Second Cup: Use name tags

Make sure everyone knows who is who

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to use name tags unless you are one
hundred percent sure that everyone in a group knows each

(00:26):
other's names. Name tags make interactions less awkward. They ultimately
help people learn names better, and that in turn puts
everyone at ease. It is remarkable how often groups get
to gather without any structured way to communicate who is who.

(00:50):
No name tags, no name plates, no introductions, no roster.
The people convening the gathering may know everyone's names, but
everyone else. Maybe the hosts assume attendees know each other,
but that is not always a safe assumption. Even if

(01:10):
someone said their name at the beginning, if the group
has been gathering for a while, names may have been forgotten,
which is problematic because as time goes on, it gets
more and more awkward to ask. Name tags provide an

(01:31):
easy way to remind people about who is who. If
you are convening a group that will meet regularly, just
have name tags there at the beginning and keep providing them.
Maybe after half a dozen meetings or so you can
stop the practice. But if you've got new members coming
in or visitors, those name tags should come back out.

(01:57):
If you have been meeting for a while and haven't
been providing name tags, a new member or a joint
meeting with another group could all provide a nudge to
make this happen, and then you can just keep providing
the name tags without making a big deal of it.

(02:18):
If you are organizing a one off volunteer event where
volunteers may need to interact with each other or with
the people they're serving, the name tags become even more important.
It is much more comfortable to say, Hey, Dan, could
I borrow that ladder to paint the trim around the door,
rather than excuse me, sir hello, As you try to

(02:41):
get someone's attention and then give up and walk away
with the ladder that they may have been about to use.
Name tags don't take the place of introductions. Certainly, if
you are teaching a class at your house of worship
or a cooking class at a community center, it would
be nice to create time for people to share something

(03:02):
about themselves. But even if you do that, you still
want the name tags. Someone might have missed the first meeting,
or you can miss hear a name which is just
awkward for everyone. Later, I know someone who has been
calling me Lauren for a while, and I just don't

(03:23):
know if I'm ever going to correct it at this point.
Sometimes people forget. Some people are very skilled at remembering names,
which is a testament to their character. Some people are
not so good at remembering names. An introduction might not
do it, so best to provide the reminder. Frankly, even

(03:47):
if it is unclear if name tags might be called for,
it could be good to have them. Lots of people
go to exercise classes or play places with their kids
in part to make friends. Name tags remove at least
one awkward step and make connecting easier. They don't need

(04:09):
to be required. If you make them available, some people
will take them and some won't, since perhaps some people
like to be anonymous at spin class or at the
little gym. But it does set the tone that you
want people to get to know each other, so why
not offer them. This is especially true given that providing

(04:32):
name tags is not exactly difficult. Every office supply store
carries them. Grab a few markers and you're good. You
have spent a few dollars and you've helped people get
to know each other better. This is a small thing
that truly does make a big difference in the meantime.

(04:58):
This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making
the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to
hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,
or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook

(05:20):
and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b the number
four then breakfast pod. You can also shoot me an
email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com that
before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks
so much. Should I look forward to staying in touch.

(05:45):
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts
from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you listen to your favorite shows. Oh my head day,
mm hmm.