he would reply with their name in the samemanner. I was amazed at how my Dad could remember all those names. I remember asking my Dad, “How do you By Jack Klemeyer remember their name?” He replied that their name was important to them, and he was right. The late Dale Carnegie is quoted as saying “The sweetest sound is a person’s name on someone else’s lips.” I didn’t learn that little quote until much later in life. None the less, the quote is so true and such a good lesson for each of us no matter what our role in life. Carnegiedevelopedstrategiesforremembering names which can be quite effective if practiced and put in to use consistently. For me, I know the importance of knowing the other person’s name and the impact it canhave inbuilding a relationship. A couple of pieces of my “remembering names” strategy … I pay attention when a person says their name as we’re introduced. I really focus on their name and if it’s not clear, I ask them to repeat it so I do get it. I focus intently on that part of the conversation and then I call them by their name while in initial conversation. If I am at all unsure, I say something like, “It’s Martha, right?” to make sure I have it. Then, and here’s the key, I relax and trust that I know it.