Of names and diversity training

I happen to think names are very important. They are how we view ourselves and are intimately part of our essential identities.  I work for a large company that does a lot of affirmative action and diversity training.  Yet there is a culture within the organization that somehow all the "awareness" we are taught doesn't translate into properly learning  names.  So the fellow who has worked in payroll for 10 or more years named Chang is routinely called Chung. (I am trying to come up with blog subs for real names here but hopefully you get my drift.)  Chang and I have been friends for years and I once asked him outright why he lets everyone call him Chung.  He sighed and said he corrected everyone for the first few years and then just gave up.

We recently hired a new staff person at my site.  His name is somewhat different but not impossible to learn.  For some unknown reason I all ready knew how to say it.  Pretend it is JeanPhillipe or something.  My boss told him we would call him Fred.  Well not really Fred because remember I am trying to use substitute blog identities.  But it is something equally ridiculous.  But, didn't ask him what his nickname was, or did he mind having a short form of his name used for radio transmissions etc.  I asked the new guy why we were not just calling him by his name and he said I was the only one who knew how to say it.  Sigh.  At least I can write it correctly on his time card!