Where do you sit during a meeting? Choosing the right location is really important

At 3:00 pm, as shown in the schedule, seven or eight colleagues from the Marketing Department came to the small conference room on time to prepare for the regular meeting. Two minutes later, Manager Li of the Marketing Department came in. Seeing everyone's situation, he frowned: "Sit forward a little, everyone try to sit forward and lean closer!"

That being said, everyone was just sparsely moving forward a position or two symbolically. And at the very front, next to the projection whiteboard and next to the manager, was still abruptly empty.

I am afraid that this scene can often be seen when many companies hold meetings. This phenomenon exists not only in companies, but also in administrative or public institutions.

Think about it, do you also sit back consciously or unconsciously when you are in a meeting? Have you ever observed, who will take the initiative to sit next to the leader, and who will often choose to sit opposite the leader? Who else would choose to sit in the outer circle even though the seats in the inner circle were not full?

When you are in a meeting, where you choose to sit often subtly conveys your self-position in the group and your ambitions for the future.

In a lecture hall-style conference, no matter the seating or the order of speeches, the most important ones are usually arranged and are not within the scope of discussion. In a round table meeting of about ten people, the performance of each person is almost in the eyes of the leader, and it is very particular about which position to sit down.

01

position around the leader

close supporter

The seat next to the leader seems to be an unavoidable minefield in the eyes of most people. Unless it is designated by the leader to take the minutes of the meeting, or the status is second to the leader (such as assistant, deputy leader, etc.), other people who have outstanding performance and are appreciated for their work ability are rarely patronized. Because sitting next to the leader, not only all the little actions are exposed under the leader's nose, but more importantly, this position implies that you are the leader's direct and secret celebrity.

When starting a discussion, this person usually needs to be the first to speak; when a leader expresses an opinion, this person also needs to respond immediately; when encountering a deadlock, this person also needs to adapt to the situation and resolve the embarrassment.

The person in this position can be regarded as the leader's right-hand man and the leader's closest supporter.

●Seating principle

As mentioned above, if you are the subordinate who has the closest relationship with the leader in terms of level or level of work collaboration, then you should sit down next to him. In short, it's your job. And if the flat system of the unit makes it impossible to have such a "natural second-in-command" role other than the leader, whether you choose to sit next to the leader depends entirely on your enterprising spirit and desire for performance.

02 The position opposite the leader

positive performer

A round table or a regular oval table (except for an oval with an excessively long distance at both ends), the position opposite the leader, and the position of the person sitting is usually not low.

People's eyes tend to look straight ahead for the first time. During the meeting, the reaction of the person on the opposite side was also the most intuitively recognized by the leader. Frowning, shaking his head, smiling and other small movements, it is also difficult to escape his magic eye. But in the same way, if you are concentrating, nodding in agreement, intending to speak, etc., the leader will also see it at the first time.

Although people in this position are not as close as those around the leader, it can be said that most of the time this is caused by the administrative level, not by job performance. When everyone is at the same level except the leader, the person sitting in this position is often a person with high self-awareness and self-requirement, and is also a very active and performance-seeking person.

●Seating principle

Also actively express yourself, sitting opposite the leader is more subtle in form than sitting next to him. Taking the initiative to sit next to the leader, in the eyes of other colleagues, there will be more or less the feeling of being sloppy or ambitious, but sitting opposite the leader, this feeling is relatively weakened a lot. The same pursuit of self-expression, sitting in this position is a more skillful choice.

It is worth mentioning that this is a better choice when all seats are occupied. If there are only four or five people in the entire department, and the oval conference table can accommodate more than ten people, then it is obviously better for you to choose to sit next to the leader.

03

position of leadership

most collaborators

These positions are the most numerous and the easiest to occupy. These people are usually cautious and moderate, and they also act as the lubricant of the team.

Set foot on the side of the leader, easy to observe the overall situation. This position can clearly hear the boss's speech, which is convenient for expressing one's own views and opinions, and can also attract the attention of the leader when needed. In addition, this seat can well interact with other colleagues. When speaking, you can also see everyone's expressions and reactions, and achieve closer interaction. They may not be the most capable, nor the most performance-hungry, but they're the kind of majority that are integral to a team.

●Seating principle

Even as a collaborator, there are positive or negative attitudes. From the perspective of seating, the shorter the distance from the leader, the higher the degree of enthusiasm.

Of course, the words are divided into two parts. Sitting on the side, the line of sight is not often in direct contact with the leader, then occasionally distracted, painted a villain on the notebook, or even sent a WeChat message from the mobile phone, the problem is not too big. So if you are not fully prepared for this meeting, choose a side position.

04 The farthest position from the leader

bystander diving

To be precise, the oval conference table, the side position farthest from the leader, or the position of the outer circle, belongs to the position farthest from the leader. This position can be seen as the worst category.

Choosing a seat at the back is euphemistically called "being wise and protecting one's body", but in fact it shows that you have "no ambition in mind". I thought this position was very low-key and hidden, but I didn't expect that my colleagues in front might block me, thus putting myself in a passive position. How can leaders discover those who are willing to retreat to the second line? Don't let the leaders think you are an "invisible person"!

●Seating principle

Low-key in the workplace refers to not taking too much of yourself when dealing with others, not to make you back off in the workplace. If possible, try not to choose such "low-key" seats.