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Key points
- Proxemics is an area of study that focuses on how humans view and interpret the use of space, particularly its impact on human interactions.
- Room design can help set the tone for negotiation: Circular seating can feel more inclusive. More light can be conducive to long conversations.
- Personal space zones — whether you are at an intimate, social, or public distance from someone — can also influence a negotiation.
Is space the final frontier? Humans continue to seek to conquer space. One need only look to Elon Musk’s "Starship to Mars" endeavours, or the train of Starlink satellites traipsing across the night sky this past month. Perhaps it’s time to look closer to home. Specifically, what if considering the use of space (otherwise known as proxemics) in negotiations could up-level one’s effectiveness, influence, and persuasive abilities?
Defining Proxemics
What is proxemics? It’s the branch of study that focuses on how humans view and interpret the use of space, particularly its direct impact on behaviour, communication, and social interactions. As these are all elements of negotiation, mastering this concept can mean the difference between commanding a room or shrinking in it, taking control, or being overwhelmed.
Personal Space Zones
A good starting point is to consider those all-important personal space zones.
- Intimate space: the closest "bubble" of space surrounding a person. Entry into this space is typically acceptable only for close friends and intimates.
- Social and consultative spaces: the spaces in which people feel comfortable conducting routine social interactions with acquaintances as well as strangers.
- Public space: the area of space beyond which people will perceive interactions as impersonal and relatively anonymous.
Personal space zones vary by culture, age, population density, and even personality. Everyone has their own comfort zones in terms of personal space. My daughter, for example, needs a sweeping swath of space for her protective bubble, treating her intimate circle in the way others treat public space. Or consider the spatial zones in a large city as compared to a small town. In urban centres, one may expect to be squished into subways, bumped, crammed into elevators, etc. By contrast, in rural communities, it’s less acceptable to bump someone on the street or sit beside them on a park bench. The size of the personal space zone decreases based on the density of the population. Cultural differences can also profoundly impact personal space. In many large cities in Asia, while riding the subway, it is acceptable for a stranger to fall asleep on one’s shoulder. In North America, this type of proximity would likely cause some discomfort.
Consider how one can apply this knowledge of personal space zones to negotiations. There is great potential benefit in getting intentional about spacing. How big is the room? Is it beneficial to create intimacy or would that be a hindrance? Is it desirable to ensure a comfortable space for the number of people involved … or not?
Personal space is critical. Using proxemics to understand and identify one’s zone during negotiations is important to guarantee fluid negotiations. Staying in the social zone is typically recommended. Consistently crossing into someone’s personal or intimate zone comes off as intimidating and unreasonable. It’s likely to break down negotiations. Having said that, some see this as a possible tactical move to gain an advantage.
Room Design
How does the room design impact the discussions? The physical space can set the mood and tone for negotiation, creating an air of wellbeing conducive to collaboration or alternatively creating tension and acrimony. Are there windows, light, and airflow? This becomes an issue after hours of negotiating and can be an advantage or hindrance to effective bargaining. One may find themself (or the other party) making concessions just to get out of the room.
Room Set-Up
In terms of room set-up, most people tend to stay seated across the table from each other during formal bargaining. While this is the typical default setting for most negotiations, the setup is adversarial and not necessarily the most effective for collaborative bargaining. There can be a great advantage to more fully using the space in a room, including crossing the imaginary divide between the parties. Having members of one’s negotiation team sitting directly beside the other team can subconsciously increase harmonisation.
Also consider alternative room set-ups, whether circle or theatre style depending on the nature of the discussions. Circles can avoid any sense of hierarchy and lead to more inclusive discussions. First Nations communities use the Circle to great effect, particularly as a means to bring people in conflict together.
Engaging the Space
Too few people are intentional about engaging the space during a negotiation and/or using the room to full advantage. Get up and walk around. Make a conscious decision whether to stand or sit; be beside or across from the other side; stay static or move about the room; moving into or staying outside the other party’s comfort zone; be the center of attention or not, etc.
As a lead negotiator, standing behind a more junior member on one’s team with a hand on their shoulder while they’re speaking, can lend credibility to them. Coming around to share documents with the other party for review together can change the receptivity and dynamic of the conversation.
A person’s perception of space is affected by visual, kinesthetic, olfactory, auditory, and thermal dimensions (according to Edward T. Hall, credited developer of the concept of proxemics). What does that mean? Visual includes eye contact or lack thereof; kinesthetic includes posture and body position; olfactory includes smell, pheromones, etc.; thermal is the heat given off by an individual; and auditory includes tone of voice (which can be broken down into texture, volume, directness). Being aware of these factors and using them with intention can increase one’s influence and persuasiveness.
Location
In real estate, they say the top three factors in property value are location, location, location. Some believe the same can be said of bargaining. Home court advantage is often touted as key. Humans subconsciously associate familiarity with safety. For example, sleep researchers discovered the “first night effect” a subconscious defence mechanism that prevents one from entering a deep sleep when sleeping somewhere new, to ensure one is able to defend oneself at a moment’s notice.
This concept can equally apply to the location of negotiations. A party who suggests that discussions take place at their home location is likely attempting to take early advantage (though there are pros and cons to consider on both sides). It is prudent to consider this factor with intention, rather than default.
Conclusion
Proxemics is often overlooked or downright ignored as a factor in bargaining. Increasing awareness of this concept and learning to apply it to negotiations strategically can give leverage and enhance effectiveness, influence, and ultimately one’s results in bargaining. Ignore space at one’s peril. They say it’s the final frontier for a reason.
