53. The More Filled a Room Is, the More Energy People Have

There are many subtle and not so subtle ways that people change when they are together. Human behavior is a complex combination of interactions with other people. When people enter a room that is largely empty, they will tend to position themselves evenly throughout the room. This means that while they are waiting for the presentation to start they will not necessarily be close to each other. The larger the room in relation to the number of people, the bigger this effect will be.

Presenters are not immune to the subtle interactions. When you as a presenter enter and stand in front of a room that is buzzing with people and conversation, it has an effect on you too. If you step into a room that is quiet and empty, it will not energize you.

If possible, talk to the host of the event and see if you can get a room that will be mostly filled in order to have energy and excitement in the room before you start. This is true for small meetings as well as large.

Sometimes it is possible for you to have an effect on where people sit. This is difficult in an auditorium, but if you are in a smaller room with classroom-style seating, or a meeting room, then you can take away the chairs or the handouts, pads of paper, pens, and so on in one area of the room and concentrate all the materials together.