Seating language, the language of color, our body, and other people's bodies can provide us with lesser planned and instead more easily done things to help ourselves be able to contribute better to meetings.
When I was a sales manager, one of my salespeople, John, called me to have a meeting with our boss, Mike. I recall that John wanted some help with one of his larger clients to resolve a possible customer service situation.
At the time, I was not fully aware of this seating language and how it would affect both communication and meeting results.
Because we were meeting in my boss's office, it was natural that he sat behind his desk. John and I sat directly opposite him. This is already a confrontational set-up, so I adjust John and my seats to be at an angle to each other forming a v-pattern toward Mike.
That worked up to the point where I started to understand the dilemma Mike was presenting more than supporting John, and subconsciously...