Page 235 - Use Your Memory

REMEMBERING NAMES AND FACES
repeating to yourself their names, the spelling of their names, any
background material you have gathered about the names, plus any
other items of interest that have arisen during the conversation. In
this way, you will be surrounding each name with associations,
thus building up a mapped network in your own mind that will
increase the probability of future recall. You will be positively
using the process described in chapter 24, on re-remembering.
12 Repetition at parting. As you say farewell, make sure you use
the name of the person to whom you are saying it. Thus, by this
time you will have used both the primacy and recency time-
aspects of memory as outlined in the graphs on pages 167 and 170,
having consolidated both your initial and final moments during
the 'learning period'.
13 Reviews:
a Mental. When you have parted from the new people, quickly
flash through your mind all the names and faces of those you have
just met.
b Photographs. When possible (for example, at a party), get
photographs (either the formal ones or informal ones) of the
event.
c Your names and faces memory diary. If you are interested in
becoming a real Master Memoriser of names, keep a special diary
in which you quickly sketch and make a Mind Map (see chapter
23) of the faces of those you have met, the names that attach to
them, plus any other Key Image Word information.
d Personal cardfile. Keep a card file, noting on each card the
time, place and date at which you met the person concerned.
14 The Reversal Principle. Wherever possible, reverse the pro-
cesses through which you have just been. For example, when being
introduced, repeat your own name, give the spelling, and if it seems
appropriate even give the background. Similarly, make sure you
present, where appropriate, your personal card. Throughout con-
versations, if you are referring to yourself, use your own name. This
will help others to remember you, as well as encouraging them to
use their names rather than pronouns during the conversations. In
addition to being more polite, this approach will make the entire
conversation more personal, enjoyable and friendly.
15 Pace yourself. There is a tendency, because of the stress of they
initial meeting situation, for everyone to rush through it. The
great names-and-faces memorisers and the founders of social
etiquette invariably take their time, making sure that they have
said at least one personal thing to everyone whom they meet. The
Queen is a good example.
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