A Newcomer Gains Power: An Analysis of the Role of Rhetorical Expertise

Abstract

Theories of organizational power explain how an entry-level employee in a hierarchically structured organization was able to have a significant impact on her workplace. These theories tell us that one way to gain power is by demonstrating some type of expertise that is valued within the organization. This case study of an auditor who was an expert writer will demonstrate how her expertise led to changes within the organization. As a young woman at the lowest professional level in a male-dominated bureaucratic organization, she would not have been expected to gain power. However, her rhetorical expertise-her awareness of the importance of audience and purpose, and her knowledge of what to say and how to say itgave her the power to revise the processes by which her organization did its work, to rewrite the job descriptions of the managers within the organization, and to create a unique role for herself within the workgroup.hen we think about newcomers entering an organization, we think Wabout how much they have to learn, the socialization process they will have to go through, the possibilities for advancement that may be open to them, the treatment they will receive at the hands of their colleagues and supervisors, and, perhaps, how they might go about gaining some power for themselves. We don't, however, have a great deal of research to rely on for answers to our questions in these areas.Part of the problem is that it isn't easy to gain access to organizational sites. For this-reason, much of the research that we do have about newcomers focuses on the experiences of student interns or cooperative education students (see, for example,

Book review: Writing for Professional Development - Ortoleva, G., Bétrancourt, M., & Billett, S. (Eds.). (2016). Writing for professional development (Studies in Writing, Vol. 32). Leiden/Boston: Brill | ISBN-13 978-90-04-26482-3 | DOI: 10.1163/9789004264830

“…This body of research could have supplemented contributors' ideas about writing in the professions-providing richer source materials from which to discuss issues such as the following:  Professional genres (Bhatia, 1993;Boettger, 2014;Freedman & Adam, 1996;Miller, 1984)  Multimodality, information design, and visual communication (Carliner, 2000;Malamed, 2009;Schriver, 1997;2012)  Perceptions of errors in writing on-the-job (Gray & Heuser, 2003)  Developing rhetorical skills for workplace writing (Katz, 1998;Savage & Dragga, 2000)  Transitioning from school to the workplace (Anson & Forsberg, 1990;Beaufort, …”

“Bring the Newbie Into the Fold”: Politeness Strategies of Newcomers and Existing Group Members Within Workplace Meetings

“…Katz (1998aKatz ( , 1998bKatz ( , 1998c, in a series of articles, has explored how newcomers to a group learn to become appropriate writers for the organization and how newcomers can use rhetorical expertise to gain power and influence within organizations. However, beyond Katz's studies, we must turn to the fields of business, psychology, and organizational communication to gain a better understanding of how newcomers become integrated into professional work groups.…”

In Search of Subtlety

“…Shotter (1993) refers to practical-moral settings in the sense that actors must demonstrate their fitting to the practical and moral expectations and rights of a particular context. Katz (1998) describes rhetorical expertise as involving "strategies for invention and organization to respond appropriately to the intended audience for an intended purpose" (p. 422; emphasis added). More recently, Sillince (2006) has highlighted the importance of salience in shaping how identities are employed according to circumstances and immediate priorities.…”