A few days ago, I was reading an article in The New York Times on Charles Schwab CEO Walt Bettinger. That makes me sound a lot more educated and sophisticated than I really am. In reality, I just accidentally clicked on the Times link that I saw in my Facebook feed instead of the video of a stray dog that hilariously interrupted a reporter’s live shot that I was really trying to watch.
Still, I was glad I clicked on the Charles Schwab article because it gave me a good reminder of what I think is probably the most important lesson in business and life that one can learn.
Bettinger recalled his college days and how proud he was of his 4.0 average through senior year.
He studied and prepared for the final exam for his business strategy class, one of the last courses that he had to take before graduating. Bettinger memorized all of the formulas that he’d have to use on the exam and was prepared when he walked into the room and sat down, waiting to begin.
When all of the students arrived, the professor started walking around the class, handing out the final exam. It was just a single piece of paper, which he said not to turn over until he said to.
After the professor finished placing an exam on every desk, he stood at the front of the class.
“Go ahead and turn it over,” he said.
What Bettinger and his fellow students found was that both sides were completely blank.
The students looked at each other, then back at the professor, searching for an explanation.
“I’ve taught you everything I can teach you about business over the last ten weeks,” the professor said, looking out at the faces of each of his students, all eager to use the head knowledge that they were ready to apply to the exam so they could graduate and start living their lives in the real world.
“But the most important message, the most important question is this,” the professor continued. “What’s the name of the lady who cleans this building?” he asked and then sat down.
Bettinger sat there, staring at the blank piece of paper as some students crumpled and threw their papers in the trashcan, and even fewer handed the professor their shot-in-the-dark answers.
He later learned that the cleaning lady’s name was Dottie. Bettinger, like most students, had never taken the time to meet and learn the name of the person who kept the building looking so good.
That was the only exam Bettinger ever failed. He got a B in the class and ruined his perfect 4.0.
But it was one of the most important lessons in business and life that he ever learned.
Names are so important, so much so that I even wrote a book about how to remember them. But we can’t remember the names of people that we don’t take the time to learn in the first place.
What I have to keep reminding myself is how important it is to build and grow relationships, even with people that you think will never be able to help you. Learning a name is a good place to start.
I’ll never forget my first job out of college. I was new to the company and happened to find myself in the elevator with the guy in charge of the entire office of a couple thousand employees.
“Good morning, Ken,” the head honcho said with a smile and after he stepped out onto his floor, I looked down at my badge that I was sure he had looked at to get my name. Only I wasn’t wearing one. I forgot that I had left it at home that day and was wearing a temporary badge. I was shocked that the most important man in the building would care to learn the name of the least important.
What Bettinger and I both learned is this – the most important lesson in business and life is to learn people’s names. It shows that you’re engaged. It shows that you care. And it’s good for your soul.
Don’t be so caught up in the importance of head knowledge that you lose sight of heart knowledge.
Dale Carnegie said it best when he wrote that, “a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”
Make it a point to find the Dotties in your life. Learn their names. Because relationships matter.