ABSTRACT
The layout of the room, whether people are seated around a main table or a circle of comfortable chairs, and the proximity between people all have an influence on contact. In team coaching workshops or Gestalt-based leadership development programmes the author typically arrange the chairs in a circle, mindful that whilst the intention is to encourage conditions conducive for open sharing, this can be experienced as intimidating to some people who would prefer to sit behind a table. With groups of fellow practitioners who have worked together for a long period of time, they may want an enhanced level of connection from the beginning of a meeting and will quickly self-organise to achieve it. Groups and teams who have yet to establish closer intimate connection may be reluctant to engage with this sort of exercise, at least until there is more preparation of the ground.
