Do you know the name of the person who cleans your office or who delivers your mail? An important connection skill is to consider everyone significant, and to take the time to learn names and call people by name.



Often people in service jobs wear name tags. Waiters, waitresses, cleaning people, doormen—they usually wear name tags. If you see a name tag, call that person by name. And if they don’t have a nametag, take the time to ask, “What is your name?” In a world that is often cold and uncaring, something as simple as calling a person by name can bring warmth and a touch of love into that relationship, brief as it may be.



Not long ago one of the pastors in our church had the idea of offering permanent nametags to every church member and attender. What a difference that has made in helping us to connect with others at the church. People I’ve seen for years I now can connect with by name. We connect with each other much better simply because of those nametags—we can call each other by name.



If you determine to have a mindset that you are the host or hostess, and it is your job to find common ground with others and make them feel at ease, you will discover you talk less about yourself and focus more on others. Paul wrote to the Philippians we should count others more significant than ourselves. How do you do that? You have to be very intentional about it, pray God will give you both the desire and the power to do it, and then decide what you will do to fulfill that command.



If you’re like me, your first reaction when being with someone you don’t know well is just to wait for them to make the first move. Just this past week I made myself make the first move and begin a conversation with a young woman seated at the same table with me. Now I have a new friend. We are connecting in several ways, and all it took was for me to say, “Hi, I’m Mary; what’s your name?” You will be amazed at how easy it is to connect with people once you become the hostess!