The Power of Positive Deviance
- May 2nd, 2012
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The Power of Positive Deviance
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A “positive deviant” is an individual who represents an exception to a social norm
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A community with a problem must discover it’s own positive deviants — people who have independently avoided the problem and thus hold clues to the solution
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This strategy works on many levels, situations, and industries
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Systems pass through four stages on the road to change:
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prolonged equilibrium – system resists change, though deviants exist
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invitation stage – chaos engulfs community, opening the door for change
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self-organization – develops as members look inward for a solution
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unintended consequences – unexpected solutions and results
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– Richard Pascale
via @NickPassig