Think of a stage actor performing a monologue. What position do they occupy on the stage – right, left or middle? The middle, of course. That’s where the actor’s physical presence and words have the most power. Different positions in a room convey different strengths. The centre conveys power. The periphery is anonymous.

I have seen a high-school teacher attempt to tackle an unruly class while leaning against the wall in the back corner. He had no inkling why the class didn’t take the lessons more seriously. I had a pretty good idea. Being on the periphery made him and his questions look and sound unimportant.

If you need to say something important and get others to take it seriously, stand in the middle of the empty space in the room – the point at which the centre axes of the empty space intersect. This spot automatically confers a natural authority on the speaker who occupies it.