Rebels get a bad rap, says Harvard professor Francesca Gino, but in fact, there’s much we can learn from the people willing to challenge the status quo. In a new interview with Forbes India, Gino opens up about why it pays to encourage the right kind of rule-breaking in an organization.
Francesca Gino has spent the better part of a decade studying rebels in the workplace. Rather than causing unnecessary trouble or chaos, rebels proved to be the drivers of positive change and creativity, oftentimes breathing life into otherwise stagnant organizations. “From an early age, we are taught to follow the rules, and the pressure to fit in only increases over time. But when we mindlessly accept norms rather than questioning and constructively rebelling against them, we ultimately end up stuck and unfulfilled,” Gino warns. “Rebels—those who practice ‘positive deviance’ at work and in life—might be harder to manage, but they are good for the bottom line: their passion, drive, curiosity, and creativity can raise an entire organization to a new level.”
In the interview, Gino reveals what the five core characteristics that make up a rebel are; when it’s the right time to push boundaries, and when it’s better to hold back; and how leaders themselves can embrace rebellion and foster a sense of curiosity throughout their teams.
Read the full interview here.
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