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the environment may have an effect on the position chosen. Research conducted with middle-class people showed that seating positions in public bars can vary from the seating positions taken in a high-class restaurant. The direction the seats are facing and the distance between tables can also have a distorting influence on seating behavior. For example, intimate couples prefer to sit side by side wherever possible, but in a crowded restaurant where the tables are close together this is not possible and the couples are forced to sit opposite each other in what is normally a defensive position.

Keeping that in mind, we'll now present the main seating choices we have in a variety of circumstances at work and socially.

Take the Table Test

Let's assume that you are going to sit at a rectangular table with person A and that you are person B. Which seating position would you choose in the following circumstances:

You will interview someone for a job in a small, friendly company.

You are going to help someone complete a crossword puzzle.

You are going to play chess against someone.

You are in a public library and don't want any involvement.

Look at the next illustration and make your choices.

Basic seating positions

Here are your most likely answers:

You took B1, the Corner Position, to conduct the interview, as this allows you to see the person clearly without seeming competitive or aggressive, as you might in B3, or too familiar as in B2.

You sat in position B2, the Cooperative Position, to help with the crossword puzzle, because this is where we sit to give help or build rapport.

You chose position B3 to play chess against the person. This is called the Competitive/Defensive Position and is the one we choose to compete against an adversary because it lets us have a full view of their face and what they're doing.

Finally, you used the Diagonal Position, B4, in the library to communicate your independence or noninvolvement.

The Corner Position (B1)

This position is used by people who are engaged in friendly, casual conversation. It allows for good eye contact and the opportunity to use numerous gestures and to observe the gestures of the other person. The corner of the desk provides a partial barrier in case one person begins to feel threatened, and this position avoids territorial division of the table. This is the most successful strategic position from which person B can deliver a presentation, assuming that person A is the audience. By simply moving the chair to position B1 you can relieve a tense atmosphere and increase the chances of a positive outcome.

The Corner Position

The Cooperative Position (B2)

When two people are thinking alike or both working on a task together, this position often occurs. We found that 55 percent of people chose this position as the most cooperative, or intuitively took it when asked to work jointly with another person.

The Cooperative Position

It is one of the best positions for presenting your case and having it accepted because it allows good eye contact and the opportunity for mirroring. The trick is, however, for B to be able to move into this position without A feeling as if his territory has been invaded. This is also a successful position to take when a third party is introduced into the negotiation by B. Say, for example, that a salesperson was having a second interview with a client and the salesperson introduces a technical expert. The following strategy will work well:

The technical expert is seated at position C opposite customer A. The salesperson sits at either position B2 (Cooperative) or B1 (Corner). This allows the salesperson to be “on the client's side” and to ask the technician questions on behalf of the client. This position is known as “siding with the opposition.”

Introducing a third person

The Competitive/Defensive Position (B3)

In this arrangement, competitors face each other, just like Western gunslingers. Sitting across the table from a person can create a defensive, competitive atmosphere