The physical setting for a discussion can either contribute to the vitality of a dialogue or it can take the life out of it. Here are some tips that I’ve found can make a positive difference:
¥ Meet in a room small enough to put you in touch with each other. Bank lobbies and church fellowship halls may be impressive, but the cavernous space they allow between people kills intimacy. You aren’t looking for the detached contemplation distance affords. Furniture also can cause trouble. Tables and overstuffed chairs can effectively block close contact. You’d gladly trade elegance for the quick response that comes from immediacy.
¥ Seat people in a circular fashion so everyone can see all the faces in the group. Theatre-style seating is fine for focusing attention on the leader, but you don’t want that. Your aim is to make each member the star. It’s their reaction that counts. You’re much more likely to get it when people can eyeball each other.
I have to hold a number of my classes in a room with a two-foot-square pillar smack in the center. No matter how I arrange the students, that concrete monstrosity gets in the way. I’ve often thought of bringing in a masonry saw to slice it down. Of course, the ceiling might cave in, but this seems like a small risk when balanced with improved visual interaction. Just once, it would be nice to be able to see all the bodies at the same time.
¥ Make sure there’s enough light. You certainly don’t want the harsh brightness of a police interrogation room, but neither do you want to lull folks to sleep. Although the soft, low lighting of an intimate restaurant affords privacy, dim lighting doesn’t give members the chance to pick up nonverbal cues. For this reason, I regretfully avoid trying to lead a discussion around a flickering fire. It’s cozy, but the normal tendency is to stare deeply into the fire and miss what’s happening in my neighbor. There’s such a thing as being too comfortable.
¥ Unless stuffiness is an unbearable problem, stay indoors. My students clamor to hold class out on the lawn at the first sign of spring. I’m tempted to give in, but sad experience dictates that I resist the pressure. There are so many distractions-people walking by, the sound of a lawnmower, an ant crawling up a leg, damp grass’ that the topic at hand gets lost in the shuffle. It’s easy to tune out and watch the puff-clouds march across the sky. So I stay inside. Even though I’m momentarily a dirty guy, the discussion prospers because of my resolve.
Most of these suggestions are rather obvious. You’ll come up with your own check list tailored to your specific situation. Just make sure you don’t lose sight of your ultimate goal. Structure the physical setting to stimulate lots of “back and forthness” between people. You’ll have a winner if they temporarily forget where they are and lose themselves in the excitement of stating their beliefs.
–Emory Griffin
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