The Importance of Memory in the Workplace

In order to be successful in any business you have to demonstrate effective communication skills. There are certain skills within this field that can be taught and you can boost your own skills by finding a training course where effective communication for leadership is the goal. One trait that is important for effective communication and that helps you to become a good leader in whatever field you work in is to possess and effectively use a good memory.

There are certain obstacles that we all face in terms of our memory and in a fast-paced working environment it is imperative that you completely understand all that is going on around you at any given time. Being able to adapt and change a situation to suit the needs of the company and the wider team might hinge on your ability to recall an important piece of information about a process, a task, a team member or goal.

How can certain memory faults take shape and negatively affect our working progress?

Transience – Over time we can easily forget entire days and events that were once important to us. Transience can have an impact on our career if we forget to keep track of our achievements, strengths and weaknesses. Always add to your CV on regular intervals.

Lack of Focus – If you are not paying full attention in a meeting or other important work setting it might lead to you forgetting important parts later on when you need them for your own task at hand. If this happens regularly over time it will impact on your reputation in the workplace.

Confusing the Detail – You might remember whole conversations or locations where an incident has taken place, but misattribute them to a different person or place. This can cause conflict in a work setting if it causes disagreement over a project, or a perceived agreement for future work.

False Memories – Sometimes we can even create memories of events that didn’t actually occur. In a work setting, memory distortions can lead to you losing our credibility and reputation as a leader.

Bias – Looking back at events with the information we now possess leads us to sometimes reinterpret the past and put a different slant on how things really were. This sometimes leads to a lack of confidence in the abilities we now have in our armoury.

Hard to Forget – There are some memories that we would prefer to get rid of forever. This can have a negative impact on our ability to perform to the highest of our ability now. For instance if you messed up a job interview or a presentation it can play on your mind as you prepare to do the same again.

There are certain things that we just can’t help in terms of our memory, but as with everything there are processes you can put in place that can help you react in the right way the next time you are faced with a problem.