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My Name
Growing up I always hated my name "Mitchell" and wanted to be called "Mitch"...Now I am more mature (maybe lol) and taking business calls etc I tend to answer with Mitchell and starting to lean towards that
Does anyone have thoughts on this? I noticed @Matthew Whitewood doesn't shorten hisÂ
There was a study that short names are better for men and long names are better for women in business.
I cannot find the study at the moment, and maybe you have a more recent research.
But I think shortening your name is a different issue altogether.
It could be seen as being more casual.
Personally, it appears like a friend is shortening your name from Mitchell to Mitch for ease.
Though you could change your business name to Mitch permanently.
Also, introducing oneself via full name conveys authority:
Hi (name), this is Mitchell White. I work on ...
Yeah, agree with Matthew.
The full name conveys more authority.
And the full name + surname adds still a bit more power.
Of course, this is only one element among many that convey power and authority.
And the "how" you say it, and all the other nonverbals are more important.
Still, it has enough of an impact that it's worth thinking about.
The "proper" power dynamics way of going about it would be:
- Introduce yourself with full name + surname when talking to someone for the very first time, or when picking up the phone (ie.: "Mitchell White speaking, how can I help you")
- Use your full name in the subsequent conversations
- Tell them they can use "Mitch" when you grow closer. Such as, they "earned" it with their positive behavior over a period of time. Now they're in your closer circle, something that's not for everyone. They'll appreciate it more, and it also frames the interaction as higher trust / higher collaboration
That being said, you can still go for "Mitch" right away and lose no power and authority if you do it congruently with your persona.
A good way of doing it is if you position yourself as the "no-games, no-nonsense" type of guy, wasting no time in formalities and going straight for business.
People who are the same way will appreciate that.
Which leads me to the last point: to adapt to your industry.
If it's a "high-formalities", high in power industry, and if most people go for the full name, then maybe better the full name.
Then, once you're big enough, you'll have enough power and leverage to make your own rules. And then you'll be known as "that cool guy who knows his sh*t, delivers great work, and doesn't give a F about formalities".
