The price of a good name

"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes." - Oscar Wilde

I suppose it could be accurately stated that the cause, as well as the effect, apply equally to myself...

Often, I'm asked about the origin of my name, and if it has any special significance. My middle name Loyal, was taken from my paternal grandfather. And odd tribute, as he and my father were not exactly on the best of terms.

My first name Douglas derives from Scottish Gaelic. It means dark or murky river, and can denote depth, inscrutability, even enigma. Nerdahl is of a Norwegian descent. The Ner means dark, the dahl represents valley.

So I'm a confusing chap, I don't get much sun, and I'm going to need a seriously heavy duty filter to get that water anywhere close to potable! And furthermore, my own father named me after someone that he actually detested!

But that doesn't explain the part about Nigel...

In the history of the world, there are some nicknames that stand above the fray. We have "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, Alphonse "Scarface" Capone, and of course Syya Yasotornrat , better known as "Sleepy Ears."

I hate wearing name tags. And I don't use hate casually. Growing up, I was taught that you don't use someone's first name, unless they have given their permission to do so. If they specifically invite call them by their first name, or if they introduce themself by their first name alone, you're golden. Otherwise, calling them by their first name is a liberty too far.

In my previous life, name tags were part of the dress code. Just not a part that I chose to honor. And that was a problem for my boss.

One day, he brought me a name tag, and said "Doug, I'm gonna need you to wear this." He handed it to me, and I responded "Brian, you have two choices. You can accept my resignation, or keep that name tag as a memento. You can't, however, have both." After a few more fruitless attempts, he went off. Name tag firmly in hand.

"Doug, you're one of my managers. My boss is on my back. I need everyone to be in fully uniform, especially those that are in a leadership role." I grabbed a piece of paper, and wrote my two weeks notice. Signed it, dated it, put it in his hand and said "Brian, you have been an awesome boss. I'm happy to do whatever it takes to get my replacement up to speed." He said he would not accept my resignation, and I reminded him that we had already determined that his preferred solution was not available.

A couple weeks later, he came back to me and said: "Doug, I don't want you to quit, but I'm begging you as a friend, please put on a name tag. My boss chewed me out for over an hour about your not wearing a name tag. Please, just wear one, as a favor to me." I looked down for a couple seconds, then looked him in the eyes, and said: "Ok, Brian. For you, I'll wear a name tag."

Everyone in the place knew the story, as well as all the reasons behind it. So when I approached the front desk, and asked them to make me a name tag, they were in shock! "But I don't want it to say Doug," I told them. As they looked up at me quizzically, I continued: "I want it to say Nigel."

Next time in, the Big Boss was ecstatic! He went back to greet me, told me how great I looked all official like, and suddenly stopped... "Who's Nigel?" he asked. "I am," I replied. He started talking about how it wasn't my real name, and how customers would be insulted that I was giving them a false name. I reminded him that most people had no idea what my true name was, and those that did thought it was funny. No sooner had I said that, then a couple customers walked by and gave me a hearty "Good morning, Nigel!"

We went back and forth for a while, and that continued on his next few visits. Until one day, I saw him walk through the front door, and make a beeline for me. As he got near, he extended to shake my hand. And as he did, he gave me a firm, if not somewhat defeated, "Good morning Nigel," then walked away.

When I walked down a busy street in the area, it wouldn't be uncommon for someone to call out "Hey Nigel!" to me. On not one, but on three separate occasions, I've gotten to the Golden Gate Bridge tollbooth, and been told that the person ahead of me paid my toll, and had said that they wanted to pick up Nigel's tab. At restaurants, I've had staff bring my drinks sent by another table, with a written or conveyed verbal note referencing my nickname.

When your year over year sales are significantly up in a very bad year, even though you run what is considered a luxury department, and one that traditionally is among the first to feel the pinch of a recession, you can get away with a lot. And when people know that you stand for something that you are not willing to negotiate about, they tend to respect you more, even at the cost of their own ego.

So raise a glass to your favorite nickname. And remember, "It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to." - W.C. Fields.

#mindset #insurancesales #nameimagelikeness #hrcompliance #vikings