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Top floor in Surry

Posted by Ward Fredericks on March 23, 2004

In Reply to: Top floor posted by Lewis on March 22, 2004

: : : : : : : : What is a "corner office" in a company?

: : : : : : : : What is the figurative meaning of "running interference for sb."?

: : : : : : : The "corner office" is a choice spot so it is a status symbol. I don't know about "sb."

: : : : : : You run interference for somebody if you try to keep this person from being
: : : : : : attacked. (At the moment Vice President Cheney is trying to run interference
: : : : : : for President Bush.)

: : : : : The room at the corner of an office building is desirable, I think, because it has windows on two sides. Such a room is given to a high-ranking employee.

: : : : :::Status in corporations and organizations is shown by the size of the office and the amount of window view the office holder has. The lower ranked people in an organization will have cubes with no windows, and no door, and higher ranking executives will have more space, a door, and lots of windows. The corner office has windows on two walls, and is only trumped by a reallly high ranking executive who has a whole floor or half a floor. There are lots of other indicators of status like rugs and special furniture, and a wood door rather than a glass door -- but the window quantity is pretty important.

: : : I have a wooden door, three windows and my room is on a corner of the building - how does that rank?

: : ::Lewis --- if the walls are not mud, and if you're high in the building (basements and first floor doesn't count) and you have a computer....you must be O.K. The wooden door is a nice touch. Most of us have fiberboard.

: We don't have mud walls in Surrey. Top floor, but no secretary, no water-cooler, & not much acreage. Make my own coffee.
: Mind you - can get in at 10 with no complaints and spend some of the day on the net without reprimand and the 'main man' listens to my opinion - so must be doing OK.
: as for doors - usually everybody keeps their doors open and it would not matter if they simply were not there (apart from meeting rooms).

: I have misssed so much through working in owner-managed businesses through most of my working life...

:::Lewis --- I've worked in both, and in my opinion the owner-managed structure tends to be more effective, and has less of this corner office stuff in it. Part of the reason is that the owners and family tend to have the corner offices, and the rest is a meritocracy.
You, obviously, are an effective part of your company, and have the lattitude and the freedom of action that is given to a valued executive.

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