A man can love a a piece of office equipment, can’t he? I mean guys have a favorite chair, an old calculator, a pen, right? Well, my secret love (I guess it’s not so secret now.) is my whiteboard.
I installed a new one today in my home office. And, at the risk of sounding like a recovering alcoholic, My name is Keith and it’s been 3 years since my last whiteboard. “Hi, Keith.” When I opened my office in April 2006, I decided not to install a whiteboard. I had used one in my office since I began my career in 1995. I was always more comfortable standing and writing on my board than scribbling on a notepad at the desk. I’m such a more visual person when explaining something, that it was a natural fit.
To be honest, I don’t remember why I didn’t put one up. Maybe I thought I had graduated from it. I was an “independant advisor” now and growns up don’t us whiteboards. I guess I didn’t realize how wrong I was. If I need to explain something to a client I use a notepad, but write so freaking big on the paper that I look like a 1st grader. I’m over compensating for my lack of a whiteboard, I know that now. (The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.)
While I still don’t have one at my office, it’s a safe bet that after falling off the wagon, one will be installed this week.