From Primates to PowerPoint: Decoding the Office Dynamics

Between gestures, glances, and small objects left on desks, every signal counts. Learning to read them is understanding the invisible rules that govern the open-plan office… and changing your place in this polite jungle.

Are you familiar with Desmond Morris? The ethologist who had the audacity to observe us as he would chimpanzees and peacocks. Picture him, British mustache, notebook in hand, settled in your open space. His mission: decode the modern office. No safari, no giraffes—just a carpeted floor of gray cubicles, the faint smell of lukewarm coffee, and endless Teams meetings. What he would note would be no less exotic than the mating rituals of flamingos.

Professional Postures, or the Art of Office Plumage

In the animal kingdom, displaying colorful plumage is a strategy of seduction or dominance. In the office, it’s the same—but with Rolex watches or Prada bags.

One colleague sits with legs wide in a meeting like a dominant male gorilla, another leans forward to feign interest, while a third crosses her arms to signal distance and vigilance. These signals are never neutral: they structure the invisible hierarchy.
Knowing them means choosing the place you want to occupy.

👉 Adopt an open posture, occupy space without shrinking back, hold eye contact just enough: these simple signals change how the group perceives you. In other words, at the office, everyone displays their plumage—so you might as well know how to show yours.

Shared Territories: The Open-Plan Jungle

For Morris, every species defends its territory. In the office, there’s no den anymore, but open spaces. The result: everyone fights for tiny clues of personal space.

A mug placed like a boundary stone, a sticky note like a scent marker, a forgotten sweater on a chair to signal “this is mine.” And, of course, the invisible war of headphones: protecting yourself without being accused of anti-social behavior.

👉 Here again, the key is to use the same codes. Place a notebook or recurring object on your desk, orient your chair strategically in the room: signals that unconsciously command respect. Recognizing others’ territory and marking your own is a way to avoid energy-draining micro-conflicts.

Among primates, grooming strengthens alliances. Among us, it’s coffee breaks. Saying “how’s it going?” without expecting a real answer. Sharing a farewell with limp chips and tepid sparkling wine. These rituals, seemingly trivial, are vital for team cohesion.

Yet there is a subtle grammar here: linger too long and you become suspicious, disappear constantly and you isolate yourself.

👉 A brief stop, a few light words, a smile offered, then a graceful exit: the perfect balance. Neither clingy nor ghostly, just present enough to remind others you belong to the clan.

The Invisible Hierarchy: Alpha Males and Subtle Dominance

Morris would surely savor observing this modern hierarchy. The “official boss” is not necessarily the true alpha. There is the unofficial leader, often the one who controls humor or information, who draws attention, who knows when to stay silent.

Hierarchy is read in small details: who interrupts whom, who sits where, who gets the final word. The strategy here is to observe and adopt certain codes.

👉 Wait for a pause to insert your idea, don’t raise your voice but slow your speech, and use a smile as punctuation rather than constant decoration. These are subtle but powerful tools that can reposition your place in the group—and, when tensions rise or disagreements flare, allow you to negotiate without losing your feathers.

What It Means for Us: Working with Our Inner Animal

The Office, This Jungle
Seeing the office through Desmond Morris’ eyes, we stop being surprised when meetings sometimes resemble ostrich parades and the coffee machine becomes as vital as a watering hole in dry season. Work is not a rational world; it is a (mostly) polite jungle. And this, far from being discouraging, gives a map for moving around wisely.

Next time you sit through an endless meeting, ask not “why am I here?” but “what signals are being sent?” You’ll see that nothing is gratuitous: every crossed arm, every silence, every smile is a piece of animal language.

And by learning to recognize them, you can finally speak this fluent language that governs the office—rather than remaining a mere spectator in a play performed by others.