How Office Layout & Setup Can Give You the Power to Influence People

How you arrange your office can determine how visitors see you and how much power and influence you have over them.

Make People Comfortable

People who visit your office will be more at ease if you make them feel comfortable. It may not be as important when dealing with people who you know for a long time and have a good working relationship, but for strangers, it can be essential. It can easily make a difference between landing a deal you want or being left empty-handed once they leave. The obvious thing is the selection of sitting furniture, but creating a relaxing atmosphere goes beyond just your choice of chairs. Selecting a proper art to hang on your walls or the position of your furniture all play a role in creating a nice, relaxing atmosphere conducive to business talks.

Model Your Office After Yourself

A massive teak desk is usually an impressive piece of furniture, but if you are working for a Silicon Valley company, it may send the wrong message to your business associates. Your office should reflect you and project the same values you represent. People will assume that you have the ultimate saying on what goes on your office walls, and if they are bland, they will assume you like them that way. Now consider what it says about a person who likes bland things. You can learn more on Skull Bliss blog about how a skillfully carved animal skull can help you set the tone of your office and make for an interesting conversation piece and an ice-breaker. With an interesting piece of art, you can usually impress your visitors and raise their opinion about you.

First Impression Is the Only Impression

There are some exceptions to this rule, but it is generally true that you only have one chance of making the first impression. That is why it is important to always keep your office immaculate. Avoid adding clutter and remove and declutter as soon as you notice things piling up on your desk or other areas. This is something that not only people from outside will notice, but your boss as well. Studies have shown that people who have piles of papers on their desks tend to be overlooked for promotions, as their bosses see them as unorganized. Having a nice, clean desk in front of you and a clutter-free office projects confidence and efficiency and will help you feel that way about yourself.

Take advantage of Power Positions

For millennia, the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui has dictated how buildings and furniture inside them should be arranged. It has been accepted by many Western experts, who base their work on it. Among other things, Feng Shui defines an ideal power position for your desk, which should be placed diagonally from and facing the door. Under no circumstances should your desk be in front of a window. When you sit at it, there should be just a wall behind you, without any openings. Feng Shui also teaches us that people respond better to a person sitting in a power chair, which should have a high back and armrests. There are several explanations for this, but the most logical one is that it reminds them of a throne and we subconsciously react to a person sitting in such a chair.

Lightning

Lightning is crucial to any place where business is conducted. It may sound like a good idea to have dim light in your office, as it may seem more intimate. The problem is that in such light you will miss many of the facial clues that can be critical for the success of your negotiations. Having a powerful stadium light shining in your visitors’ faces won’t do either. The best solution is somewhere in between. Arrange lights in such a way that there is proper illumination, but not to be intimidating to your visitors. It is usually a good idea to bounce the light off of some flat surface, to create soft, pleasant illumination.