Deviant

25/6/2020

‘Will not conform.’ (Christian Biker)

Misfit. Outsider. Square peg in a round hole. Rocks the boat. Shakes the tree. Breaks the mould. You may have worked with one. You may be one. There are different types of deviance; configured around, 'acceptance or rejection of cultural values and goals' on the one hand and, 'acceptance or rejection of conventional ways to achieve them' on the other (Robert Merton). This means that, if you consider me disruptive, it’s likely to be because I challenge what you want and/or do, and/or how you do it.

A deviant person can feel very uncomfortable to be around, unsettling as a colleague and difficult to manage. The answer to the question, ‘Is he or she a good fit?’ will be a resounding, ‘No’. A deviant person is a testing stone that reveals a contrasting norm; and he/she may galvanise a sense of shared identity and purpose among those who do fit: ‘We are X, not Y’. An oft-unquestioned assumption is that the defiant-dissident should change to fit in, and not that prevailing goals or culture should change.

Yet constructive divergence can be a critical catalyst for transformation: ‘I’m proud to be maladjusted’ (Martin Luther King); ‘Well-behaved women rarely make history’ (Eleanor Roosevelt). Performance enhancers look for positive deviants that display exceptional qualities, then seek to replicate them. Psychological coaches help people to learn from their positive deviant experiences: ‘when the problem isn’t a problem’ (Mark Tyrrell). Radical leaders invite positive deviance to innovate, to break through.

How deviant is your thinking and practice? How do you enable positive deviance in others?

32 Comments

Simon Parker

25/6/2020 10:00:35 pm

Is being deviant a one-time thing or a way of life? Do you want to be deviant because you can't find anything right? Or because you want to point out a different way of thinking?

Nick Wright

25/6/2020 10:13:44 pm

Hi Simon. I think those are such good questions. I'm curious: what would you offer as answers to those questions?

Some people regard themselves, or are regarded, as 'deviant' because they can't find a way to fit in a group, or a team, or a society. If they can't feel a sense of belonging, or can't achieve success in such environments, they may resort to negative deviant behaviours as a means to gain attention, strike back or impress others who share a similar mindset or experience.

In other situations, such as that of Martin Luther King, a person or group may refuse to conform to perceived cultural norms because they believe that to do so would be to collude with and perpetuate, e.g. injustice. In this case, they regard the situation itself as problematic and in need of change, rather than individuals as in need of change to adjust to it.

25/6/2020 10:23:31 pm

Thank you for you answer, Nick.
Of course, each of us has a different opinion that is discussed and that not everyone will understand. But some people basically have an attitude of never agreeing with the majority. I feel sorry for these people, if it seems to be their purpose in life, to always have to be against it.
To have a positive influence by thinking and acting deviant or calling for it is courageous and admirable and so necessary!

25/6/2020 10:38:07 pm

Thank you, Simon. Yes, if a person habitually takes an adversarial stance on whatever issue is under discussion, we can ask what need, e.g. in their own psychological, relational or cultural world, this type of behaviour fulfils for them.

That's very different to taking a 'deviant' stance on an issue that matters deeply to a person or group in order to achieve a better outcome, or perhaps a better way to achieve it. This can, at times, call for considerable personal courage.

Lakshmidevi Vasudevan

26/6/2020 12:30:53 pm

Interesting Nick! Thanks for sharing.
I got in touch with a speech that I heard between a actor/politician(Cho Ramaswamy) and a poet(Vaali). The poet(Renowned poet/saint -Bharathiyar) views a scene and gets angry, expresses his thoughts! (If there is no food for an individual, let's burn the world). It's a poetic expression. During his times, he was considered as an outsider. The world celebrates him now as a greatest poet.
He was far ahead in his thoughts for that time period.
I see my mentor also as a person who is extremely intuitive and lives ahead in times. It takes time for a reasoning mind to grasp that. And when some clarity comes, they go far ahead again...:-)
For me it took years to nourish my own creative child to see it in others. Though I always have a fascination to be an outsider but yet insider. I am living both!
But it's a beautiful journey to dance between the spectrum of conformity and non-conformity. The tensions in that are tough to witness and go through.
Whenever I have even acknowledged it in others, it enables them multifold. It's a spark! Sometimes I also feel their true nature is unstoppable. (Like the poet. He never stopped writing because the world did not accept him)
The picture that you have chosen in this also says that we are unable to see or we can choose to see what we want to see. But is it truly the other person what he/she is? :-)

26/6/2020 12:42:54 pm

Thank you for sharing such interesting reflections, Lakshmidevi. I was particularly struck by your insight that people who are at times viewed in their own lifetime as 'deviant' - and not in a positive way - are sometimes viewed very differently in retrospect; as if they had had an insight ahead of their time which only made sense, or found 'fit', or was discovered to be valuable, once the world had moved on too.

Yes, to persevere in the face of rejection, misunderstanding or mistrust can take great patience, humility, courage and faith. I am reminded of great influencers in my own life such as Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King - all of whom faced extraordinary opposition (that, to be honest, would terrify me) and yet refused to give in or to conform to the accepted norms of the day.

26/6/2020 01:10:33 pm

True. It is terrifying. Thanks for articulating it so well.

26/6/2020 03:19:00 pm

Thank you, Lakshmidevi. Interestingly, I read these words of Jesus this morning that resonated profoundly with this theme: 'Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.' Here's an example today of someone I know who lives this literally:

*Safe: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/safe
*Whatever: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/whatever9279513

Sara Hoode link

26/6/2020 12:51:15 pm

For me it is a question of ‘intent’ if the deviant behaviour is intended only to shock and draw attention to oneself then to me that would indicate a significant need that isn’t being met in a constructive manner. However, if the intention is working towards a common goal and the deviant behaviour is just a new radical way to reach a solution then I believe this behaviour is in fact not just desirable but essential. This type of behaviour is what creates innovation, fresh ideas and can be vital in keeping a company viable in an ever changing world. It falls to the leadership to encourage free thinking and openness to new ideas, to foster an environment where different approaches and ideas are explored for possible improvements, where employees can feel valued for their input. Often the greatest success is achieved when a company isn’t afraid to go ‘against the grain’, these are often the companies that continue to succeed when competitors stagnate. My personal belief is that when a company hires on the basis of common values, the need for conformity is reduced, and an environment is established where everyone is working towards the same goal but possibly in very varied ways.

26/6/2020 03:30:46 pm

Hi Sara. Well said. Yes, there is a great deal of difference between a person who is, for whatever reason, routinely obstructive - and a person who is willing to break the rules to achieve a better outcome.

I worked with an HR expert, Chris Rowe, who spoke of the value of a 'tight-loose' continuum when making decisions in this area. Sometimes, we need to ensure 'tight' conformity (e.g. to health and safety procedures in high-risk environments); at other times we need to encourage 'loose' adherence to rules - and to actively support bending and breaking them (e.g. to create innovative solutions).

I really like your comment: 'when a company hires on the basis of common values, the need for conformity is reduced, and an environment is established where everyone is working towards the same goal but possibly in very varied ways.' It explains one of the risks if we try to convert values into prescriptive, uniform behaviours; except in environments where 'tight' is priority and appropriate.

Carol Kauffman PhD PCC

1/7/2020 03:36:11 pm

This is very interesting.

1/7/2020 03:36:22 pm

Thank you Carol. I'm intrigued. Can you say more..?

Oluyemi Oshinowo

1/7/2020 03:37:15 pm

Thank you for this.

1/7/2020 03:37:48 pm

Hi Oluyemi. You're welcome!

David Cope

1/7/2020 04:02:24 pm

Interesting stuff! I might start the process by using a different word as the start point?

1/7/2020 04:22:30 pm

Thanks David. I'm interested. Can you say more..?

1/7/2020 04:37:05 pm

I imagine the word 'deviant' would be seen as negative in most eyes whereas 'agent provocateur' might be seen as positive (and, I accept, perhaps a little clumsy and pretentious).

1/7/2020 04:39:06 pm

Thanks David. Yes - indeed. I used the word provocatively to evoke the sense of dissonance that an 'agent provocateur' can create in those they encounter.

Rebecca Hartnell

1/7/2020 04:48:21 pm

Hello Nick. Liking these words very much. Thank You. It’s taken me a long time to appreciate my ‘deviant’ qualities. Disruptive, Catalyst, Truth Speaker... these have not always been welcomed in the past. Now, choosing when and where to air these qualities means they can be used well and with potency.

1/7/2020 04:50:53 pm

Thank you, Rebecca. You sound like a good example of a positive deviant! On that theme, you may find this short related piece resonates with your experience? http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/disruptive-influence

1/7/2020 05:02:18 pm

Nick, yup! That’s me! So long as the relationship is, contacted and consensual, trust-filled and robust, there is all sorts of room to play. It brings me joy to enable others to see things in beautiful new ways. I shall henceforth refer to myself as a ‘positive deviant’. That should get their attention.

1/7/2020 05:04:27 pm

Hi Rebecca. I agree. Clear contracting and trust can make all the difference. Now you mention it, 'positive deviant' would make a great job title...and it would certainly draw attention!

1/7/2020 06:25:08 pm

*amends current title* on LinkedIn 🤣

1/7/2020 06:26:21 pm

😎

Dr. Siva Mahendran

13/7/2020 06:12:10 pm

Deviance by nature or nurtured into being deviant, that is the question. All deviance depends on whether it is occidental or accidental by nature. Both ways may lead to positive or negative experiences or results which may or may not help the individual and others eventually. The id in all of us may surface from time to time and that could be viewed as deviance too.

13/7/2020 06:14:26 pm

Hi Siva. Interesting: 'deviance by nature or nurtured into being deviant.' It's also possible to be deviant by choice. The motivation that lays behind my choice will also influence whether the outcome is perceived and experienced as helpful - or not - by others.

Mark Kunze, Ph.D.

15/7/2020 12:04:32 pm

This is something that has been on my mind lately. If a selection system is designed to select those who are most like the organization's "best" performers, who will it miss? Someone who will possibly make a huge difference in the way that the entire organization performs? Those would be the "false negatives," the outliers on the scatterplot, the ones who go to our competitors and help them beat us, the ones that we are trying to train the system not to miss. And yet ... it will still miss some of them.

15/7/2020 12:22:34 pm

Hi Mark. Well said. You touch on a number of important issues here, including implicit assumptions and filters that people and organisations apply in e.g. competency frameworks, recruitment and selection, performance management and development, appraisal, promotion criteria etc. It's an area where diversity and critical reflexivity can make a phenomenal difference. These short related pieces may be of interest?

http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/spots
http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/critical-reflexivity
http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/stealth

15/7/2020 01:59:17 pm

Thanks Nick. After reading your blog posts, I see that we are of like minds. I believe that it's a good thing to be taken out of one's "reality" so that one's eyes may be open to alternate viewpoints. While there are numerous real-life examples of this, I always think back to the movie "The Game," where Michael Douglas is taken out of his staid rich existence and plunged into an alternate world that brings him to life again.

15/7/2020 02:05:36 pm

Thanks Mark. I haven't seen that film but it sounds interesting. In my experience, there can be a high personal cost to running against the grain. Nevertheless, it's about being authentic and, in my world, true to our calling. You may find this short piece resonates too? http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/disruptive-influence

Dave Stone

21/7/2020 10:43:29 am

Hi Nick. When I see someone willing to run against the grain, I view it as exercising a form of leadership. What do you think?

21/7/2020 10:47:44 am

Hi Dave. I think that's a great point. It depends partly on what how we think of leadership. If a person were to behave in such a way that contrasted with a prevailing culture, for instance, and if others were to follow his or her example, we could think of that person as exercising leadership - whether intentionally or with awareness or not. Sometimes, a person may exercise leadership simply by being willing to take and, perhaps, advocate for a novel stance. On this wider question of personal leadership and counter-culture, you may find this short related piece interesting? http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/developing-personal-leadership

Deviant

Leave a Reply.

Nick Wright

Archives

Categories

Deviant

Leave a Reply.

​Nick Wright

​Archives

Categories

Nick Wright

Archives