What's in a Name?
How often do YOU have your name mispronounced by others? How often do you stumble over other people's names? For as long as I can remember, people have been confused over my name, even though I have tried to simplify things over the years. Maybe that's what has caused the confusion - I tried too hard to help.
You see... I have taken to introducing myself as Marcie (MAR-cee) over the years or Marce. When most folks see Marcia (MAR-cee-ah), they pronounce it Marsha which I am really not a fan of. SO the confusion arises when people see my email address or look me up in corporate systems and often ask is it Marcie or Marcia? Who knew one letter would throw things off so much? Truth be told... it is not a big deal for me... and I guess I should be grateful that people care enough to ask so they can get it right. I also need to confess that I am not great at pronouncing other people's names even though I mean no disrespect.
Why does all this come to top of mind? I'm glad YOU asked!
LinkedIn has come out with some new functionality so that we can help ourselves and others navigate the name game. YOU can record yourself saying your name so others can get it right! This is particularly timely and useful as we are interacting virtually through conference calls and video calls. You can take a minute before your call to not only become familiar with where people are located and a bit about their background, but you can also ensure that you are saying their name correctly!
So here's how you do it...
You can only record your name on your mobile device but once you are done you can access it from your computer as well.
Tap your profile picture > View Profile.
Tap the Edit icon from your introduction card.
Tap Record name pronunciation. (If you’ve already recorded your name, you can tap the Edit icon to delete or replace the existing recording.)
Tap the recording button and hold to record your name. Note: You can also cancel or preview the recording.
Tap the Use button when you’re satisfied with your recording. Note: You can also Retake the recording.
Tap Save.
In Closing...
Given how easy and useful this functionality is... do me a favor and record YOUR name right now. YOU may think that your name needs no clarification but you never know. It may just give someone else that help that they need to make their interaction with you that much more effective and stress free!
Leadership Questions of the week for YOU?
How often have you found yourself having to correct other's on how to pronounce your name or have you given up trying?
How often do you confess up front that you have no idea how to pronounce someone else's name even though you may interact with them from time to time?
How important is it to you to get other people's names right?
What tips or tricks have you developed over the years to get other people's names right?
Did YOU know this functionality existed and do you think you will find it useful?
Thanks for reading and remember…YOU make a difference!
Please continue the conversation by liking…commenting or sharing this article. You can also follow me on twitter @marciedwhite
