One of the toughest things to do when getting to know people professionally is remembering their names. And it's also an extremely useful skill to have when you're networking. Showing a stranger that you remembered her name can portray you as someone who pays attention and even someone who cares. Here are some tricks to remembering any name:
在职场上,记住那些商业人士的名字要算最困难的事情之一了,在建立人际关系网时这也是一项非常有用的技能。向一个陌生人展示你记住了她的名字,会帮你塑造关注甚至在意对方的形象。以下是可以帮你记住任何名字的小窍门:
1. Ask for their business card.
问他们要名片。
When you meet someone in a networking situation, ask for their business card. Jot down a few notes about the person and his appearance so you can differentiate him from the other people you've met. You can always refer back to the card if you forget someone's name.
如果你是在建立社交关系的场合认识了某人,就问他们要一下名片。迅速记录一点关于这个人的信息还有外貌特征,免得把他和你见过的其他人混淆了。如果你忘记了某人的名字,你可以随时查阅一下他的名片。
2. Repeat it in your mind.
在脑海里重复几遍。
After you've met someone, repeat her name in your mind a few times until you feel like you got a hang of the name.
你认识了某人以后,在脑海中重复几遍她的名字,直到你觉得你已经掌握了这个名字。
3. Write it down.
写下来。
Some people write down people's names in a private place like a bathroom on a scrap of paper or a notebook.
有些人会在一些隐蔽的地方,比如说洗手间,把别人的名字写在纸片或者笔记本上。
4. Ask again.
再问一次。
At the end of your conversation, ask the person you're speaking with to repeat his name just to make sure you have it right. Hearing it again will help you memorize it as well.
在谈话结束之际,为了确保你记得没错,请与你谈话的人再重复一遍他的名字。再听一遍也能帮助你记住这个名字。
5. Visualize an image.
视觉化。
Attach an image to the name. For example, if you meet a Catherine, then try to connect the image of a cat with the woman. That way, when you meet the woman again, the image of a cat will pop up, and it will be easy to work out what her name is.
给这个名字配上插图。例如,如果你遇到一个叫Catherine的人,你不妨尝试把一幅猫的照片和这个女士联系起来。这样的话,你再见到这个女士时,猫的图片就会浮上脑海,这样你就比较容易想出她的名字了。
6. Identity associations.
联系身份特征。
If you picked up an interesting or distinguishing fact about the person you're talking to, then repeat the associations in your head. For example, "Matt resells rare shoes on eBay," or "Kelly participates in triathlons."
如果你发现了和你交谈的人某一方面有趣或显著的特质,你就在脑中重复一下这些关联。比如说,“马特在eBay网上转售特殊的鞋子”,或者“凯利参加了三项全能运动”。
7. Inject it into conversation.
在谈话中多加使用。
Say the other person's name as often as you can during the conversation without it getting awkward. For example, inserting the name casually in sentences like "I really agree with you, John" or "John, how are you liking living in the city?" will do wonders for memorizing names.
在对话,尽可能多说对方的名字,但不要让气氛尴尬了。在句子中漫不经心地插入名字,例如“我十分同意你,约翰” 或者 “约翰,你喜欢住在城市里吗?”。这样对于记住别人的名字效果非凡。
8. Rhyme it.
让名字押韵。
We're more apt to remember rhymes, so try to rhyme a name with a characteristic in your head. For example, "Gary who loves dairy." Play around with the words, and come up with a phrase that will stick.
我们对于有韵律的东西记得更好,所以尝试在脑中想出一个和名字押韵的特点。比如说,“盖里爱乳品。” 玩玩文字游戏,想出一句能烙在脑海中的句子吧。