Today’s guest expert says that the way we pronounce colleagues’ names is a big deal. Our names, he explains, are central to our unique identities, and saying them correctly is the first step in connecting with, respecting, and appreciating one another.
I’m joined on the show by Dr. Praveen Shanbhag, Founder & CEO at Namecoach Inc., a tool offering users access to accurate audio name pronunciations to promote inclusion, belonging, and rapport.
Questions For Praveen Include:
- How common are mispronunciations in the workplace?
- Is tackling mispronunciations getting more share of DEI and HR budgets than in past years? Give us a sense of the size of investments going into efforts to fix this workplace issue.
- What is Namecoach and what’s the mission and what inspired you to start the company?
- What makes Namecoach different from just Googling the pronunciation of a name?
- What has been the most pivotal moment for Namecoach so far?
- Why do educational institutions and organizations work with NameCoach? Can you also offer any use cases?
- What difference can Namecoach make in one’s organization?