Square pegs don't belong in round holes

ref:  article from HBR 

"A clean desk
is the sign of
a sick mind."
~Albert Einstein
Fact check

My commentary on the following article from HBR 

When I was at my peak performance in sales:  winning awards ..... my desk was a big huge blob of paper.

When I became a leader, I kept my desk sparse and turned off all devices when someone came to me with a problem.

When I took a job to pay the bills:  I ensured I was surrounded by art:  art of beaches, boats or light- hearted sayings to keep me motivated.

People need to stop trying to be a square peg in a round hole.  You are you and your desk habits are your own: 

* pristine (conveys no nonsense efficiency)

* cluttered paper bomb (disorganized scatter head)

* lively & personal (keeping things light & disassociate from surroundings)

When, in fact:

* spotless can mean you are organized and efficient

* a MESS says: whatever you're doing is more important

* tasteful art and super slogans means you are balanced

NOTE:  I am not a doctor, educated in human behavior, nor am I a psychologist.  This is my own take.

Art by Jeannette Marshall (c) 2019

Michael McCool - the sales guy

Salutations, congratulations and support nation on Linked In

SOURCE

Now where can you brag about your career?

Promote your favorite cheer, quote or motivational image where it is welcome?

Where can some of your first followers, literally strangers, were drawn to connect with each other, to cheer em on hang out?

I think you may have guessed by now, I'm talking about Linked In.

Ahem, sorry about those bright lights up stairs, above here.  I just am continuously astounded by the great things that come out of Linked In.  As with fine wine, only appreciating more gracefully each year ... ahem, drifted off to midnight passing and my new year officially here.

Salutations and congratulations Paul ~impressive!  I'm a big fan of data since "back in the day" selling clicks and at the forefront of the cloud with document management and storage.  If you ever need someone who can speak to that topic, I'd be keen from the perspective of how I had to evolve from selling printed dots made first by ink, then toner to carving down quantities, producing more relavancy and using globalization to have on hand.  Think security information from Calgary to New York, Toronto generated by London UK.  Sorry, I got carried away thinking I was writing another blog ......

Of which here I am.  Again.  Making a point.  Connecting with people is one third of the value from Linked In.  I can expand on the other things.  I just wanted to ask those questions and use an example of my own experiment of intertwining a personalized, customized message, based on the new connection (this being a VP of Data for a Fortune 500 corporation).  

If you are going to network anywhere.  Don't over think it too much.  Be the person that everyone wants to be around, will tend to remember, and even better reach out with a problem that needed solving.

Don't let me get carried away (I am all of a sudden starting to reconsider what I have said as joking in manner that I have Attention Deficit Disorder when I'm online).  When in fact, coming online is like putting a wannabe race car driver into a Porsche or Ferrarri (yes, I'd even let BMW give me a few bucks to edit out the other two and put their logo or luxury model picture here for a fee).  One of these days, someone WILL catch on and actually pay me for inserting their logo and an considering an image, dependent upon receipt of funds.  

It's a brave new world
The biggest employment bubble is spent online.  Either creating conversations, interacting, writing, blogging, artistic expression, motivation, addictions, infliction, improvement, knowledge to be had for the taking by those curious enough to reach out.  Experiment a little.  Find your voice.

Explore the many passions
Just being discovered.  A childlike curiosity and appreciation of wonder exudes from your pores.  Just remember that your message may be bang on, your audience just hasn't caught on.  It doesn't mean it won't.  It may mean change it up, a bit.

Be patient
Because anyone who is worth anything will never say they got to where they are over night.  Only unrealistic movies, which artistic communicators of dreams or drama made from fantasy, far beyond fact.

Uphold your integrity
as the greatest value you bring.  Your word, your loyalty and your honesty are emblems of who you represent.  Stay away from anyone who makes you uneasy or likes to crumble your dignity.

Be aware of wolves in sheep clothes
without gender a factor.  The behavior being the same, the approaches likely different.

Be a cheerleader
for those whom you've aligned yourself with the talented.  Be so happy for their success and raising star without worrying about hitching on it but waiting for your own.

Do not cheat on others
is much larger than a spouse.  Your friends, your family, your parents, your friends, your colleagues deserve your respect.  Do not take their ideas and make them as your own, without revealing their anonymity to guard their privacy.  

Don't withhold your wisdom
because to share expands into greater wisdom.  What did others learn from.  What did you hear murmuring of acknowledgement.  

Don't shout from the rooftops
unless a bitter, capitalizing scamster, annoying buzz to sound over the noise your reputation to have and to hold on to dearly, oblivious to whether anyone is listening, just relief from your rant you'll be.  Sometimes causing damage, if nothing at least the reputation as a whiner or perpetual complainer is what you want to be known as.

It is the soundness of posture
and clearness in vision from others  proclaim.  You can do it if you love it and are passionate about or want to learn more about and have a common refrain.  Whether that is by post, by quote or image of artistic creation expounds, be known for a goodness or a quality with honesty to build trust.