Identity seems so firmly intertwined with authority, especially in the workplace regardless of what role you take on. There is a sentiment as a new worker to know your role or stay in your lane. That does not mean you always keep your head down. It is okay to make waves and try to stand out in a positive way. But knowing your role can help you do that in ways that aren’t disruptive or counterproductive. Alan tried to break that mold, whether it was a conscious effort to do so for authority purposes or not, he did. That made him hated and undermined any authority he had to begin with. https://enculturation.net/5_2/pdf/wardle.pdf
Authority to me not only comes from knowing to write acceptably for your workplace but it also comes with doing your job well. I have found that it is easier to establish credibility and authority and begin to do things differently and voice my own thoughts when I have solidified my own standard of work that has become acceptable and appreciated both by superiors and subordinates alike. Oftentimes I find that authority is ceded when you use poor communication practices. This can even be true in personal life. If you do not pay close enough attention to what someone is really saying or at work to what your position is asking you to do you can lose authority through misrepresentation of yourself in that role.
Wardle also presents the reader with identity being shaped in the workplace by engaging, imagining, and aligning. I agree with her points of engaging because that allows you to be involved and become respected. Imagining to me is understanding the piece you are in a greater puzzle or machine. Without this, you may not understand the worth of your work. However, alignment is described as negotiating perspectives especially when they conflict as much as negotiating differing perspectives is done I do not believe is necessary to be successful at a workplace but it is useful to know where you can misalign and still be sure not to be marginalized for it. For example, maybe Alan did not agree with how he was being used in his role. He was seen as a tool to keep computers running for others. Although he misused his role and saw himself as a sort of overlord, he could have instead chosen to be a more concise communicator and maybe not view those around him as subordinates. As important as it was for Alan to notify others about what he was doing for them he did not do this in an organized way. For someone who had the tools and skills with technology, he never used them to check his own emails or be sure that those he was contacting were the proper groups. I think Alan should listen to those around him more and maybe not get so comfortable in his role. If there is anything I have learned working any job, it is that you always have more to learn and it is important to gauge the perception that others have on your performance. Alan should have been able to gauge this just from the sheer lack of feedback he received.
To read more about a breakdown of Alan’s mishaps and writing in the workplace, check out https://eng2020.chrisfriend.us/blog/discourse-communities/identity/daweswa/identity-authority-and-learning-to-write-in-new-workplaces-article/.
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