324. Environmental Psychology

Key Takeaways

• Physical environment influences behavior. Everything from lighting to seating arrangement affects collaboration, mood, and communication.
• Environmental psychology shows that design choices impact productivity, connection, and culture more than we realize.
• Misaligned workspace design creates friction and fosters the very behaviors leaders try to avoid.

Actionable Insights

• Define the behaviors you want in your team, then design spaces that encourage them.
• Audit your current environment for layout, light, noise, cleanliness, and access to nature.
• Give employees control over their space—flexible layout and autonomy improve engagement and mental health.

Leadership Challenge

• Document one behavior you wish you saw more of in your team.
• Identify a small environmental change you can make this week to better support that behavior.

Final Thought

Culture doesn’t just happen in conversations—it happens in chairs, windows, and the angle of the conference table. If behavior isn’t matching your goals, start by moving the furniture.