Kevin Daniel Lalumiere, CCM General Manager/COO of The Country Club of New Canaan (Conn.) writes, “As small a detail [or space] that our offices and work spaces might be, they are in fact a very interesting little insight into who we are, and perhaps even who we aspire to be.”

Have you ever stepped back to evaluate what your office or workspace says about you? I certainly have. Have you ever modified your office or workspace in an attempt to create a personal or professional “statement”? I certainly have. 

If you’ve answered yes to both, it isn’t a sign of insecurity in my humble opinion, it is instead an interesting exercise where personal countenance meets professional expression. And spending a little time in that curious mindset is often a very valuable action.

In the private club sector, a manager’s office is the site for endless meetings, reviews, and chats with members (good and bad). The spectrum of emotions and the “fun level” of activities taking place in that area is vast. So too, is the spectrum of subliminal messaging our spaces display, all by themselves. Some offices are antiseptic, sterile, somewhat impersonal and soul-less, but very, very (finger quotes) “professional.” Others look like they were designed by gathering various items during an entire afternoon spent at one of those super-cool, hipster swap meets in Brooklyn.   

Environmental psychologists opine that your goal should be a balance of both. Sprinkle in personal items like family photos or vacations with your friends, but don’t completely neglect the value that a certificate, or plaque or a strategically placed trade publication will have. Reduced clutter, an orderly feel and an inviting “take a seat, I am always up for a chat” tone are just a few characteristics that you might want to consider sprinting towards.

Years ago, I worked with a club professional whose desk and office always appeared to have just survived the newly discovered phenomenon know as “indoor hurricanes.” It was the most fascinating collection of Post It notes in North America, and the office itself was known to actually cause the guest high levels of unease.  

I can attest to this firsthand. Whether or not a direct correlation could be drawn between that individual’s office and their performance is debatable and may or may not be fair. In fact, this individual was widely considered one of the best in our industry. But let’s be honest, in the professional world, perception is reality, particularly in the eyes of your teammate, club member, or supervisor. If a special order was lost, or a deadline was not met … any one of us just “stopping by” to check on things, might feel as though we’ve discovered the “why” if we stumbled into an environment such as this.  

Work campuses have changed dramatically over the last 40 years; that’s a reality we all know and should accept. We are freed from the Mad Men, IBM-like conservatism as it pertains to the space where we spend (according to the experts) in excess of 1/3 of our lives. You know best what sets the right tone for you within your organization, and for you personally. Like the color and style of a suit, a skirt, a tie or (God forbid) a garish shirt; a first impression can be formed simply by walking into a person’s workspace.  

Given the nature of our business in general, our time spent in the office should be limited. Necessary, but limited. We are expected to be hands on, on the floor meeting and greeting. So, if you ever find yourself writhing with pre-meeting anxiety, wishing you had just two quick minutes to tidy up your office or flip around the Blink 182 album cover hanging on your wall, it may be time to re-evaluate. Especially if you are one who frequents super-cool, hipster swap meets.  

All kidding aside, like any good personality assessment, your office or workspace is a small little, organic DISC analysis, and can tell a lot about the individual occupying it. Introverts are tidy, extroverts are messy. If there is no personal touch folded into the office landscape, no family photos … that messages that you aren’t committed or may have one foot out the door. If you flaunt a collection of stuffed animals in different outfits: you’re way too comfortable.  

Personally, I am guilty too often, and whilst moving too fast, of not considering what I call “the greater aesthetic” in life. As small a detail (or space) that our offices and work spaces might be, they are in fact a very interesting little insight into who we are, and perhaps even who we aspire to be.  

Happy Tidying,

-KDL