In team meetings does where you sit matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, Honestly, this is one more reason I think I am more cut out to be self employed. There are so many office politics to digest and now I have to add seating politics to the list too?! I've sat next to the boss during the last two meetings and people have taken note. I swear there was no message behind where I sat, the seat just happened to be closest to the door (we have a new conference room and the setup is different). The massive insecurities that exist in people boggles my mind.

OMG, this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure. If I want to make sure that I’m running or controlling a meeting, then I make sure that I’m seated at the head of the table. Of course, this assumes that it would not be out of place for me to run the meeting.

Female manager here. I sit in the middle of the table, to be as close to everyone as possible. I find that a few (invariably) male employees with big egos often sit at the head of the table and try to run the meetings from there. Instead, they make themselves look silly in our office culture.

Yup, the middle is the "power seat."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The person leading the meeting sits furthest from the door facing the door. That is power positioning from Japanese samurai days when leaders were cautious about attackers.

This is great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it matters. People who have the most to discuss at the meeting (usually the senior employees) should sit closest to the boss.
By all means, if you are one of the biggest contributors to the team and have the most to report, sit by the boss.
If not, you look strange and out of place to senior people. Basically no self-awareness.
Lack of self-awareness can stall a career or make you a less desirable person to work with.
-20+ year Senior Manager

Oooooh don't sit in HER seat, peons.

Newsflash: you're the one with no self-awareness.

[Anonymous]

I've noticed that standing is the power seat. Walking out of the meeting while someone unimportant is talking, is the power seat. Taking a cell phone call during the meeting, while standing, while someone unimportant is talking, and walking out of the meeting, is the power seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a manager and I really don’t care where anyone sits at any type of meeting.

+ 1