Overdrawn at the favor bank

Seventeen years ago, I started wearing a nametag twenty four seven, just to make people friendlier. 

And it worked. Better than I could have possibly imagined. Thanks to my curiosity experiment, I’ve been able to connect with tens of thousands of people around the world whom I otherwise never would met, many of whom have become lifelong friends. 

I even built a brand, a business and a career out it. 

That’s why friendly sticks. It costs nothing, but has the power to change everything. 

The challenge, though, is making sure we don’t go overboard. Because as a useful as nametags are, the people we meet don’t want to get that sticky adhesive goop all over their shirt. 

When I conduct corporate training seminars for hotels and hospitality professionals, we always run a module on the dangers of being too friendly. Both internally with coworkers, and externally with guests. 

And what I’ve learned after doing hundreds of these workshops is, every nametag has a border. What’s yours? 

To help define the limits of your friendliness, consider asking yourself and your team a few of these questions. 

Are you so friendly that you aren’t taken seriously?

Are you so friendly that it’s easy to say no to you? 

Are you so friendly that you lack healthy boundaries? 

Are you so friendly that you can’t enforce the rules?

Are you so friendly that people perceive you as needy? 

Are you so friendly that you unknowingly offend those you love? 

Are you so friendly that you have become overdrawn at the favor bank? 

Are you so friendly that strangers grow suspicious of your true intentions? 

Are you so friendly that others misinterpret your behavior as manipulative? 

Are you so friendly that you avoid the necessary conflict that leads to healthy growth? 

Are you so friendly that you inhibit people from taking responsibility? 

Are you so friendly that you fail to consider other people’s feelings? 

Remember, every nametag has a border. 

Find out where you draw the line, otherwise you’ll inadvertently give people permission to cross it. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…  

Where are you being too friendly in your life?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS… 

For the list called, “99 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur, Even If You Aren’t One,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.  

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com

Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2017-2018.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of 

The Nametag Guy in action here!