Seating Arrangements - Where to Sit, and Whyas our number one fear, with fear of death ranking, on
average, at number seven. Does this mean that, if you're at a
funeral, you're better off being in the coffin than reading the
eulogy?
If you are asked to address an audience at any time, it's
important to understand how an audience receives and retains
information. First, never tell the audience you feel nervous or
overawed - they'll start looking for nervous body language
and will be sure to find it. They'll never suspect you're nervous
unless you tell them. Second, use confidence gestures as you
speak, even if you're feeling terrified. Use Steeple gestures,
open and closed palm positions, occasional Protruding
Thumbs and keep your arms unfolded. Avoid pointing at the
audience, arm crossing, face touching and lectern gripping.
Studies show that people who sit in the front row learn and
retain more than others in the audience, partially because
those in the front row are keener than others to learn and they
show more attention to the speaker in order to avoid being
picked on.People who sit in the front rows learn more,
participate more and are more enthusiastic.Those in the middle sections are the next most attentive and
ask the most questions, as the middle section is considered a
safe area, surrounded by others. The side areas and back are
the least responsive and attentive. When you stand to the audi-
ence's left — the right side of the stage — your information will
have a stronger effect on the right brain hemisphere of your
audience's brains, which is the emotional side in most people.
Standing to the audience's right — the left side of stage -
impacts the audience's left brain hemisphere. This is why an
audience will laugh more and laugh longer when you use
humour and stand to the left side of the stage, and they
respond better to emotional pleas and stories when you deliver
them from the right side of the stage. Comedians have known