First Day

So today was my first day at the new library system. There are so many things that are different about this organization than what I'm used to- and not in a bad way. It's almost like when you go down south and are there for a little while, you just pick up on the fact that things function in a different manner down there versus the way we do it up north. It's just...different.

That being said, I have to catch myself when I immediately want to revert back to my "old way" or shall I say the Worthington Way of doing things. Somebody at my new library said today that they don't mind change, they just want to know it's for a good reason, and not just because that's the way it's done somewhere else. And I think that's a valid point. I think people need to understand why changes are taking place- how it will benefit the organization, or more importantly, the mission of the organization, which should ultimately support the community it serves.

So during my day today, I found myself jotting things down (not nearly as much as I should have) of just ideas to ponder, things to think about as I tackle the new job. Most of the ideas are what we call low-hanging-fruit, or quick fixes that could either serve the public quicker or faster, or allow people to communicate more efficiently. Nothing is catastrophic, but I have a feeling that my new workplace has a lot of people who (understandably so) get nervous about changes.

Change is hard. First off, it's hard to take any sort of advice that comes unsolicited, particularly if you have been doing something one way for a very long time and it's served you just fine. I think about Employee Evaluations or overall "constructive criticism" and how hard it is to hear those things that you don't want to know. It sucks. I mean, I was told back in 2007 that I was a semi-lousy communicator. I don't know if I necessarily agree with that claim, but suggesting to me that I could improve upon that skill allowed me to better communicate with my (then) boss and work better within the organization. Yea, I still may hold a tiny grudge for the unsolicited advice but hey, I learned from it. The whole CYA (cover your a$$) way of thinking is a good way to go if you ask me. And had I not learned that from hearing it the hard way (employee evaluation) I never would've learned and I would still just be a crappy communicator, likely in the same paraprofessional job I had back then. Live and learn. Or as my USMC brothers would say, "Buy a box of straws and suck it the *expletive* up".

So anyhow, I have a million things floating through my head right now, and as I learn the ropes of a new system, I am being careful to learn and observe and not suggest too much. It's also forcing me to ask myself, "Well why did WE do it this way?" Which to me, is a good way to critically think about the way I work. And I'm a nerd, so I like that.

Basically to sum up, I'm super pumped about the new place, because I see tons of opportunity for growth. With growth there's bound to be growing pains, and I'm sure to be on the receiving end of some of them, but I'm determined to learn what I can.

More later- and hopefully I'll have details on projects and whatnot as well. :)