Problem Solved

“I really hate cubicles”, I loudly proclaimed at our first visit to the new office. I later got ‘a talkin’ to’ for this remark (shhhhhh!!!). I was not yet friends with my new cubby and its legroom limiting cabinets. A few months went by. I did nothing.

Then there was a breaking point.

A few weeks ago, I began experimenting by removing panels. No one seemed to mind. So everywhere I went, I popped open a window in the cube. We have a roomy new space, although my cubicle is 24 total inches smaller than the rest, so I like to move around for a change of pace. I now had a clear view of the entire office, and more natural light. We have floor to ceiling views of the city on three sides, seems such a shame not to see them.

People were starting to notice. They would wave from the opposite end of the building, walk by and giggle. Our new designer, John joined in the fun by creating his own window. I think he decided it was okay because he was new, and that he could blame it on me.

Next was the double drawer lateral cabinet under my desk. I had already turned it the opposite to way and it was virtually unusable, besides as a glorified shoe drawer. After relocating my shoe drawer, I drug the cabinet to a new location. No one seemed to mind. Success!

The last blow was to an overhead cabinet that should be called a hit-your-head cabinet. I had to get help with this one and solicited John. It didn’t go quite as smoothly as the others and made quite a ruckus. So much ruckus that our CTO heard it, came out and helped us take it away. Wow, my whiteboard was now usable, and had a fancy new magnet board where the cabinet was.

Finally after creating many new windows everywhere I went, it was recognized at the company meeting. Sometimes you have take a leap of faith, even when the odds are against you.

Progress, one panel at a time.