See What The Desks Of 39 Successful People Look Like

"It's all about transparency. I can see out, and everyone can see in. Things accumulate. As you can see, I keep some books around."

Source: LinkedIn

"I have one big screen connected to a desktop. There's little paper there, since I've arranged pretty much everything online. You'll see a few knickknacks, with some focus on my prior role model, Homer Simpson, and I just acquired something related to my current role model, Grandpa Simpson."

Source: LinkedIn

"My office is decorated with mementos that illustrate my career and educational highlights." Steven surrounds himself with his "favorite things" including #3, a letter from President Obama thanking him for his leadership of the Federal Housing Administration.

Source: LinkedIn

"I sit smack in the middle of the newsroom in an environment that at times is electric; other times, crazy; at no time good for concentration ... I have four computer screens and one TV screen. One screen is devoted entirely to my stocks monitor. Another is email. The other two are work screens with various (often way too many) web browsers open."

Source: LinkedIn

"You can't tell from this angle, but the Capitol is merely a block away. When the weather is nice, it's possible to sit on the rooftop patio and work, with a clear view to the dome. That view never gets old ... it's still awe-inspiring and humbling, every time."

Source: LinkedIn

"Sitting out in the open without barriers or privacy can be distracting but it's certainly worth the rare inconvenience. The openness is significant in its symbolism at the very top."

Source: LinkedIn

"As you can see, I love light and color. Almost all of the artwork and interesting knickknacks in my office came from Fab.com, my very favorite e-commerce site (and portfolio company!). I'm also a big hoops fan and the Jordan jersey was given to me as a gift from the ESPN team when I left Disney."

Source: LinkedIn

"I've had the same desk since the 1980s, and it has seen billions of dollars come and go ... Over my shoulder is a Bloomberg terminal. I've made — and lost — billions of dollars watching that screen ... You're looking at a very messy desk."

Source: LinkedIn

"The scene might not look much like working — you won’t find a suit or tie anywhere, and lots of people are enjoying snacks. Work doesn’t always have to mean timed meetings and official processes. Lots of the best ideas come off the cuff, out of conversations like the one happening in the photo."

Source: LinkedIn

"This is the view behind our office in Mountain View, Calif., when walking along the Shoreline bike path. It's now my preferred venue for 1:1 meetings."

Source: LinkedIn

"I like to inject surprises into my workday, which explains why my office has everything from a J-shaped back-massage tool to a Freudian-inspired therapist chair" for naps and "the hanging chair, which makes long phone conversations more bearable."  

Source: LinkedIn

"Two computers, a cellphone (no desk phone needed), a small bottle of whiskey for the bad surprise, a stash of dark chocolate (82% cocoa) for twice-daily medication, a bottle of Pellegrino water and a pair of analog clocks as a reminder that our business is about art as well as science."

Source: LinkedIn

"You're looking at an office that has no desk, only a round table with all equal chairs, and a collection of items earned, given, and used over the years in its center ... I set it up this way so everyone coming to meet with me feels no control or hierarchy and sees the eye candy that represents our diverse business activities. 

Source: LinkedIn

"Individual IDEO-ers reserve a new desk space every week — meaning you never know who you’ll be sitting next to. This constant flux makes it easier to get inspired by colleagues in other disciplines. You never know when you’ll be sitting next to me!"

Source: LinkedIn

"We're not big on executive perks at Hub Spot — especially offices. Mo offices, mo problems. No office, no problem."

Source: LinkedIn

"To my right is my [alma mater]’s mascot — the Hobart Statesman — and to the left is a garage door that can open or close for meetings. The garage door represents where and how all great Silicon Valley companies started and allows the office to be versatile — and fun!"

Source: LinkedIn

"The ideal walking speed for talking on the phone without getting busted is 0.7 mph. But if I'm writing a document or doing email, then 1.3 mph is my speed of choice."

Source: LinkedIn

"It is important for me that the work space be reflective of my own eclectic global upbringing, while still being inspiring any time I want that small dose of it. The skyline does that for me, jolts me back into the present in case I get too engrossed in work."

Source: LinkedIn

"On my desk sits the Bloomberg Terminal, my lifeline for information on everything from the state of the eurozone to the bio of that pesky guest on TV."

Source: LinkedIn

"My personal mission is to build insanely brilliant and simple products that change people’s lives. Hence, my workspace is filled with team and product memorabilia."

Source: LinkedIn

"I do most of my show standing — it keeps the show moving and besides, I spend most of the rest of my day sitting!"

Source: LinkedIn

"My desk is just a step away from a small, in-office table at which I typically hold 6 to 8 meetings a day, mostly with startups seeking funding or existing portfolio companies. ... It’s very practical. When I’m not meeting with others, I’m just a step away from my computer to catch up on email."

Source: LinkedIn

"I stand at my desk because I’m twice as likely to walk around and talk to others spontaneously. I know. I measured.  And my colleagues are nearly four times as likely to approach me with a thought, a question, or just a hello when I'm standing as compared to when I'm sitting."

Source: LinkedIn

"If you enter it, it doesn't look like an office. People visiting me there get a 'homecoming' feeling. The warm colored carpet on the floor reminds you of a living room. It helps getting the people I work with and myself in a relaxed mood."

Source: LinkedIn

"At Bloomberg, no one has an office, not even our CEO. But, everyone has the luxury of working at their own Bloomberg terminal. When I started working here, I had no idea what I would do with four different screens. Now, I can’t live without them!"

Source: LinkedIn

"Whenever I’m traveling, installing my working spot is the first thing I do when I enter my hotel room. I create a space for myself. For the next few hours or days, it’s the closest thing to home and also my very own situation room."

Source: LinkedIn

"I try to work with clarity, simplicity and portability. That's why you won't see much on my desk. Whenever I have visitors at my cube, the first thing they remark is that it looks like no one uses it. When I travel, sometimes people think it's a vacant space."

Source: LinkedIn

"I work anywhere and everywhere — some of my most impactful blogs have been written on aircraft or waiting at airports. Or, as [in this picture], at the hairdresser's. Whilst I work 'technically' at the RedBalloon office, my leadership team says that I am 'better out than in.' Which means my job is to be out and about — meeting people and building networks for the business."

Source: LinkedIn

"We're not even seated at desks. Instead, we purchased 80 plain flat tables from Ikea. These tables are arranged in quads ... without any partitions or walls."

Source: LinkedIn

"I like to think the open floor plan has a practical, positive impact: that the protected expanse behind me and the view of nature outdoors liberates my mind."

Source: LinkedIn

"On the left is the glass wall in my office that allows me to feel connected to the dynamic and brilliant team at Taproot while providing the sound privacy unfortunately required. My team is amazing and watching them work gives me tremendous energy."

Source: LinkedIn

"You can see my personal office in the top left corner of the photo above. My office door slides open and remains open during the workday, to invite employees to enter my office and share their thoughts."

Source: LinkedIn

"Like most startup offices, we have an open floor plan, which allows for non-stop collaboration and interaction among the various teams."

Source: LinkedIn

"Ciplex has two bullpen areas where most employees work. This is so employees can see each other and are motivated, as they are surrounded by others who are also working. This setup allows for productivity in the office, as it is key to be surrounded by like-minded, motivated team members with the opportunity to physically work together in large teams and/or break out into clear space when needed."

Source: LinkedIn

"I have a virtual company with our whole team spread across the U.S. I never go into my real office. It's boring and there's no one to talk with, so I work out of my home office in Laguna Beach, CA. I get nothing done when I look at the ocean, so instead work in the back of the house looking at the back yard."

Source: LinkedIn

"I have a post-it note taped to the monitor that says:  3pm - Floss - Drink water - Stretch  and I have an alarm on my computer that fires at 3pm. I try to remember to do that every day, though I'm not great at it."

Source: LinkedIn

"I set up my office this way because I face Long Island Sound and keep everything — except the dogs — behind me so as not to block the view. The glass desk is a remnant of my 'less is more' phase, but I'd really love to find a handcrafted wooden desk."

Source: LinkedIn

"All my work is done virtually. My computer is the hub of my workspace. Since I interact with clients via HD livestreaming, I need a camera (it's perched on top of the monitor, but you can't see it too well), a high-end microphone (that's the scary-looking thing on the right), and a keyboard."

Source: LinkedIn

"I like working on planes. Why? Firstly when I am in our Atlanta or London office I am always in meetings with the team. When I work from home my wife is always asking me to fix something that is broken! On a plane no one can talk to me! The phone doesn’t ring and I have some time to think and write."

Source: LinkedIn

Click here to see the office of the future >