What Does Your Office Say?

How would you describe your professional office?

Are there any photos that don’t include you?

Do you have a ton of photos of yourself shaking hands with famous people?

Are there photos of you playing golf on a famous course?

Are there sets of golf clubs in your office?

Is their free gear all over the floor?

Are you highlighted on the walls from your prior career?

How many times is your name mentioned when people look around?

Does your screen saver have a picture of you at some big event?

Is the desk huge and presidential?

Would guests want to take a photo behind your desk?

Are there books on the shelf that have never been open or read?

Do you have whiteboards with projects to do?

Do you have a nameplate at the center of your desk?

Can you have a one-on-one meeting and connect with your guest?

Does it appear that someone has been busy working in the office? Or is it for show?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then stop wondering why you might have a problem connecting with your people. You cannot live an ego-free world inside an ego-driven office. If you are wondering why people are not saying what you NEED to hear, instead of what you WANT to hear, then look around at all the walls in your room. If you are promoting your greatness, if you are above everyone else, then expect to be treated like a king or queen and not like someone who needs the truth. You can preach being a member of the team all you want, but it renders useless when your office says otherwise.

An office is a place to work, not a shrine to your self-imposed greatness. If you want people to work hard, they must see you working hard in your office. If you want an ego-free team, then take down the self-promoting pictures. Remove yourself from the office — make it a place of hard work, not a museum.

You have earned the right to have a beautiful office, you have earned the view and the corner suite.

But make sure you don’t forget that it’s your work that makes you successful and reachable, not your big desk or the photos.

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