Office power games

Have you ever had a feeling of helplessness at an interview when applying for a job? The interviewer looks huge and overwhelming, and you feel small and insignificant. Most likely, this is because the cabinet is furnished accordingly. The owner thoughtfully arranged the furniture in order to raise his own status and at the same time lower the visitor's status. We have already seen that the placement of furniture and the places occupied by the owner and the visitor have a significant influence on the atmosphere of the office.
Three factors affect a person’s status: the size of the chair and its accessories, the height of the chair from the floor, and the position of the chair relative to another person.

1. SIZE OF CHAIR AND ACCESSORIES

The height of the back of the chair can raise or lower the status of a person. The higher the back of the chair, the higher the status of the one who sits in this chair. Kings, queens, popes and other dignitaries sat on thrones with very high backs. Sometimes the height of the back reached two and a half meters. These chairs immediately emphasized the high status of their owner relative to others. Senior managers usually sit in leather chairs with high backs. Chairs for visitors have lower backs. Do you think the queen would look majestically if she had to sit on a little stool?
Rotating chairs also increase the status of their owners compared to ordinary ones. They give a person freedom of movement, even in a situation of high blood pressure. Fixed chairs remain motionless, and this immobility has to be compensated by gestures that give a person mood and feelings. Chairs with armrests, backrests and chairs on castors also increase the status of a person.

2. HEIGHT SEATS

In the section "Signals of property, territoriality and growth," we already spoke about the role of seat height. If the seat of your chair is located higher from the floor than the seat of the interlocutor’s chair, this immediately raises your status. Advertising agency executives often sit in high chairs with high backs, and the seats for visitors are lowered significantly. As a result, visitors immediately find themselves in a defensive position.

3. LOCATION OF CHAIRS

As mentioned earlier, the master of the cabinet acquires the highest status if its chair is opposite the visitor, that is, in a rival position. Most often, the visitor chair is installed as far as possible from the host’s table, in a social or public territorial zone, which immediately reduces visitor status.

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