We already know that our habits and behaviors can reveal a lot more about our personalities than we probably think — but have you ever stopped to think what your desk says about you? If anyone would know, it would be a marketing solutions service, and wouldn’t you know it, Marketo is on the job. An infographic posted on the company’s blog delves into what your workspace might be communicating about your work personality, because a picture is worth a thousand words, right?
The infographic breaks it down into six possible personality types… although interestingly, I’m not actually sure how much I agree with each of the assessments. The Minimalist, for example, is characterized by a “mostly empty workspace” featuring a computer, keyboard, and mouse — but no décor or “signs of life.” As a worker, the Minimalist supposedly “is a fan of doing the bare minimum at all times”; they apparently have a tendency to turn in their reports at the last minute and rarely speak up in meetings. On the one hand, I can kind of understand how a minimalist workspace might lead one to expect little from the employee who keeps it; if you read “no décor” as “no effort,” the leap is fairly easy to make. On the other, though? Being truly minimalist requires a huge amount of self-discipline, and I just can’t see someone who’s that conscientious doing anything less than dotting all their I’s and crossing all their T’s on the job.
All of which is to say that your mileage may vary. As for me? Honestly I’m totally sure where I fall; I don’t actually work at a desk anymore (one of the perks about working from home), instead preferring to hole up on my couch and embracing the true meaning of the phrase “laptop computer.” If the infographic covered this situation, I’d probably be characterized as lazy and unbusiness-like; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. I realize that I’m likely biased in my own favor, but trust me — if there’s one thing I don’t have trouble doing, it’s accomplishing my to-do list while holding myself to incredibly high standards. I will not turn in anything other than my best work. End of story.
Check out the full infographic below:
