Kanisa George
REGARDLESS OF how sociably apt we are or how well versed in human exchange we claim to be, every interaction requires us to have our wits about us – so much so that the world of social dynamics dictates that we must first learn to read the room to navigate social interactions with finesse and ease.
This much-needed skill varies depending on who, where and when, but even in friendly, less intense social interactions, one's inability to read the room can have disastrous results.
Have you ever walked into a room and noticed the energy immediately shift but you still carried on in conversation? Possibly, you've commented on a topic that was out of sync with what's appropriate for the moment.
I'm sure you've had countless moments where a social interaction went awry, and you had no real reason for what caused it. There's a considerable chance that your inability to read to the room was the cause.
Every interaction has an unspoken mood, air and undercurrent waiting to be discovered, yet it also demands respect. Far more than we realise, the weight we place on carefully dissecting our interactions influences its outcome and can be particularly useful when emotions are running high.
In the words of one blogger, reading the room involves the ability to quickly assess and understand the mood, dynamics and underlying currents in a social setting. It involves observing body language, facial expressions, vocal tones and other cues to gauge how people are feeling and what's happening beneath the surface.
Picking up subtle signals and cues beyond surface level requires us to be cognisant of the people around us and how our presence, theirs and other factors can impact the interaction. Being in command of all the relevant variables around us, vis a vis reading the room, enables us to adjust our behaviour and respond accordingly, leading to more successful interactions and improved relationships.
Effectively reading the room is also a way to protect yourself from potentially emotionally unhealthy situations, for it provides valuable analytics into how engaging (or not) you are. Once equipped with the necessary information, one can strategically set boundaries, which in some cases is the most astute way to prevent harmful, unhealthy or toxic interactions.
At the core of this skill set is the notion of contextualisation and adaption. It requires a willingness to observe, interpret and bend to the situation before you, even if this may make you uncomfortable.
Admittedly, most of us suck at reading the room, and even those of us who think we can, there are some situations far more challenging to navigate than others. Frankly speaking, even though we possess the basic tools needed to navigate social situations, we don't fully appreciate the importance of using them.
Some of us can't shut up!
As freelance journalist Steve Calechman emphasised, reading the room is about listening, or, more precisely, shutting up and listening. In other words, if you're not listening, you're not gathering compelling
