I’m sure we can all remember the first day of a new job: stepping out the door for the first time and butterflies in tow. In our initial knowledge, we know what the title is and a vague description of what the position entails. In most cases, there is a training program to educate new employees on how things are run and the protocols that must be followed to make the workplace more efficient. Many times, there is a superior to whom we interact directly and receive direction.
After a few days or weeks, we know the rules and have much of the information necessary to complete our new job. We start to feel confident in our position and feel more comfortable knowing what is expected of us. Some along the way might ask, but we know exactly where to go to get the answers we seek; our superior is in charge. The guessing game is over and the nervous butterflies are gone. At that time, it is possible to begin to flourish in our new environment in which we spend most of our time.
Imagine if you were to begin the same new job that did not have a training program in place: there is little to no supervision and no rules to obey. We would be left to guess what our responsibilities are on a daily basis, without anyone to guide us and to help us along with our new position. It is possible to be reprimanded for choosing the wrong course of action all while never being taught what it was that we were to do in the first place. The workplace would be a big guessing game of never really knowing exactly what are the job duties and how to do them correctly and efficiently.
How can we as humans in this environment flourish? How can we learn in an environment such as this when we come home every day worrying and nervous that something will go wrong and yet never really getting the answers we need to make it right? When will the butterflies go away? How would we ever achieve the ability to feel confident and comfortable in such a type of environment and to thrive at work? How can we expect our dogs to go? Imagine living the rest of your life as your first day in a new job.
