Political Dilemmas at Work: How to Maintain Your Integrity and Further Your Career

Chapter Twelve

CULTURE SHOCK

In your new organization, you are unable to make things happen and are failing to get the results you expect.

 

 

 

 

The opportunity to join a new organization or group is an exciting time when we expect to be able to deliver value and reward our recruiters for their wise decision in selecting us. Our desire for results motivates us to deploy all of our skills to quickly make our mark on the new organization. But joining an established group presents a unique set of challenges.

The pressure is on to get results quickly. We need to get to know new people, some of whom may have worked together for years. What do we do when we don’t seem to click and relationships start to falter? If we start to feel isolated the pressure rises. Often, we will try harder and rely on what has worked for us in the past. But what if this only makes things worse? Our success can start to seem like a distant dream. We need to take a step back and do something different if we experience a culture shock.

The Culture Shock Dilemma

Right, I’ve had enough—something is going wrong here. This is the third time this quarter that I’ve been rejected by the New Business Committee. This is chaired by Bill, my boss, and meets once a month to consider major new market proposals. As the new kid on the block, having one proposal rejected is okay, two may be a little careless, but three—that’s serious. Three strikes and you’re out! Maybe it’s too late for me, but ...