Networking Warm-Up

The Wrong Name Tag

Part One: A Busy Morning

This story uses Ben Whittaker and Jules Ostin from the film The Intern. Ben arrives at Jules’s company, About The Fit, for a professional workshop. The office is bright, and keyboards click behind a glass wall. Fresh coffee smells warm near the registration desk. Ben wears a clean blue suit and carries a brown case. He looks at the long queue and smiles. “Good morning,” he says to Nadia Rahman, the workshop leader. “I’m Ben Whittaker, and my company is About The Fit.” Nadia gives him a white name tag and a blue participant card.

Ben looks at the tag. It says BEN WHITAKER, with only one T. He taps the hard plastic badge. “I’m not Ben Whitaker,” he says. “I’m Ben Whittaker, with two Ts.” Nadia picks up a black pen. “Sorry. How do you spell your surname?” Ben answers slowly, “W-H-I-T-T-A-K-E-R.” The printer makes a loud buzz, but no new badge appears. Because the printer is stuck, the queue stops moving. Jules hurries across the office, and her red shoes make sharp sounds on the floor. “Are you Mr. Whitaker?” she asks. Ben laughs softly. “No, I’m not. I’m Mr. Whittaker.”

Part Two: The Badge Adventure

Jules opens the printer door. Inside, two labels are under a silver wheel. She pulls them out. One says LUCAS MEYER, and the other says BEN WHITTAKER. At that moment, a young visitor runs from the lift. His wet coat smells like rain. “Hello. I’m Lucas Meyer, and my course is Digital Marketing,” he says. Nadia gives him a badge, but Ben notices the problem. Lucas has Ben’s badge, and Ben has Lucas’s badge. “You’re not Ben Whittaker,” Ben tells him. “You’re Lucas Meyer.” Lucas looks down and laughs. “And you’re not Lucas Meyer. You’re Ben Whittaker!”

Because the badges are switched, Ben and Lucas must find the correct blue cards too. They move past tables, boxes, and a noisy coffee machine. One card says Lucas Meyer, but its company line says Global Health. “That’s not my company,” Lucas says. “I’m a student.” Ben finds another card under a workshop folder. “Is this your card?” he asks. Lucas reads it. “Yes, it is. My name is Lucas Meyer, and my course is Digital Marketing.” Ben gives him the card. Lucas then finds Ben’s card beside a green cup. They switch the cards and badges. Now both names are correct.

Part Three: The First Contact

The workshop begins because the registration table is clear again. Chairs scrape across the floor, and the projector shines a blue square on the wall. Jules asks everyone to meet a new person. Lucas stands still and holds his card with both hands. “I know the words,” he tells Ben, “but my voice is very quiet.” Ben points to the correct badge. “Start with your name. Then add your course with and.” Lucas takes a slow breath and walks to Nadia. “Good morning. I’m Lucas Meyer, and my course is Digital Marketing.” His voice is clear. Nadia smiles and introduces herself: “I’m Nadia Rahman, and my company is Global Health.”

Nadia looks at Lucas’s contact card. “Are you Luca Meyer?” she asks. Lucas hears the missing S and chooses to correct it. “No, I’m not. I’m Lucas Meyer.” “How do you spell Lucas?” Nadia asks. “L-U-C-A-S.” Lucas then asks, “What is your surname?” Nadia answers, and Lucas carefully writes RAHMAN on his card. Jules rings a small brass bell, and the room becomes quiet. She asks for one volunteer. Lucas raises his hand before Ben can speak. He introduces Nadia to the group and checks her company name. At the end, Nadia gives Lucas the completed contact card. Lucas clips it beside his correct badge; the two white cards sit straight against his dark jacket as the brass bell shines behind him.

Portfolio Introduction