Napoleon the Third, Emperor of France and nephew of the great Napolean, boasted that in spite of all his royal duties he could remember the name of every person he met.

His technique? Simple. If he didn;t hear the name distinctly, he said, “So sorry. I didn’t get the name clearly.” Then, if it was an unusual name, he would say, “How is it spelled?”

During the conversation, he took the trouble to repeat the name several times, and tried to associate it in his mind with the person’s features, expression and general appearance.

All this takes time, but “Good manners,” said Emerson, “are made up of petty sacrifices.”

-Principle 3, How to Win Friends and Influence People, p.111