Part 2: Crash Course in Wisdom - Read the Room, Then Manage It

Lessons don’t have to be expensive, but when they are, it’s a good idea to share them with your community so they don’t have to pay the same price. Sharing advice is one way to give back. It’s how we pay it forward, especially when we’ve learned something the hard way.

This Crash Course in Wisdom series is my way of doing just that, passing along the advice that’s been shared with me. Some of it my brain took and used it right away. Some of it I ignored. What I’ve learned from receiving and giving advice is that, sometimes, it’s the advice you don’t take that could’ve made the biggest difference.

They say you live and you learn. I believe that to be true, especially when you surround yourself with the right people. One of the things I’ve learned from my colleagues in the speaker community is: Read the room, then manage it. Meaning, you can either influence a room, or be influenced by it. That applies whether you’re giving a speech, sitting in a meeting, or just walking into a room full of energy you didn’t create.

This also could be a proverbial room. You could be on an airplane, on a telephone call, at an outdoor concert, or at the beach on vacation in a different country. I’ve traveled to 10 different countries over the last 5 years and many of them had cultural and language barriers, but if you read the room you can understand and overcome the barriers even without speaking the language. Being able to read the room makes it easier to manage and survive being in a foreign country. 

I got this piece of advice from being a speaker, but it has stuck with me and I use it in many areas of my life. So I am passing it on to you.
Read the room, then manage it.

Even though this advice is often shared among speakers, it isn’t just for people with microphones. It’s for anyone who needs to influence, connect, or lead and that includes you. Whether you're addressing a crowd or speaking to just one person, the ability to read the room gives you power. And once you know how to read it, you can begin to shape it.

Reading the room means knowing the temperature. Is the energy high or flat? Are people open or guarded? Are they looking for answers, or just someone to listen? If you miss the mood, your message might land flat, or worse, stir up confusion. But if you tune in, you can adjust. You can move people.

You don’t need to be loud or extroverted to manage a room. In fact, sometimes the most powerful presence is quiet but intentional. Your presence, your tone, your posture, all of it communicates something before you ever say a word. When you’re fully connected to your authentic self, you become more aware of what the room needs—and more confident in how you respond.

Don’t Let the Room Control You

If you don’t read the room, the room will read, and control you. A heavy mood can weigh you down. A chaotic energy can make you lose your message. But when you walk in with a clear mind, aligned energy, and calm authority, you shift things. You lead. And I’m not talking about leading a movement or a community agenda. It could be your family bbq or holiday dinner. You can lead the room with your calmness.

That leadership ability starts with intuition. You have to be in tune with yourself before you can tune into others. If you’re too distracted, self-conscious, or caught up in how you’re being perceived, you’ll miss the cues. You’ll misread the moment. That’s why reading the room requires stillness, clarity, and intention.

Once you sense the tone, you can decide:
Will I let this mood change me, or will I change the mood?

Practice taking up space, not with volume or force, but with energy. Let your presence expand. Ground yourself in confidence, then push that calm energy out into the room like a ripple. This takes time, but the more you practice it, the more natural it becomes.

Not every room will respond to you. That’s okay. Some rooms won’t be yours, and it’s wise to know when to move on. But many will respond and you’ll know, because you’ll feel it shift.

Wisdom You Can Use

Reading and managing the room can help you:

• Win trust without pushing
  
  
• Influence people without manipulation
  
  
• Communicate your message more clearly
  
  
• Sell without selling
  
  
• Avoid conflict and misfires
  
  
• Show up in alignment with who you are
  
  

Whether you're walking into a family dinner, a staff meeting, a job interview, or a community event, you have more power than you think.

Your Takeaway Next Step

The next time you walk into a room—pause. Feel the energy.
What’s the mood? What’s missing?
What can you bring into the room that might allow you to use your influence?

Try it. Practice it. Reflect on what happens. Be nervous, but do it anyway. You don’t have to speak to change the room—you just have to be aware and intentional.

Pass the Wisdom On

Did this resonate with you? Forward this blog and the Bronzecomm Newsletter to a friend, co-worker, or family member.
Let them know: You heard it here and there’s more where that came from.
Help someone else walk a little wiser. We can all benefit from a quick tip or a Crash Course in Wisdom.

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See you next week where I’ll drop the advice I gave Oprah and how I used a lesson I learned from Michael Jackson. I know right!