Just as at home, in the office, you should avoid sitting facing the corner of a square table.
Seating yourself in a position where the sharp edge of a table is aimed directly at you can invite harmful energy, potentially affecting your performance. For instance, if you're one of five people at a small square table meant for four, avoid the chair that faces the corner edge. This could prevent hostile energy from disrupting your day.
When it comes to crucial meetings, such as interviews or discussions with your supervisor, the position of your seat can play a significant role. Avoid sitting directly facing the edge of the table, as this could potentially work against you.
If you do, luck will be against you, and you are unlikely to be successful or get what you want. Always sit facing one of your four good directions.
Seating arrangements can have a profound impact on office dynamics. They influence not only personal friendships but also business relationships, team behaviour, employee retention, and decision-making. This underscores the importance of considering seating when planning your office layout.
Execs Sit With Execs
Research on the importance of high-functioning executive teams to company performance has been conclusive. Too often, when leaders are asked to name their “team,” they list only their direct reports. Yet, an executive's most important team is the senior leadership team.
Often, it is the silos between functions that result in a misalignment of company priorities and poor decisions. These silos typically result in a “political” environment where information is shared directly with the CEO rather than between executives. This is why the leadership team, including you, must sit together. Your collective presence and collaboration can help break down these silos and ensure that company priorities are aligned for smarter decision-making.
Function Over Form
The typical corporate structure calls for people with similar functions to sit together, building relationships with coworkers of similar backgrounds, careers, and interests. However, many job functions have a solid basis for reporting into multiple areas, and it often isn’t clear where people should report. The best practice here is that individuals should sit near the function you want them to collaborate with, not the function they report to. By strategically sitting near the function you want to collaborate with, you can break down barriers between functions and foster a more cohesive and productive work environment.
Where we sit directly impacts our relationships, teamwork, work satisfaction, ability to learn from colleagues, and executive functioning. It's not just a matter of finding a seat-it's a strategic decision that can significantly influence the dynamics of the office. Don’t let our office seating chart be like a game of musical chairs. Choose your seat wisely to foster positive relationships, enhance teamwork, and improve overall work satisfaction.
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