Don't Let the Furniture Win
Who’s more powerful – you or the furniture?
Seems like a ridiculous question. However the answer is…
The furniture.
Or so it appears. Don’t believe me? Next meeting you walk into, take a closer look at where people choose to sit. Despite the rise of agility and creativity for the future of work, our default behaviour is still just to sit… wherever the furniture tells us to.
Which would be fine if it was always the right configuration to get the best results from meetings – but all too often it’s simply not.
For example, large boardtables in the middle of the room with teams spread far apart around them, are great for making hierarchical decisions with comparatively low-levels of diversity and engagement. They’re not so great for dynamic thinking to solve difficult challenges from fresh perspectives.
After all, that’s why it’s called a fresh perspective. Literally.
So next meeting you lead try doing as I do and ask the question, “Who’s more powerful – you or the furniture?” Then point out the group’s default behaviour. Being careful to note that it’s not a personal criticism but an observation about how our organisations have wired us.
Don’t think this is about spending a lot of time moving furniture or even worse ordering new furniture. Otherwise you’re letting your brain trick you into giving you reasons to let the status quo remain.
Instead just mix it up. For example part way through a meeting break into smaller groups – shock, horror, by moving your chairs (not by just lazily turning to a sub-consciously pre-selected similar person right next to you).
Or literally going a step… or more… further and sending diverse pairs out for a 15-minute walking meet – which leads to deeper more open conversations. Potentially even talking to someone else they encounter along the way to further broaden their perspective at pace.
All without a chair or table in sight.
Okay next meeting. Look out furniture. Things are about to change.
So who’s more powerful now?
Power up
To schedule a call with Futurist Dave Wild to broaden your team’s perspective please contact our Business Manager at andrea@dave-wild.com