Wardle describes being a newcomer to an activity system as an individual with their

own unique identity built of different layers of complex participative experiences and reification
projections. Newcomers in the workplace have different modes of belonging: engagement,
imagination and alignment. Engagement has to do with interpersonal relationships amongst
colleagues, imagination involves broadening or expanding an individual's ideas of oneself or the
world, and alignment is associated with finding common ground and boundaries within ones
identity. Participating in new communities requires an accepting of ones identities and where
they rightfully belong. Newcomers must also abide by the set rules and respect authority, as well
as learn how to speak with authority. A newcomer must understand how to speak in ways that are
acceptable in particular circumstances and recognize what is appropriate or relevant. Based on
my own experiences, I have have been a newcomer to a workplace where I had to create
interpersonal relationships and understand the boundaries of coworkers and their identities, as
well as my own. Authority in my place of work was confusing because all of the employees
answered to a General manager but specifically the hostess/cashiers answered to a head
hostess. I felt that all of the hostesses should have the same amount of power and obey the rules
given by the General Manager. I had to understand what was appropriate to say to customers and
colleagues in certain situations to not create any conflict or breakdown.