What’s in an “F”?
As you may have noticed, I always sign my name to include my middle initial “F.”
What’s in my “F”, you may ask?
Well, it’s two-fold:
1. I married later in life and never thought that I’d change my name. Why would I? I love my last name, which is Fontenot.
However, when my husband and I married 18 years ago, I decided to take his name as my wedding gift to him. Wanting to honor my maiden name, I changed my middle name to my maiden name and added the “F.”
2. But another imperative reason for the “F” is driven by my first name.
As a corporate executive, I never considered the name “Dawn” as professional enough. In my mind, the letter “F” is a serious letter of the alphabet. Adding it to my signature provides me with the business brand that I seek.
Could you have guessed all of that from a simple letter? Probably not. However, I share it as an example that we don’t know until we ask.
I am distinct about my name, much like my dear friend Angela who never wants to be called “Angie” for her own special reasons.
Names are individual and unique to us. We are only given one of them, and we carry that one name with us our entire lives.
When we meet someone for the first time, it’s our job to get to know their name preference to further advance and deepen our relationships with them.
Don’t make assumptions. When in doubt, ask. It’s a nice touch.
Are you particular about your name? If you are, then that’s totally alright. It’s special and you deserve that right. If you aren’t, then kudos to you too!
Just a little extra thought to ponder today.
Remember: We must get to the relationship before we get to the ask. We can’t have a relationship without first knowing to whom we are referring.
Have questions about this or other relationship advancement topics? Please reach out to me at dlandry@authentizity.com.
— Dawn F. Landry
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