The Five Conditions You Need to Move a Room
Think about the last time you stood in front of a group to share something important: a bold new idea, a strategy rollout, a cause you care about.
You probably poured time into crafting the perfect message — polishing your story, sharpening your slides, fine-tuning your talking points. But did it actually change anything?
If you’re like most people, the answer is often no. People listened politely, maybe even clapped... and then went back to doing what they always did.
Why? Because people don’t change because of what’s shared, they change when what’s shared affects them.
Through my work as a screenwriter, educator, and organizational psychologist, I’ve found that every truly transformational gathering shares five key conditions. These conditions don’t just help people hear you—they help people feel seen, connected, and motivated to act.
Here they are, and how you can use them to move your next room:
The Five Conditions of Influence
1. See and recognize others
People engage when they feel heard and understood. Before you design your gathering, ask: Who’s in the room? What matters most to them? When we acknowledge the hopes, needs, and motivations of those we’re trying to reach, we invite them to lean in.
2. Make it just for them
Once people feel seen, the next step is making the moment feel uniquely theirs. Tailor your examples. Reference real challenges the group faces. Make people feel like the gathering couldn’t have happened without them, or anywhere else.
3. Give others ownership
People don’t commit to what they passively receive; they commit to what they help create. Invite input. Pose a question early. Offer ways for people to shape the conversation instead of just consuming information.
4. Connect to a universal concept
Frame your message around something everyone can relate to — a value, a feeling, a shared experience. The more people see themselves in your message, the more likely they are to act on it.
5. Allow agency and choice
No one likes being forced into change. Offer small choices: Which topic to discuss first. How to engage. Even little freedoms make a gathering feel more collaborative and empowering.
Small Choices, Big Effects
You don’t have to scrap everything you’re doing and start over. Start small. You don’t have to master all five at once. Even one real invitation can shift your gathering from passive to powerful.
The truth is: No single piece of content will resonate with everyone or drive change by itself. We can’t control people. But we can shape the conditions that make real influence possible.
Albert Einstein said it beautifully:
“I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.”
When we understand that it’s the conditions, not just the content, that drive lasting change, we unlock a new kind of power: We move from being messengers to true influencers.
Lindsey Caplan is a screenwriter turned organizational psychologist who helps HR & business leaders create experiences that boost motivation, engagement, and performance