In Elizabeth Wardles’ “Identity, Authority, and Learning to Write in New Workplaces,” she mentions Alan, a computer support specialist who is new to the school. In this reading, he is shown as a tool. He belittles his colleagues and always makes sure they know he is better than them. I am not an Alan.
Say I am also like Alan and I started a new job, I am willing to adapt and team up with my colleagues, while Alan struggles by resisting feedback and truly not adapting to his environment. In every new environment I encounter, I know the importance of respecting and learning from different people around me. I seek out the expectations that are expected of me and treat my colleagues with respect, Alan doesn’t do any of that, he thinks he’s much better than everyone else, because of his experience with technology. In the passage, we can see Alan has some sort of attachment to being an authority figure/expert. As I don’t do that, I always keep an open mind and never see myself with authority over anyone.
I know the type that Alan is, and I currently work with one. He is the definition of a tool. I work for a small family business, which also has their family working for them. This guy thinks he is the boss 24/7, and if something doesn’t go his way he will scream at everyone until it does. He will not wear the uniform we are all provided he rather wear a muscle tee and some basketball shorts. He will help out, but he will guilt-trip you in the process. But if we go to the boss there is nothing they can do because he is family.
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