The Ropes to Skip and
the Ropes to Learn
Survival Strategies in New Job
Settings
Angela Madden and Joanne Oud, Wilfrid
Laurier University
Starting a new job:

Day 1: Isn’t this great!

Day 10: What have I gotten myself
into??
Things to learn in a new job:

Job tasks: Easy! You know some
already and get training for others; “the
ropes to skip”

Culture: Hard! Difficult to figure out
and causes most problems; “the ropes
to learn”
Organizational culture:
The taken for granted assumptions in
an organization
 “the way we do things around here”
 Every organization has one
 Every organization’s culture is different

Culture shock!
When encountering a new culture:
The old rules for figuring things out don’t
work any more
 Things seem strange and unfamiliar
 You have to learn new rules that work in
the new environment

Advice for success
1.
2.
Expect some culture shock (it’s
normal)
Understand the learning process
Surprise
Others’
reaction
Learning
Responding
Advice for success (cont.)
3.
Don’t leap before you look:
– Understand how your library’s culture
works to avoid major mistakes
3 levels of culture

Level 1: artifacts (detectable behaviour and
processes)

Level 2: stated values (conscious and
documented goals, philosophies, etc)

Level 3: assumptions (unconscious, taken
for granted beliefs and feelings)
How to interpret what you see

Behaviour doesn’t always match stated
values: confusing for newcomers

Interpret behaviour by examining
underlying assumptions in your
organization’s culture
Figuring out your new culture

Observe, ask questions about
– Physical space/layout
– Stories/history
– Structure and procedures
– Etc

See handout for suggestions
More advice for success
4.
Be proactive: don’t rely on others
5.
Come up with a strategy to get what
you need to do well
6.
Ask questions: be specific
More advice for success (cont.)
7.
Take advantage of being new: ask
naïve questions
8.
Don’t take early conflict or mistakes
personally: they result from culture
shock
9.
Find and use a support network
More advice for success (cont.)
10.
Find a mentor
11.
Seek feedback, both formal and informal
12.
Set realistic goals; be patient
13.
Recognize successes as well as mistakes:
stay positive
What is success?
Functioning well
NOT
Fitting in
Angela Madden amadden@wlu.ca
Joanne Oud joud@wlu.ca