Cabin of Chief

The Great King Shivaji

Gone are the days when knights, kings, queens, emperors and empresses used to rule over their provinces, territories, kingdoms and empires from their forts, citadels and castles, just a few centuries ago. Tribal chiefs and leaders used to control, govern and guide their subjects or civilians in prehistoric time in the same way.

They all used to occupy a physical space inside court or durbar (Persian word for courtroom) that was slightly elevated above the ground and surrounded by enclosures or guarded by armed soldiers. Without adequate and well-equipped security around them, thrones were easy targets due to their particular position inside court or durbar.

 

They used to seat on specially crafted, decorated and adorned thrones or chairs exhibiting their sovereignty, superiority, competency, fertility, potency, prowess and rich ancestral inheritance. Thrones or chairs and protected areas surrounding them were like the sanctuaries in which only a single individual can enter, stay and watch over the all others.

Today’s organizations, enterprises, trade houses, industries or institutions are more or less like ancient territorial kingdoms that are founded on certain set of principles, ambitions and goals. They start small but expand to a large no. of clients and operate on a vast geographical areas beyond boundaries. Modern chiefs, bosses, executives and managers have turned throne and its surroundings into miniaturized form like personal cabins or offices.

Anyone can easily find the difference between their cabins and the rest of the workplace. You would hardly find any personal cabin or office close to entrance or gathering point to make it hard to access for others and avoid easy intrusion or trespassing. This is exactly like surrounded or guarded thrones in historical and ancient era.

Today’s personal cabins or offices are guarded by peons or armed personals at their entrances. On single floor workplace, chief’s cabin or office often stands in the center or at the edge. If workplace occupies multi-storey building or multiple adjacent buildings, special care is taken to erect personal cabin or office with special security, facilities and amenities on topmost floors or in an isolated building.

The most important things observable in chief’s cabin or office is a clock hanging on wall or kept on table, visible to all. Obviously, clock reminds other the timeliness and to honor precious time being spent by the chief. Mostly, rectangular table is kept to create a secure space between chief and other individuals.

Various objects like pen stands, file racks, flags, emblems, miniatures, motifs, mascots, statues, flower pots, table lamps, diaries, computers, laptops and telephones or cell-phones kept on the table to mark territorial boundary of chief hence intrusion and utilization of it by other is strictly prohibited. Only personal assistants, officials of equal or higher ranks are allowed to enter and utilize this territory by formal or informal permission of chief.

Windows are built in walls to mimic an enlarged physical space, facilitate more natural illumination and allow looking outside. Curtains made up of rich fabric are installed on windows. Walls are adorned by precious gifts, antiquates, vintage artifacts, crafts and paintings to exhibit status.

The revolving globe or a large world map signifies the expanse of vision and ambition. Certificates, medals, trophies and testimonies show off accreditation, excellence, competencies, achievements and capability.

Photographs depicting chief along with other pioneers, dignitaries, celebrities and high ranking personals are also kept to convey strong rapport. Often, books are kept in shelf to demonstrate eligibility and access to knowledge and are used for quick reference whenever required. Costly furniture brings the an overall effect of majestic surrounding.

Chair deployed for chief is taller, bigger, more comfortable and pricey compared to sitting arrangement made for others. Chair with rotary axle, push-back, elevated back support and head cushion help chief to appear as strong, secured, relax, focused and confident.

 

Chair is placed facing its back towards fixed partition or wall to add security same way thrones were kept inside court or durbar. Often, sitting arrangement for other faces its back to door of cabin or office so that they could made their exit quickly and easily.

Other individuals are usually allowed sitting on ordinary benches and chairs with smaller resting surfaces, low in height, fixed backs and stationary axle to put them on the edge of comfort, coziness and confidence level, ultimately to neutralize their defensiveness.

Other individuals greet, engage in hand-shakes, offer or receive gifts, discuss and give presentations by sitting or standing at one side of the table. Only in inevitable or special situations, personal space of chief is invaded around the table.

Oval Office of the president of the United States of America

In many cabins or offices, a sofa is kept on which chief can seat with officials of an equal or higher rankings, parties, consultants, invited guests or field experts and openly discuss or share view points and establish trust.

 

Glass panels are installed to allow watching entire workspace and the people working and moving outside. Often glasses are tinted dark, allowed boss to look outside but not allowing others to know what's happening inside.

There can be some exceptions to or variations in modern cabins or offices, depending upon type of gender of the boss, geography, industry, organization, working conditions, work culture etc.

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