Gavin Brookes, Mentor
Postgraduate Researcher at the University of Nottingham. Research interests include: Discourse Analysis, Corpus Linguistics, Multimodal Discourse, Healthcare Communication and Media Discourse.
Location Nottingham
Activity
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Thanks, everyone, for your insightful comments. It looks to me like you have all identified the key differences between the interactions in terms of both verbal and non-verbal communication. What is also interesting is that your perceptions of the styles differed in some cases, which shows just how subjective judgments of communicative style can be! One...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Thanks for your comments, everyone. Looking across your experiences and perspectives, what stands out to me is the importance of the context of the communicative situation. So, for example, the individuals involved and their relationship to one another, the urgency or requirements of the situation or work being carried out, and even the organisational culture...
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Exposure to new terms and concepts is what it's all about! The conversational floor refers to the time and attention that a person is given (or takes!) to speak to others. If others are relatively quiet and attentive, listening to what we say, we 'hold' the conversational floor for that period. However, if others aren't really listening to us (and even...
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Thanks for the feedback, John. You raise a valid point and we will address this in future iterations!
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Interesting observation, Melissa. Could you specify a little more what you mean by 'better flow'? What is it that you think Steve is doing effectively here?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Interesting observations so far - I particularly like your focus on gesture as well as language - both are all-important!
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This is an interesting point - where we are along the continuum in terms of our communication will largely depend upon the context of the situation - including urgency!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Kevin Thomas
Hi Kevin, thanks for your comment. Returning to your point on social identity, given the variation in different types of identities represented in your workplace, why do you not feel that social identity is relevant?
Also, in terms of professional identity, is 'com[ing] over as professional and knowledgeable' not also an aspect of crafting a professional...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Susan Quinn
Thanks for your comment, Susan. Re the second point, I suppose this demonstrates how subjective our evaluations of 'face' can be, as well as being contingent on things like (organisational) culture, as discussed in the previous section...
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Interesting comment, Lidiia. In what way?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Thanks, everyone, for sharing. It sounds like we have people working in a broad array of roles, across a number of domains, yet also some overlaps. This should make for some interesting comparisons and contrasts...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Kevin Thomas
That's interesting to hear, why do you think that is the case?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Patrick Guyomard
Indeed - if there is anything you're not sure about just give me a shout!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Glad that everyone thinks the learning log is a good idea. I hope you find it useful!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone, welcome to HTRYB! My name is Gavin Brookes. I'm a Research Fellow in Professional Communication at the University of Nottingham. Although Professor Louise Mullany designed the material in this MOOC - including featuring in all the videos - I will be leading the course this year. I have mentored on this course in previous years and have always...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to David Holmes
That's a tricky question. The answer is that it is likely to be highly context-specific. So it depends on the relationship between the people involved, the situation in which the communication is taking place, and so forth.
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Andy Howitt
Great insights, guys. Yes, Rose, finishing each other's sentences and overlapping speech (providing it is in agreement!) is often a sign of collaboration and good relations.
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Very interesting responses everyone, thank you! What seems to be standing out to me is that the type of speech act used tends to vary according to the specific situation, particularly the urgency of the request and the number of times the request has been made. Keep up the good work!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Some very interesting responses so far, thanks everyone! One thing to bear in mind: the word 'culture' need not always refer to nationality or country, but can also refer to organisational cultures.
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Hello Vanessa, how do they differ to your expectations?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Helen Janiec
Hello Helen, thanks for the comment. You mention that you tend to be very honest towards your director and that has been negatively reflected in your annual performance evaluations. Without going into too much detail, on what grounds has this resulted in negative evaluation? And do you feel that this has changed your workplace identity (or at least...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Kerry Burton
Thanks, Kerry. That is an interesting point about the challenge of maintaining your 'face' interests over the phone. What do you think it is about this platform (compared to traditional face-to-face interaction) that makes it more difficult to get your interests across?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to [Learner left FutureLearn]
Thanks for this comment. Culture undoubtedly plays a crucial role in face and the 'facework' that we do in our daily lives.
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Kerry Burton
Thanks for the comment, Kerry. You have highlighted some features that I think most people look for in leaders. Your example of the Duchess of Cambridge is interesting as it also shows how we tend to judge people on the basis not only of their identity as leader, but also other things, in this case as a mother.
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Interesting point, Dmitry. I would suggest that it is. Research tells us that these aspects of communication are just as important in non-face-to-face interactions. Of course, the toolkit might have to be adapted for this kind of communication, so I'd be interested to hear how you get on!
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Thanks for the suggestion, Jim. I would have to say, I'm personally not aware of there being such baggage around the word 'profiling' in the U.K. (not yet, any way!)
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Hi Marie, thanks for sharing! There is definitely a thin line to tread when using humour at work!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Emma Speed
Hi Susan, glad you found this helpful. I would say that there aren't any guides on how to seem non-aggressive. Context is very important; being aware of what is appropriate and acceptable in the situation. It is also important to be aware of others' face needs - see the material on 'face' and 'politeness' for more info!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Shair Mac
Thank you, Shair. That is excellent to hear. Do progress with the MOOC for information on courses that we offer at the University of Nottingham that will help you to develop and refine your knowledge on this topic!
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Hi Chris,
This is an interesting comment - thank you. I was wondering, by 'culture', what exactly do your refer to? Institutional, managerial or in terms of nationality?
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Hi Janet,
That is good to hear! Please do let us know how successful this is in practice! -
Hi Liane,
'Is it typical Dutch I ask myself? We Dutch don't really like hierarchy and strongly believe in "giving your opion at any time"… I wonder..'
That is a very interesting point and, looking at the material covered earlier regarding culture and workplace communication, you might be on to something. However, I also think that there are likely to be...
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Hi Stuart,
I think that, reading the majority of the messages relating to this topic, the 'basics' are perhaps not so commonplace as one might think (or hope!).
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Emma Speed
Hi Emma, thanks for your message. This is a very interesting point indeed. Conversation analysts will usually distinguish between those interruptions that maintain the topic and those which change it. In the former case, interruptions can be perceived as positive, showing support and co-operation in conversation. Meanwhile, in the latter case, topic-changing...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone,
I have really enjoyed reading all of your responses to the questions. What has struck me is the strong evaluative tone of your messages. Humour is often described as effective / ineffective or as professional or unprofessional. Should any of the posters of these messages re-visit this page, I would be interested to find out, when, for you, is...
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Hi Marie,
Thanks for your message. Why did it not work when your boss used it?
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Hi Bruna,
That is an interesting point.What would you say the limits are? And what might be the consequences if these limits are 'broken' or surpassed?
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Hi Viv,
Thanks for your message. That there is lots of research in communication in health-related contexts that echoes your experiences. It also demonstrates how this material is applicable to workplaces in a very broad sense!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Tayla Cordial
Hi Tayla,
Interesting point. I think that is the issue here: context. Context is key in knowing what sort of approach to adopt and when!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Tracey Watson
Hi Tracey.
Interesting observation. Pronoun use can be very suggestive of ideas and perceived identities. If you are interested in this sort of thing I would recommend the work of James Pennebaker.
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Hi Vitalina,
Thanks for your post. My advice would be to focus on the aspects of the communication, rather than the authenticity of the scene; you will definitely find the exercise more rewarding this way!
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Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your message. What sort of concerns would you have with regard to the approach taken in example 3?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Jak Lovell
Hi Jack. Thanks for your message. How would you characterise the 'coaching' style that you adopt?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Melissa Weaver
Hi Melissa,
Very good point. Time constraints are an obvious factor in - and perhaps obstacle to - good workplace communication. In reality there are all sorts of mitigating factors that probably make this sort of communication difficult, not least time pressures and the stress that attends to them!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Tracy Bennett
Hi Tracy and Michael, indeed, it is difficult to spot the subtleties of communication just watching the videos once. I would recommend going back and watching them at least a couple of times. Something new will emerge (almost) every time...!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone. Reading through the comments so far and it is nice to see that this material enhances many of your interpretations of the videos that we have watched and analysed. A few people have stated that they will (and have) gone back to re-watch the videos. I think that this is an excellent idea, as more and ever-subtler aspects of the communication will...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone, some really interesting comments so far. Some of the insights are very detailed and it appears to me that, the more I watch the videos, the more I notice! It is really exciting to see how much detail you have all paid to both verbal AND non-verbal communication. I look forward to reading similarly shrewd observations in the future activities! Keep...
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Hi Gavin, very interesting insight regarding the laptop. I would completely agree. It not only forms a kind of physical barrier between the interactans, but also suggests that there is information to which Sarah is privy and Michelle is not...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone,
Some really interesting responses to this material so far. Most messages suggest that the most common communication style tends to contain a mixture of direct and indirect strategies. Instead of just stating that your boss's communication style is direct or indirect, I was wondering, in what sorts of situations are each style employed? -
Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Cary Louise Clark
Hi Cary, sorry to hear that you are having negative experiences in your place of work. Drawing on the material at the top of this page, how would you characterise your bosses communication style, and how would you, personally, prefer it to be?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Andy Higbed
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the message. Reading the messages so far, it seems to me like your experience is mirrored by others, whose bosses seem to adopt the same mixture of styles. Out of curiosity, Andy, how would you characterise your own communication style in this respect?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Pete Kearsey
Hi Peter, that is interesting. Without going into specifics, why do you think this was the case?
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Congratulations, Angela!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone, great to hear that you have all enjoyed the first week of the course! We have enjoyed it, too! The quality of the comments has been very impressive, displaying meaningful engagement with the material on the course.
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Hi everyone,
Very shrewd observation indeed! The expression 'I think' is quite complex in this respect. On the one hand, it can be described as 'low modality'; expressing less certainty about the statement than would the expression 'I Know' , for example. Yet, on the other hand, by stating 'I think', the speaker is aligning with and committing to the...
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That is spot on, Lesley! Adjacency pairs can be quite explicit, but they can also be rather subtle...
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Hi Yeray,
Thanks for your message. How exactly do you think Steve conveyed disrespect?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone! Some really insightful observations thus far. As well as pointing up the negatives of Steve's communicative actions (including speech, body language, eye contact, etc.), it would be interesting to hear how some of you think he might have improved his communication... drawing on what we have looked at so far in the module, how could this...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Fiona Baker
Hi Fiona, that is fantastic to hear! Thank you for sharing your positive experiences of applying this in your workplace!
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Hi Natalia, that is interesting, thanks for your response!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone. A few of you have mentioned that you are going to try some of the techniques explored in the video. It would be great to hear how you all get on; what works, what doesn't....
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Fiona Baker
Hi Fiona. TED is fascinating. Should you attempt the two minute power pose, do let us know how you get on!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone! Interesting comments so far. Many of you have mentioned that you don't fit neatly into either column, but that your style depends on the situation, etc.
I am really interested to learn about which contexts are suited to which column... ?
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Interesting view, Martin. Thanks for posting. Why do you think this is the case?
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Thanks for responding, Maria. I think that others probably have had the same (or a similar) experience!
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Hi Fiona, thanks for sharing your experiences here. Would you care to provide some examples of how you (and your colleagues) have gone about 'absorbing' some of these differences? (without naming names or being specific, of course...)
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Hi Izabela, thanks for sharing your experiences. Do you think that the difficulties that you have experienced are the result just of cultural differences, or are other factors involved? Think back to the section on identities...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone. Some really interesting responses to this. It is also great to see many of you drawing on the stuff about identity that we explored in the previous section. I would encourage you to do more of the same in response to the questions and in other, forthcoming sections, too!
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Thanks for your message, Abta. Is there a particular aspect that is unclear to you? Maybe I can clear it up!
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Thanks for responding!
It is interesting that both of you point up the tensions between the two styles. Out of curiosity (and without naming names or being specific!), what do you suppose might be the consequences (good or bad) of projecting your 'inner marshmallow' (to quote L Birrell) to others in the workplace? Have either of you ever attempted this in...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone, really enjoying reading your responses to this question. Many of the posts that I have read have separated personal identity, social identity and professional identity, treating them as disparate.
To what extent, though, do you feel that these different aspects of your identity overlap and relate to each other in how they shape the way that...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Kat Doyle
Hi Kat, interesting response to the question. You mention that younger male managers 'discount' something entirely, what exactly do they discount?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone, really interesting responses so far, I have enjoyed reading through all of them!
One thing that has struck me from reading these posts is the extent to which people feel that it is important to be professional in most situations at work, but have a 'human touch' in others.
If you have said this in your post, to what extent do you feel that...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Sophia Pais
Interesting observations, Sophia. In what kinds of situations do you think it is important to have a 'human touch', and how would you go about taking this approach in your own interactions?
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Hi Martyn, Hi Mary.
Precisely... the concept of 'face' does not relate strictly to someone's actual face, but actually refers to how we project our public image through all kinds of talk, action and behaviour more generally. Of course, things like facial expressions and body language can contribute to this, but these are just two aspects. Hope this clears...
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Hi Francis. That sounds interesting. Was the body language course interesting? It will be interesting to see the extent to which the material on this course fits with what you know about body language...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Hi everyone, my name is Gavin and I am a mentor on this course. Last year it ran very successfully and we had some really interesting and exciting discussions. I am looking forward to chatting with you all over the next two weeks!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Thanks, everyone, for taking part. I would like to echo Louise's sentiment and say that I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with you and reading your all your comments. I have certainly learnt a lot!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Really interesting discussion. Thanks, everyone. It seems to me that both styles are employed, variously, according to the purpose of the interaction, the audience, etc. great work, everyone!
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Thanks for sharing this, Rafael. Why do you think this is the case?
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Thanks for this contribution, Jacqueline. It might be worth thinking, does the medium of communication (I.e. Face to face, video chat, etc.) make a difference to the way that the conversational floor is managed?
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Interesting comment, thank you, Foteini. Why do you think your boss allows others to chair the meetings? And is there a difference in the style (ATN vs. OAT) when your boss gets involved compared to when he doesn't?
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Thanks for these comments, John, Helen. The concept of floor (and floorholding) is not restricted just to meetings, but is relevant to pretty much all conversation - even if it is just a quick natter between two people in the corridor! Can you see how the concept of floor can be applied to your own, more informal, interactions at work?
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Thanks for this comment, Eric. Would you say, then, that you can see the benefits of both styles in different contexts?
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Thanks for this comment, Gwendoline (and Stephen!). How would either of you characterise a 'good' chairperson in relation to managing the conversational floor?
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Thanks for sharing this, Sarah. As someone who is chairing a meeting, is there a particular style (i.e. OAT or ATN) that you try to facilitate and encourage in meetings?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Sam Edwards
Thanks for this, Sam. You mention that you have known your boss for years. Do you think that this is important where humour is concerned?
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Interesting comment, Juan. Why do you think subversive humour can be a double-edged sword? Can you think of any examples in your (or others') work life that which illustrate this point?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Susanna Henley
Hi Susanna, thanks for sharing this comment. You say ' I realise I also use black humour quite a lot to relive tension' - I think lots of us do! Do you find this a particularly useful method of relieving tension? Is humour the best method for this?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Tracey Rogers
Hi Tracey, thanks for this interesting comment! What sort of body language features do you look for in relation to judging what humour is appropriate for a certain situation?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Steve Wallis
Thanks for sharing this, Steve. So, you mention that you (and your boss!) both use self-denigrating humour in your communication.... why do you do think you do this? Why is this so effective?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Sarah Davis
Interesting thought, Sarah. Do you think this is an effective style?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to rob churchill
Thanks for this comment, Rob. All people are different and some prefer one style over another. By asking you to do something - issuing a command - your boss is performing a speech act!
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Thank you for sharing your ideas, Carol!
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Great comments so far, everyone! To those of you interested in health communication: can you think of any speech acts that a doctor might use when giving advice, or making a diagnosis, for example?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Michael Turner
Fascinating stuff. Can you see the benefits of this kind of communication for the boss?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Carol Woodger
Thanks for sharing this, Carol. Speech acts indeed change events in the real world. Looking back at the video above, which types of speech act do you think employers prefer their bosses to use? And can you see any value in your boss using the ones you don't prefer?
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor replied to Nick Leung
Interesting observation, Nick (and Fanella!). I am not too sure that there is an exact term for what you're talking about, however there has been a lot of research on what is known as the 'online disinhibition effect', which essentially refers to the fact that people are much more confident, much bolder, when communicating online, facelessly (almost...
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Gavin Brookes, Mentor made a comment
Great comments, everyone. Really good to see so many of you interested in Conversation Analysis. It is a truly fascinating area. For those of you who haven't already, go on to the next pages to put these tools into practice!
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Interesting point, Pierette. Good to see that you appreciate the ways in which the various topics we cover are connected...
