Why the world needs more rebels

Why the world needs mora rebelsWhy the world needs more rebelsSo few want to be rebels anymore. And out of those few, most, like myself, scare easily.? RayBradburyWhere have all the rebelsgone?Think of any neuheit that changed how any organization operates. Im willing to bet the driving force behind it wasnt conformity, but curiosity.Without rebellion, theres no change. Curiosity is the spark behind the spark of a great idea. Ignorance starts all fires someone asks a questions no one else dared before.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe companies that encourage rebel behaviors achievebetter outcomes. If conformity is the enemy of innovation, why are rebels so scarce then?Maybe leaders dont know how to deal with troublemakers they feel threatened.Without Trouble, theres NoChangeOriginality is the best form of rebellion.? MikeSassoCompanies are a living paradox. They want to be mo re innovative, yet expect their employees to conform to norms.Less than 10%of employees think their employer regularly encourages nonconformity.Organizations are leid designed for innovation but to reward conformity. The more people respect the rules and whats expected of them, the better. The pressure to conform gets worse as we climb the corporate ladder.Half of employees feel the need to conform to their workplace norms, according toresearchby Francesca Gino, a professor at Harvard Business School. Even worse, more than half of interviewees think thatno onein their organization questions the status quo.Conformity is a cultural thing it makes us feel accepted and part of the majority. Its nice to be agreeable too. However, what a vibrant, healthy world need istrouble.Saying no when everyone else agrees, is leid being a contrarian. It requires courage to speak against groupthink. Nonconformism triggers creativity.Troublemakers are rare and brave they make the world a better place. According to professor Charlan Nemeth, we all benefit when someone else presents a thoughtful contrarian view.Disagreement neutralizes groupthink.Its a benefit regardless of whether or not dissenters hold the truth, Nemeth explains in her bookIn Defense of Troublemakers.Most people are afraid andthey dont speak up. The research really shows us that, even if its wrong, the fact that the majority or the consensus is challenged actually stimulates thinking.Troublemakers are not rebels without a cause they want to liberate humanity from mediocrity and injustice. They create a generous, better space for everyone.Mahatma Gandhi led the Indian people toward independence through non-violent resistance. Abraham Lincoln fought to abolish slavery in the U.S. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired a movement to overcome racism and segregation. The Suffragettes fought for womens right to vote.By trying not to offend others, we can cause more harm than good.Thats what Nemeth uncovered by studying juries , airline crews, businesses, and teams in general. Dissent provides clarity we make better decisions.When we worry, we lose our ability to engage in an honest conversation. As Nemeth said, We have to stop being polite if it means being dishonest about what we believe.Nonconformism is painful but essential. It stimulates us to think more broadly, deeply, and honestly.Rebels Are Agents ofChangeOrganizations misunderstand the power of rebellious people they see the trouble, not the possibilities.True rebels are not crazy or out of control. Their actions are not meant to defeat the current regime, but to improve it. They dont break the rules because they want to, but because they have to. Rebels want to lead people to a better future.In her new book,Rebel Talent, Francesca Gino shares the secrets of being a rebel in life and at work.Apples Steve Jobs, Pixars Ed Catmull, film director Ava Duvernay, magician Harry Houdini, and Walt Disney reminds us that rebels are all around us. As the b ehavioral scientist explains, you dont have to be born a Rebel we can all become one.Rebels know how to break the habits that hold us back they fight groupthink and routines.Companies must reframe their relationships with rebels they are not a threat but the best allywise leaderscan have.As Francesca Gino said,To be a rebel does not mean you have to be an outcast or a troublemaker. Effective rebels are people who break rules in ways that are positive and productive.Rebels fight limits they break, transform, and create beyond the norm.Since childhood, we are taught to conform. At school, we learn to choose certainty over doubt. Organizations teach people to do things in a certain way, not to question.Rebels defy groupthink they share five traits novelty, curiosity, perspective, diversity, and authenticity.Innovative companies encourage rebel talent. They continually challenge employees to do new tasks or find new ways to operate. Embracing rebels generates better business results.So, why do leaders still want to shoot the messenger?Dont Kill theRebelWith rebellion, awareness is born? AlbertCamusNonconformity signals separate rebels from the rest.According to theRed Sneaker Effect, observers judge nonconformists as having a higher status than those who abide by the norms.Whether its a CEO who makes the rounds of Wall Street in a hoodie and jeans, a presenter who creates her own PowerPoint template rather than using her companys, or a keynote speaker who wears red sneakers nonconformists are considered superior.Why is it that only a few leaders encourage deviant behaviors?Research shows that just a few weeks of acting against the norms can boost our self-esteem. People who were encouraged to speak up, to be themselves, and express their own opinions feel more confident.When facilitating ateam offsite, I witness this transformation directly. When people feel free from limitations, they not only liberate their true selves they become unstoppable. Performance, colla boration, and innovation boost when people dont feel the pressure to conform.Organizations silence troublemakers they see rebellions as acoup detat, not as the path toward betterment.Dont confuse behavior with intention. Resistance and unhappiness are a signal. Disengaged employees are not a disease, but a symptom.Complainers are not necessarily trying to boycott your company they speakon behalf of the group.Dont kill the rebels find out whats the message they aretrying to tell you.Being rebellious is not an attitude but a habit. It requires courage to speak up when everyone else stays silent. Troublemakers have grown their confidence muscles by standing up against conformity.However, being a rebel is exhausting. Your team cannot rely on just a few voices. Its not fair to leave that responsibility to the usual troublemakers.Purposeful revolutions are contagious.Rebels have a strong reputation people respect their authenticity and passion. Its not easy to stand up against criticism. Generous troublemakers inspire others to speak up too. They turn conformity into the new normal.How to Liberate the Rebel within YourTeam1. Make it tresor to be a non-conformistChallenging the status-quo requires more than drive. Organizations must provide a safe space for people to speak up.Southwest Airlines created a safe, high-engagement workplace by respecting human nature. It allowed employees to speak up and decide how to best do their work. They just had to follow one rule be aligned with the companys purpose safety for everyone.AFearless Cultureis the foundation for dissent, honesty, and transparency. Remove the fear of retaliation make it okay to be a rebel.2. Allow people to be themselvesMost people are quite capable of creative thinking andproblem-solving.The Chicago Public Library wanted to become more innovative. Working with them, we noticed that the team lacked creative talent. But, when coaching them, we realized many of the staff were writers, painters, inventors b ut outside work.The organization didnt need to hire creative talent they just needed to let people bring their rebel spirit to work.3. Encourage people to break therulesRules are meant to bring clarity and enable people. Unfortunately, most of them focus on telling people what they cant do, rather than liberating their best self.Hannah Vaughn Setzer was born with arare cyst condition. Experts advised her parents that she wouldnt survive birth. She defied the doctors prognosis the 28-year-old woman has become a disability rights advocate and health blogger.Rebels dont let others define their limits they break the rules with intentionality and purpose, asI wrote here.4. FailSmartMistakes dont just welcome breakthrough they are a necessary path toward innovation. You cant discover a new solution without failing. You must first find 10,000 ways that something wont work, as Thomas A. Edison allegedly said.Foster happy accidents. Mistakes are lessonsin disguise.Rebels welcome all the idea s that flow from a mistake-friendly culture.Dont fail fast, butfail smart. The point is not making mistakes out of stupidity or being in a rush but out of purpose.5. Turn Constraints into a SuperpowerLimitationsdrive innovation a tight budget makes some teams complain but gets others excited and focused. It was precisely a constraint what helped the U.S. Navy become an innovation hub in no time.It all started with a young aviator namedBen Kohlmann everyone described him as a troublemaker, disrupter, heretic, among other things. The key to his success? He recruited the black sheep.One man had been fired from a nuclear submarine for disobedience. Another refused to attend basic training. Others had yelled at their senior officers. They all had a track record of insubordination. But, the aviator saw their potential, not their flawsKohlmann succeeded because he built a nonconformist culture he brought the misfits and rank-and-file together. Thesailors who had never showna desire to chal lenge the status-quo were exposed to new ways of thinking. Collaborating with the rebels turned this hybrid team into a success.6. Encourage positiveconflictDisagreement is uncomfortable. However, its the most effective way to drive alignment. Rather than forcing people to be on the same page, let them write that page.Nonconformism stimulates us to think it leads to better ideas and solutions. As Google CEO Eric Schmidt said, We run this company on questions, not answers.Rebels thrive in organizations that arelead with questions. Instead of seeing things as they are, they ask What if? or How might we?7. Innovate from thefringesEveryone has the responsibility andability to lead. People dont need a title to drive change they thrive in a culture that encourages positive rebellions.Innovation requires safe places in which to break the rules, make mistakes, and recoverand then try it again, and again. Groups of rebels challenging common sense are not that bad. Make room for the fringes.S wedish Greta Thunberg was just 15-year old when she decided to cut class to fight the climate crisis. Her age didnt stop her from goingon school strikeat the parliament to get politicians to act.Rebels-at-heart enjoy navigating uncharted territory. Set your troublemakers free.Conformity drives repetition which promotes boredom, and disengagement. Thats why the world needs more rebels.The good news? You dont need to hire additional people. Liberate the troublemaker within your team. Start your innovation revolt design and build a rebel culture.Gustavo Razzetti is a change instigator who helps people and organizations createpositive change. He advises, writes, and speaks on team development and culture transformation. Receive hisweekly insightsor follow him onLinkedIn.This article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from kleine Fr anklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people