What comes to your mind once you see a clipboard inside the office? Just what thought comes when you see this piece of wood, or plastic, or metal, or other other hard material? Is it more paper, more trash? Do you think of good-looking people walking around in the office, writing down notes? What makes you stir every time you see the clipboard? I'll tell you what I think. When I see a clipboard, I think of authority.
Yep, perhaps it is one of those people that we would like to see as rarely as possible. The person holding the clipboard does not have to be your direct boss. He or she may be in the form not of a boss but of, say, an inspector. It may be an inspector from the government, or it may be an inspector from your big boss' office. Whoever he or she is, I am sure you will agree with me that you'd rather work alone that have him/her looking behind your back, watching if you are doing your work well.
These kind of people, however, serve their purpose, and that is to strike a balance and ensure that you and your coworkers do their jobs. You cannot blame your big bosses, anyway, if they just want to ensure that they are getting their money's worth. You cannot blame the government as well because they just want to make sure that your company is adhering to standards set.
In the end, of course, the number of inspectors sent to your office will be nothing if you will make sure that you are doing your job well. Even though authority in the office can be a scary (irritating?) thought, nothing will happen as long as everything is in good condition.