One of the fun little things on my desk (in front of a pile of folders which, at the moment, is put away!)

Well, there is no clear consensus on how we like our desks to look. Not a surprising result, yet instructive on how we each look at the world. Despite yesterday being #CleanOffYourDesk Day, I get the distinct impression that is not something widely celebrated within my circle of friends and colleagues.

There are numerous studies (some results from one conducted at the University of Minnesota can be found here) that suggest a messy desk is a sign of creativity or genius at work. Personally, I’m ok with that. Although right now my desk is at its zenith of neatness, I am confident that will change as January progresses. I fondly remember my mother having a sign with Garfield the Cat on her desk that stated “A clean desk is the sign of a cluttered mind” and given the studies that have been done and some of the commentary shared by my readers, there seems to be some agreement to that point.

So, do not fret over the mess. It may very well mean you are creative, maybe even a genius.  Science will even back you up on that!

Thanks for the input for this week’s post. The question for consideration before next week is…

What is a lesson learned from your 1^st job that still serves you well today?

My current organization tends to be quite formal in their approach to systems, people, and communication. This formality was quite a change for me from my previous workplace and my own informal approach has caught some people off guard. Previous HR leaders in the organization rarely left the administration building, interacted minimally, and relied on the hammer of power to get their way. Needless to say, this is not my way and rather than bend to the formality, I am out of my office, talking to people, and building bonds that go well beyond the formal structure that is in place.

When I requested permission to send an organizational wide e-mail, it was met with a bit of uncertainty. Rarely did anyone do this in the past. I tend to be very open in information sharing (oooh, it’s confidential…) and assume that people want to do the right thing. This is a powerful combination that requires faith in others and ultimately faith in yourself that you are embarking on the right path.

This is the minion who lives in my office! It’s part of who I am.

Here’s the thing though, it works! Even in a formal organization, by connecting with people on a personal level the formality may exist but it gets tempered and allows the work to happen on a level that formal structure and policy can’t dictate. Yes, one may have positional authority, but that shouldn’t mean that is the only way you can get work accomplished.

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, find a process that typically requires formality and break it down so that a new, more informal and personal approach can be used. Run with it and get to know people and connect with them on a personal level. It doesn’t hurt and will bring a new sense of enjoyment and engagement to you and your work. After all, life is too short to be miserable!