The Definitive Book of Body Language

Interviews, Power Plays and Office Politics

John's initial office layout

From a user-friendly, non-verbal standpoint, his office was a
disaster area. It felt unfriendly to anyone who entered. The fol-
lowing rearrangements were made to help encourage John's
management style to become more friendly:

1. John's desk was placed in front of the glass partition,
   making his office appear bigger and allowing him to be
   visible to those who entered. In this way, visitors were
   greeted by John personally, not by his desk.


2. The 'hot seat' was placed in the Corner Position, making
   communication more open and allowing the corner to act
   as a partial barrier for staff who felt insecure.


3. The glass partition was coated with a mirror finish, allow-
   ing John to see out, but not permitting others to see in.
   This raised John's status by securing his territory and cre-
   ating a more intimate atmosphere inside his office.