Avoid memory traps

Very few managers spontaneously consider improving their memory as a potential development objective. Yet, this faculty is an essential asset for any leader. A remarkable memory earns respect. It facilitates decision making, as managers with good memories are able to identify more creative options because they can quickly call to mind a large amount of data and information. Such managers are also often better at motivating people, as their ability to remember details about individuals makes it easier to demonstrate a personal interest in them.

People are often fatalistic about their memory, under the assumption that this faculty is innate, distributed unequally, and that they simply must make do with what nature gave them. But there is no truth to this, as attested by the publications we have analyzed. Although there is no such thing as a perfect memory, there are many things a person can do to reinforce both its power and reliability:

– Learn to pay careful attention to minimize the negative filters on the information you receive.

– Proactively give meaning to the information that you would like to remember.

– Allow your memories to emerge spontaneously, but also learn to jog your memory when spontaneous recall doesn’t work.

– When managing important projects or interacting with others, keep in mind that your memories are not perfectly reliable.