Talking Story

Starting new conversations in the workplace!

  • Rosa’s Books
  • ManagingWithAloha.com
  • RosaSay.com

“Do you know what I remember most?”

December 4, 2008 by Rosa Say for Say “Alaka‘i”

2010 Update: I made the decision to bring Say “Alaka‘i” here to Talking Story in late May of 2010 when the Honolulu Advertiser, where the blog previously appeared, was merged with the Star Bulletin (Read more at Say “Alaka‘i” is Returning to the Mothership).

Therefore, the post appearing below is a copy of the one which had originally appeared there on December 4, 2008, so we will be able to reference it in the future when the original url it had been published on is no more…

Hibiscus

“Do you know what I remember most?”

I had coffee earlier this week with a young man who used to work for me at one of our island resorts. I had not seen him for nearly five years, and during that time he bought and began to operate his own business. He’s now preparing to open his second: His goal is to have three different businesses by the time he is thirty-five years old.

With six more years to work on his third business idea, I have no doubt he’ll easily make his goal, and most of the time we spent talking about some dreams he has which are much bigger.

It was the kind of conversation which left me thoroughly enchanted and excited about what our younger generations have in mind for our communities and for our Hawai‘i. They aren’t dreams of just wealth, but of service, and of legacy.

At one point of the conversation, he said to me, “Do you know what I remember most about the time that you were the boss?”

“No, what do you remember?”

“You knew all our names. After you left, none of the ‘big bosses’ ever did, and by that time I’d been promoted and even sat on conference tables with them.”

I think it was Dale Carnegie who said, “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” I lose count of the times I have been reminded how true that is.

Why do we neglect the simplest things?

I am often asked to do acculturation classes in our islands, aiming at getting managers new to the islands accustomed to our local ways. We talk about different cultural practices like talking story, however those are fine points: We need to do some very basic universally smart practices first, and I cannot think of a single thing more basic than taking Mr. Carnegie’s advice to heart:

When you become a manager or a leader in any new company, no matter where you are on the organizational chart, learn everyone’s name. They’ll want to hear that from you before they listen to anything else.

And years later, they still remember.

You never know… Just as it had happened for me, the tables may even be turned, where they become the ones to hire you.

Filed Under: Columns: Say “Alaka‘i” Tagged With: communication, leadership, management, names, service

Search Talking Story your way

RSS Current Articles at Managing with Aloha:

  • Self-Coaching Exercises in the Self-Leadership of Alaka‘i
  • Do it—Experiment!
  • Hō‘imi to Curate Your Life’s Experience
  • Kaʻana i kāu aloha: Share your Aloha
  • Managing Basics: The Good Receiver
  • What do executives do, anyway? They do values.
  • Managing Basics: On Finishing Well

Search Talking Story by Category

Talking Story Article Archives

  • July 2016 (1)
  • April 2012 (1)
  • March 2012 (6)
  • February 2012 (6)
  • January 2012 (10)
  • December 2011 (1)
  • November 2011 (4)
  • October 2011 (17)
  • September 2011 (8)
  • August 2011 (6)
  • July 2011 (2)
  • June 2011 (2)
  • May 2011 (4)
  • April 2011 (12)
  • March 2011 (16)
  • February 2011 (16)
  • January 2011 (23)
  • December 2010 (4)
  • November 2010 (1)
  • October 2010 (1)
  • September 2010 (4)
  • August 2010 (1)
  • July 2010 (4)
  • June 2010 (13)
  • May 2010 (17)
  • April 2010 (18)
  • March 2010 (13)
  • February 2010 (18)
  • January 2010 (16)
  • December 2009 (12)
  • November 2009 (15)
  • October 2009 (20)
  • September 2009 (20)
  • August 2009 (17)
  • July 2009 (16)
  • June 2009 (13)
  • May 2009 (3)
  • April 2009 (19)
  • March 2009 (18)
  • February 2009 (21)
  • January 2009 (26)
  • December 2008 (31)
  • November 2008 (19)
  • October 2008 (8)
  • September 2008 (11)
  • August 2008 (11)
  • July 2008 (10)
  • June 2008 (16)
  • May 2008 (1)
  • March 2008 (17)
  • February 2008 (24)
  • January 2008 (13)
  • December 2007 (10)
  • November 2007 (6)
  • July 2007 (27)
  • June 2007 (23)
  • May 2007 (13)
  • April 2007 (19)
  • March 2007 (17)
  • February 2007 (14)
  • January 2007 (15)
  • December 2006 (14)
  • November 2006 (16)
  • October 2006 (13)
  • September 2006 (29)
  • August 2006 (14)
  • July 2006 (19)
  • June 2006 (19)
  • May 2006 (12)
  • April 2006 (11)
  • March 2006 (14)
  • February 2006 (14)
  • January 2006 (7)
  • December 2005 (15)
  • November 2005 (27)
  • October 2005 (22)
  • September 2005 (38)
  • August 2005 (31)
  • July 2005 (34)
  • June 2005 (32)
  • May 2005 (27)
  • April 2005 (28)
  • March 2005 (36)
  • February 2005 (33)
  • January 2005 (35)
  • December 2004 (13)
  • November 2004 (24)
  • October 2004 (22)
  • September 2004 (28)
  • August 2004 (8)

Copyright © 2021 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in