New Employee Orientation Storytelling Discussion

Week 4 Discussion 2: New Employee Orientation

Stories are imaginative and evocative ways of illustrating culture—ways no corporate manual can rival. New employees and volunteers have a special need for storytelling, as they become indoctrinated into the organizational culture, learning the unspoken rules for how to succeed and what to avoid.

Imagine you have been asked to give a brief talk at your organization’s New Employee Orientation. You are asked to “share a little bit about what it has been like for you to work for this organization.” Compose a story that will allow a new cultural member to gain key insight into the norms and expectations of the group.

Note: You are not obligated to reveal your current employer or current position within a company and may fabricate information for the purpose of this discussion.

To prepare for this Discussion, pay particular attention to the following Learning Resources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xsvGYIxJok&list=PL_srJgw0n3eHlPe-n0L5fCcIl4x9o99Iw&index=6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU&list=PL_srJgw0n3eHlPe-n0L5fCcIl4x9o99Iw

Post a cohesive response to the following:

• Practice storytelling in this context (orienting a new employee), by describing what it has been like for you to work for the organization.
• Analyze how your story conveys key insights into the norms and expectations of the organization.
• Assess the effectiveness of storytelling for this purpose and what you have learned that can impact your effectiveness as a leader within an organization.

Note: As a reminder, you should not reveal your current employer or current position within a company, and/or you may fabricate information for the purpose of this Discussion.

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to the week’s Learning Resources, as well as other credible resources you have read; or what you have observed and experienced.

General Guidance: Your original post, due by Day 5, will typically be 1 single full page in length, as a general expectation/estimate. Refer to the Week 4 Discussion 2 Rubric for grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use the rubric to assess your work.