I find it really patronising in normal conversation, for reasons outlined above, it can be used to disarm someone, psycologicaly speaking, and is a really dirty tactic.
The only exeptions being in group meetings where it might be confusing as to whom a question or comment is directed to.
Case in point If I get an email that starts with:
Matt,
blah blah blah
Then I immediately put you into the 'arsehole bucket' in my mind, it could be lazy, it could be a power play on their part, I don't care, you're an arsehole if you can't prefix my name with 'Hi' at least, when it's clear that the only person your are addressing is me.
This. Politicians do it a lot,
I've noticed a lot start sentences with 'now look....'
Or even a simple 'look'.
Makes me want to punch them in the chops!
Just a thought and sorry if it's been mentioned but I'm guessing the lady in question has probably been subject to the same practice over her career and, incorrectly, believes it to be good practice?
It’s a trick they’ve learnt off some horrible business book to ingratiate themselves with you because everyone’s favourite word is their own name.
As others have said, it’s a system for remembering the names of people who are new to you, and whose names you need to remember for the purpose of the job. I’m terrible for remembering names, it’s a system I ought to use, but I forget when I meet new people… 🤷🏼
The last job I had, I worked with around 180 people, I think I knew the names of maybe twenty, and only because I worked directly with them, and we used personal radios across the site, so I needed to know who I was talking to.
I like it it means they've remember who you are which is better than i can do.
I think friendlier people tend to use your name more.
<!--more-->At the start of every sentence though, really? Just try it talking to yourself. It sounds utterly mad. Not remotely friendly, just unhinged. I’ve never heard anyone do it and would be a bit freaked out should it happen. I’d probably laugh, undermining their perceived power play or ask if they were okay.
I like watching Inside the factory, but cant stang Greg, and how everyone talking to him has been told to say Greg after every 3 words.
Definitely a power move for some little egomaniacs. Thankfully, I don't have a boss, so my approach is usually to make sure I'm saying their name more than they're saying mine. That can be amusing.
It can depend where you're from I think. I moved to a new area and everyone seemed to do it in normal conversation. Where I grew up you'd only do it if you were pissed with someone so after I'd moved it often seemed like my new mates were all about to kick off with each other.
I'd agree that it's partly a regional thing too. I'd never had my name used mid sentence before moving to glasgow, and it was more obvious as the english people I spoke to here didn't really do it.
Normally reserved for one to one conversations where there is a degree of emotional attachement to the conversation. I'm probably not the best person for that as I'm incredibly emotionally detatched in general conversation and have little genuine empathy. When I hear my name mid sentence, it derails the conversation as I'm then focussing on what I'm being asked for, what I should be doing and what is that person wanting me to do? Horrible, and does feel pretty confrontational, although I'm sure it's the conversational equivalent of a hand on the shoulder, friendly attempt at emphasising closeness.
I am the opposite. Have crafted a way not to use names unless absolutely necessary as within a nanosecond of telling me your name, it's gone.
I find it really patronising in normal conversation, for reasons outlined above, it can be used to disarm someone, psycologicaly speaking, and is a really dirty tactic.
Mark, what you have to realise, Mark, is that if I use a name at the beginning of the sentence, but it's not your name but something close to it, but I plough on regardless of the awkward moment, it just shows that I'm the Alpha in this relationship.
