Everyone loves to dabble in the fine art of Name Dropping every once in a while. It makes us feel cool, it gives us a story to tell, and because it is a little naughty we feel like we’ve walked the social etiquette tightrope and lived to tell about it.

I too like to name drop. I am by nature a story teller and usually when I’ve run into a minor celebrity or personally talked with someone who is well known I love to “wow” people with the circumstances of my brush with greatness.

Let me tell you about a better form of name dropping.

The form of name dropping I want to talk about has nothing to do with building up your own ego but has everything to do with building up others. In this crazy holiday season this form of name dropping will impact the world around you in subtle yet rewarding ways.

I’m talking about saying hello to retail workers by name when you check out or leave a business.

Every employee at Best Buy, Starbucks, McDonald’s, the local grocery store, Wal-Mart, Target, and you name it wears a name tag with their name on it. These people work long hours for very little pay and for even less thanks. It doesn’t take anything away from you to say, “Have a great day, Bruce!” as you leave the store.

I picked up this habit back in college and I find myself doing it almost everyday. Today I said thank you Latesia at Taco Bell. She paused from her work, stood there with a wide smile, and breathed a sigh that said, “Holy crap! Someone talked to me and said MY NAME!!!” She chirped, “You’re welcome!” back at me but I was satisfied with that wordless look she had given me. I knew she was thankful/grateful that someone acknowledged her.

So, take this form of name dropping for a test drive this holiday season. Get out of your comfort zone and be willing to be different from the hundreds of other people who file through the checkout lines unaware of the people scanning their items. See how many smiles you get. Count the number of astonished looks. Make a difference by saying hello to someone.

Be a Name Dropper.