Why I Wear a Name Badge: Building Connection in a Disconnected World

By Eric O Olsen

Every day, I clip on my name badge before leaving the house. Not because I'm heading to a conference or business event, but because I believe something fundamental about human connection: we need to know each other's names to work together effectively. And in the lean world, where collaboration and continuous improvement depend on human relationships, this simple act might be more revolutionary than any methodology.

Proud name badge connector

When people notice my name badge at the grocery store or coffee shop, they often ask, "Did you just come from some business event?" When I explain that I wear it everywhere, their response is remarkably consistent: they nod and say, "You know, that would make the world a better place if everyone did that." Yet despite this universal agreement, I remain one of the few walking around with "Eric O." visible to the world.

The Prerequisites for Lean Transformation

John Shook talks about the basic thinking required for lean transformation. I'd argue there's something even more fundamental: people need to know each other. Not just as job titles or department representatives, but as human beings with names, faces, and stories. This isn't a nice-to-have; it's a prerequisite for effective problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Consider the typical workplace scenario: You're introduced to someone in the break room. You forget their name immediately. You see them occasionally in the hallway, and after the first awkward encounter, you both settle into a pattern of vague nods and "hey there" greetings. Neither of you will ask for the other's name again—it's too socially uncomfortable after that first meeting. This dynamic repeats itself dozens of times across an organization, creating a workplace full of familiar strangers.

Now imagine trying to solve a cross-functional problem in this environment. Who do you ask for help? How do you know who has the expertise you need? How can you build the trust necessary for honest feedback when you don't even know someone's name?

The Connectedness Crisis

At the recent Future of People at Work Symposium, we discussed the fragmentation of our workforce—technological gaps, generational divides, and the erosion of psychological safety. But there's a more basic fragmentation happening: we're losing our ability to connect as humans. People walk down hallways staring at phones, sit in restaurants scrolling through feeds, and attend meetings where half the participants are unknown entities behind muted cameras.

This disconnect has profound implications for lean practice. As we articulated in our new definition, "Lean is everyone learning to create and flow value easier, better, faster, cheaper for everyone's benefit." Notice the word "everyone" appears twice. How can we serve everyone's benefit when we don't even know who everyone is?

Learning from the Hobnob

For 25 years, first in Columbus, Ohio and now in San Luis Obispo, California my wife Dawn and I have hosted the “Hobnob"—a regular gathering designed explicitly to improve connectedness. The format is simple: people come together, share food, and most importantly, learn each other's names and stories. This isn't networking in the transactional sense; it's community building in the deepest sense.

The Hobnob works because it acknowledges a truth we often ignore in our efficiency-focused world: relationships are infrastructure. Just as we need roads to transport goods and internet cables to transmit data, we need human connections to transmit knowledge, solve problems, and create value.

The Name Badge as Countermeasure

My name badge is a personal countermeasure to our connectedness problem. It's a small, visible commitment to accessibility and openness. It says, "I want you to know who I am, and I want to make it easy for you to approach me." It models the behavior I hope to see—not through preaching, but through simple, consistent action.

Some might argue this is a trivial solution to a complex problem. They're right that it's simple, but I'd challenge the notion that it's trivial. Every lean transformation starts with small, concrete actions. Every cultural change begins with individuals choosing to behave differently.

A Challenge to the Lean Community

As we work toward making the world better for everyone, all the time, perhaps we should start with something basic: knowing each other's names. Imagine walking into any organization practicing lean and seeing everyone wearing name badges—not as a corporate mandate, but as a voluntary expression of openness and connection.

This isn't about badges, really. It's about recognizing that lean transformation is fundamentally about people, and people need connection to thrive. The important thing is to take that first small, visible step toward improving connectedness in your workplace.

Join the Movement for Connection

If you're interested in building these connections beyond your immediate workplace, I invite you to engage with our growing community. Visit Central Coast Lean to learn about our local initiatives and connection-building activities. Join the broader conversation about transforming work through the Future of People at Work initiative, and connect with us on LinkedIn at @future-people-work.

The promise of lean transformation truly is in our hands. Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as pinning on a name badge and introducing yourself.