Meaningless Debates About Stupid Things That Don’t Matter Like, “What Side Do You Wear Your Nametag On?”

Pop quiz hotshot: you go to a networking event. When you sign in, you are given a nametag. You peel the label off the back and now you have a choice. You can stick the nametag on the left or on the right. What do you do? What…do..you…do?

If you’re like most people, you say, “I put it on the left side.” If you’re like me, you say, “I put it on the left side, but who the hell cares?” But if you’re a “networking expert,” you say, “oh no no no no no – you are all sorely mistaken and are not networking as effectively as you could! Nametags should always be worn on the right side.”

I have heard this advice twice in my life now. Once, years ago, a colleague at an event told me, “you know someone’s really a sharp networker if they wear their nametag on the right side. That way it’s easier for people to read your name when you shake hands.” I guess I was a dull networker because mine was on the left. No worries though, because he took the initiative to move my nametag for me. Thank God! Who knows how many connections I missed because of that oversight.

This seemed like a silly detail, but I didn’t give much thought to this because it was only one person. Then, recently, I was reading a book on connecting with people written by a networking expert (best selling author at that!) and lo and behold! There it was again: the advice to always wear your nametag on the right side, and for the same reason. She said (and I’m paraphrasing here, because this was a library book and I don’t have it anymore), “wear your nametag on the right side so it is directly in the other person’s eyeline when you shake hands.”

Really?

Really?

REALLY?

“Directly in their eyeline when you shake hands?” This is a concern??

This resonates as nonsense to me for a few reasons.

First off, does the nametag disappear out of view completely when it’s on the left side? I think not.

Experiment #1: Put on two nametags, one on the left and one on the right. Walk up to a mirror. Extend your right hand as if you were about to shake. Now, slowly rotate your body to the left until you can a) not clearly read the left nametag but b) can still clearly read the right. Make a note of how far you are turned. Now ask yourself, “would I ever introduce myself to someone with my body contorted at this awkward angle?” I hope you answered “no.” If you answered, “yes,” perhaps you should join a carnival.

Second, how imperative is it to keep your name tag, “directly in their eyeline”? Experiment #2: Look straight ahead. Now, without moving your head at all, turn your eyes as far to the right as possible. Now turn your eyes to the left as far as possible. How hard was that? I know, it must have been exhausting. I’ll wait here while you get a cookie to rejuvenate yourself…

If you have your nametag on the right, sure it may be within my eyeline. If it’s on the left, I will have to *gasp* – shift my eyes slightly to the left. Oh, the effort! On the plus side, think of all the calories you’ll burn moving your eyes left and right.

Third, don’t people say their names when they shake hands, even while wearing nametags? I love it when people where nametags because it allows me to not let people know I’ve forgotten their names. But that happens without a handshake, so the whole, “right side to be in eyeline during handshakes” point doesn’t apply. Since people are saying their name anyway, making it a smidge easier for people to read your name while shaking hands seems a little moot, no?

Experiment #3: Go to an event where you wear a nametag. When you shake hands with people, just say, “hi,” and don’t offer your name. If people ask, “and you are…?” say, “can’t you read my nametag? I put it on the right side.” See how many networking connections you walk out with using that approach. For bonus points, try saying, “what’re you blind? I put my nametag on the right so you can read it, dumbass.” Note: do not try this approach at a sensitivity training workshop.

Fourth, if someone’s nametag is not clearly visible for whatever reason (their hair’s in the way, the clothing has folded over, they accidentally put it on upside down on the back of their leg, etc.) won’t most normal people say, “I’m sorry, what was your name?”

Let me ask you this: would you really want to make a networking connection with someone who was so socially awkward that if they a) didn’t hear your name when you shook hands b) couldn’t clearly read your nametag because it was on the left side of your body and c) refused to ask you to repeat? If so, perhaps you should join a carnival.

Fifth, the world’s leading expert on nametags wears his on the left side. Oh, you didn’t know there was a world’s leading expert on nametags? There is. My friend and fellow speaker Scott Ginsberg is the Nametag Guy. What makes him the expert? Well, as of today, he has worn a nametag all day, everyday, for 3,355 days. Guess what side he wears it on? Yup – the left side.

Scott is such a nametag expert that he even got a tattoo of a nametag on his chest!

Guess what side the tattoo is on. Yup – the left side.

Check it out:

That is hardcore. Hard. Core.

See? Nametag on the left. Tattoo on the left.

So I suppose if you are not the world’s nametag expert, shake hands like a freak, don’t say your name when introduced to somebody, and are in a room with socially awkward people who have immobile eyes, then yes, wearing your nametag on the right side is probably a critical success step.

For the rest of us, I return to my statement: “I wear mine on the left side, but who the hell cares?”

You may be wondering, “Avish, you clearly care because you wrote a whole article on it.”

Actually, I really don’t care. If you wear a nametag on the left side I assume you are normal. If you wear it on the right, I assume that you are either normal and left handed or that you read a networking book somewhere that told you to put it on the right side.

Who knows, putting your nametag on the right side may offer you a 0.001% edge when it comes to networking. And, since it takes almost no more effort to apply the tag to your right as opposed to your left, it’s no big deal.

What annoys me is how this is indicative of a much larger problem I see in the world:

People obsessing over inconsequential details instead of focusing on the fundamentals

I’m no networking expert (in fact, I wrote an article on Networking for People Who Hate Sales and Networking), but I would say, regardless of where you place your nametag, successful networking boils down to a few things:

1. Be positive and polite
2. Introduce yourself to people
3. Be interested in others
4. Find opportunities to help and connect other people
5. Don’t sell or push your own agenda
6. When appropriate, follow up with respect

If you are not successful at networking, chances are you are messing up one or more of the above. If you’re already a master looking for the slightest edge, then sure, go ahead and obsess over the details.

Beyond networking, I see this all the time. In my experience, most people would rather be given 100 tiny little detail techniques they can focus on than 3 or 4 solid fundamentals. I have seen this in martial arts, improv comedy, speaking, sales, leadership, customer service, and beyond…

I once let (my bad!) a customer service training go on a 10 minute tangent on whether the words, “I’m sorry” or “I apologize” were more appropriate. You can not make this stuff up.

Feel free to wear your nametag on whatever side you damn well please. But if you’re looking at an area of your life where you are not having the success you want and deserve, ask yourself, “am I ignoring the fundamentals and focusing on little details that aren’t really important in the grand scheme of things?”

If so, step back, take a breath, and refocus on the big picture. Do that and you will give yourself way more than a 0.001% edge…

About

By Avish Parashar. As the world's only Motivational Improviser, Avish uses techniques from the world of improv comedy to engage, entertain, and educate audiences on ideas around change, creativity, and motivation. Connect with Avish on Google+

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