Let Your Workers Rebel

THE
BIG
IDEA
REPRINT H035GG
PUBLISHED ON HBR.ORG
OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2016
REBEL
TALENT
IF YOU WANT ENGAGED EMPLOYEES,
LET THEM BREAK RULES AND BE
THEMSELVES. WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW.
BY FRANCESCA GINO
This document is authorized for use only by Francesca Gino (FGINO@HBS.EDU). Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. Please contact customerservice@harvardbusiness.org or
800-988-0886 for additional copies.
02 ARTICLE
LET YOUR WORKERS REBEL
12 G
RAPHIC
THE ORIGINS OF THE IDEA
14 C
ASE STUDY
EGON ZEHNDER
THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAIT FOR
REBEL TALENT: CURIOSITY
16 C
ASE STUDY
SUN HYDRAULICS
THE MANUFACTURER THAT SET ITS
WORKFORCE FREE
18 C
ASE STUDY
ARIEL INVESTMENTS
THE EVERYDAY WAYS ONE LEADER
HELPS EMPLOYEES BUST THE
STATUS QUO
21 A
SSESSMENT
ARE YOU A “CONSTRUCTIVE
NONCONFORMIST”?
22 V
IDEO
MASSIMO BOTTURA
REBEL TALENT AT OSTERIA
FRANCESCANA
23 RELATED READING
24 S URVEY RESULTS
SMALL MEASURES CAN
LIBERATE EMPLOYEES TO
CONTRIBUTE THEIR BEST
26 L IVE EVENT
ED CATMULL
FOSTERING REBEL TALENT
INSIDE PIXAR
27 W
EBINAR
FOSTERING REBEL
TALENT AT WORK
2 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA
FOR ARTICLE REPRINTS CALL 800-988-0886 OR 617-783-7500, OR VISIT HBR.ORG REBEL TALENT | FRANCESCA GINO
LET YOUR
WORKERS
REBEL
BY FRANCESCA GINO
Throughout our careers, we are taught to conform — to the status
quo, to the opinions and behaviors of others, and to information
that supports our views. The pressure only grows as we climb the
organizational ladder. By the time we reach high-level positions,
conformity has been so hammered into us that we perpetuate it
in our enterprises. In a recent survey I conducted of the door. Workers and their organizations both pay a
more than 2,000 employees across a wide range of in- price: decreased engagement, productivity, and inno-
dustries, nearly half the respondents reported work- vation (see the exhibit “The Perils of Conformity”).
ing in organizations where they regularly feel the need Drawing on my research and fieldwork and on the
to conform, and more than half said that people in work of other scholars of psychology and manage-
their organizations do not question the status quo. The ment, I will describe three reasons for our conformity
results were similar when I surveyed high-level exec- on the job, discuss why this behavior is costly for orga-
GETTY IMAGES
utives and midlevel managers. As this data suggests, nizations, and suggest ways to combat it.
organizations consciously or unconsciously urge em- Of course, not all conformity is bad. But to be suc-
ployees to check a good chunk of their real selves at cessful and evolve, organizations need to strike a
©2016 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PUBLISHING CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 3
REBEL TALENT | FRANCESCA GINO
balance between adherence to the formal and informal make bad decisions. In one experiment, Asch asked
rules that provide necessary structure and the freedom participants to complete what they believed was a
that helps employees do their best work. The pendu- simple perceptual task: identifying which of three
lum has swung too far in the direction of conformity. lines on one card was the same length as a line on
In another recent survey I conducted, involving more another card. When asked individually, participants
than 1,000 employees in a variety of industries, less chose the correct line. When asked in the presence
than 10% said they worked in companies that regu- of paid actors who intentionally selected the wrong
larly encourage nonconformity. That’s not surprising: line, about 75% conformed to the group at least once.
For decades the principles of scientific management In other words, they chose an incorrect answer in or-
have prevailed. Leaders have been overly focused on der to fit in.
designing efficient processes and getting employees Organizations have long exploited this tendency.
to follow them. Now they need to think about when Ancient Roman families employed professional
conformity hurts their business and allow — even pro- mourners at funerals. Entertainment companies hire
mote — what I call constructive nonconformity: behav- people (“claques”) to applaud at performances. And
ior that deviates from organizational norms, others’ companies advertising health products often report
actions, or common expectations, to the benefit of the the percentage of doctors or dentists who use their
organization. offerings.
Conformity at work takes many forms: modeling
WHY CONFORMITY IS SO PREVALENT the behavior of others in similar roles, expressing ap-
Let’s look at the three main, and interrelated, reasons propriate emotions, wearing proper attire, routinely
why we so often conform at work. agreeing with the opinions of managers, acquiesc-
We fall prey to social pressure. Early in life we learn ing to a team’s poor decisions, and so on. And all too
that tangible benefits arise from following social often, bowing to peer pressure reduces individuals’
rules about what to say, how to act, how to dress, engagement with their jobs. This is understandable:
and so on. Conforming makes us feel accepted and Conforming often conflicts with our true preferences
part of the majority. As classic research conducted and beliefs and therefore makes us feel inauthentic.
in the 1950s by the psychologist Solomon Asch In fact, research I conducted with Maryam Kouchaki,
showed, conformity to peer pressure is so powerful of Northwestern University, and Adam Galinsky, of
that it occurs even when we know it will lead us to Columbia University, showed that when people feel
Employees who said they could express their authentic selves at

work were more committed to their organizations.
GETYY IMAGES
ABOUT
FRANCESCA GINO
Understanding why people at Chapel Hill, and now use their signature
inauthentic at work, it’s usually because they have
so often conform to the Harvard Business School, strengths, and challenge
succumbed to social pressure to conform. behavior of others has where she is the Tandon the status quo. She
We become too comfortable with the status quo. In been a topic of interest to Family Professor of Business found examples in a wide
organizations, standard practices — the usual ways Francesca Gino ever since Administration, she asked range of industries, from
of thinking and doing — play a critical role in shaping she arrived in the United questions: What triggers software, entertainment,
performance over time. But they can also get us stuck, States from her native Italy, the desire to conform? and financial services to
in 2001. Although she had When is conformity valve manufacturing, food
decrease our engagement, and constrain our ability
planned to stay for only a useful to individuals and processing, and executive
to innovate or to perform at a high level. Rather than year, she felt compelled to organizations, and when search. Drawing on insights
resulting from thoughtful choices, many traditions en- conform. is it harmful? How can from behavioral economics
dure out of routine, or what psychologists call the sta- “I took speech classes,” leaders strike the right and psychology, she
tus quo bias. Because we feel validated and reassured she said, “because I was balance between conformity identified strategies those
when we stick to our usual ways of thinking and doing, bothered that my funny and nonconformity in companies employed to
accent made me stand out, their organizations and encourage “constructive
and because — as research has consistently found —
and I decided to overhaul my themselves? nonconformity.”
we weight the potential losses of deviating from the wardrobe and buy American Gino suspected that the In this package Gino
status quo much more heavily than we do the poten- fashions.” But it did not feel pressure to conform that shares her findin s, offe s
tial gains, we favor decisions that maintain the current right. So after extending her exists in most enterprises case studies, and provides
state of affairs. stay, she chose “just to be was linked with both the practical advice. She
But sticking with the status quo can lead to bore- who I am.” deepening employee- hopes leaders can use
The experience stayed engagement crisis and firms her suggestions to create
dom, which in turn can fuel complacency and stagna-
with her and sparked her failure to adapt to changing more-innovative and more-
tion. Borders, BlackBerry, Polaroid, and Myspace are professional curiosity. While times. She started looking productive workplaces,
but a few of the many companies that once had win- on the faculties of Carnegie for organizations whose where people are engaged
ning formulas but didn’t update their strategies until Mellon University, the leaders encouraged their in their jobs and contribute
it was too late. Overly comfortable with the status quo, University of North Carolina workers to be themselves, fully.
their leaders fell back on tradition and avoided the type
of nonconformist behavior that could have spurred
continued success.
We interpret information in a self-serving manner. A primed to dislike him, they turned over a few cards,
third reason for the prevalence of conformity is that shrugged, and called it a day.
we tend to prioritize information that supports our ex- By uncritically accepting information when it is
isting beliefs and to ignore information that challenges consistent with what we believe and insisting on more
them, so we overlook things that could spur positive when it isn’t, we subtly stack the deck against good
change. Complicating matters, we also tend to view decisions.
unexpected or unpleasant information as a threat and
to shun it — a phenomenon psychologists call moti- PROMOTING CONSTRUCTIVE NONCONFORMITY
vated skepticism. Few leaders actively encourage deviant behavior in
In fact, research suggests, the manner in which we their employees; most go to great lengths to get rid of
weigh evidence resembles the manner in which we it. Yet nonconformity promotes innovation, improves
weigh ourselves on a bathroom scale. If the scale deliv- performance, and can enhance a person’s standing
ers bad news, we hop off and get back on — perhaps the more than conformity can. For example, research I
scale misfired or we misread the display. If it delivers conducted with Silvia Bellezza, of Columbia, and Anat
good news, we assume it’s correct and cheerfully head Keinan, of Harvard, showed that observers judge a
for the shower. keynote speaker who wears red sneakers, a CEO who
Here’s a more scientific example. Two psycholo- makes the rounds of Wall Street in a hoodie and jeans,
gists, Peter Ditto and David Lopez, asked study partici- and a presenter who creates her own PowerPoint tem-
pants to evaluate a student’s intelligence by reviewing plate rather than using her company’s as having higher
information about him one piece at a time — similar status than counterparts who conform to business
to the way college admissions officers evaluate appli- norms.
cants. The information was quite negative. Subjects My research also shows that going against the
could stop going through it as soon as they’d reached crowd gives us confidence in our actions, which makes
a firm conclusion. When they had been primed to like us feel unique and engaged and translates to higher
CODY O’LOUGHLIN
the student (with a photo and some information pro- performance and greater creativity. In one field study, I
vided before the evaluation), they turned over one card asked a group of employees to behave in nonconform-
after another, searching for anything that would allow ing ways (speaking up if they disagreed with colleagues’
them to give a favorable rating. When they had been decisions, expressing what they felt rather than what
THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 5
they thought they were expected to feel, and so on). I committed to their organizations than those who felt
asked another group to behave in conforming ways, they had to hide their authentic selves. In another
and a third group to do whatever its members usually study, Cable and Kay surveyed 2,700 teachers who
did. After three weeks, those in the first group reported had been working for a year and reviewed the perfor-
feeling more confident and engaged in their work than mance ratings given by their supervisors. Teachers
those in the other groups. They displayed more creativ- who said they could express their authentic selves
ity in a task that was part of the study. And their super- received higher ratings than teachers who did not
visors gave them higher ratings on performance and feel they could do so.
innovativeness.
Six strategies can help leaders encourage con- Here are some ways to help workers
structive nonconformity in their organizations and be true to themselves:
themselves. Encourage employees to reflect on what makes them feel
authentic. This can be done from the very start of the
STEP 1 employment relationship — during orientation. In
GIVE EMPLOYEES OPPORTUNITIES a field study I conducted with Brad Staats, of the
TO BE THEMSELVES University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Dan
Decades’ worth of psychological research has shown Cable, employees in the business-process-outsourc-
that we feel accepted and believe that our views ing division of the Indian IT company Wipro went
are more credible when our colleagues share them. through a slightly modified onboarding process.
But although conformity may make us feel good, it We gave them a half hour to think about what was
doesn’t let us reap the benefits of authenticity. In one unique about them, what made them authentic, and
study Dan Cable, of London Business School, and how they could bring out their authentic selves at
Virginia Kay, then of the University of North Carolina work. Later we compared them with employees who
at Chapel Hill, surveyed 154 recent MBA graduates had gone through Wipro’s usual onboarding program,
who were four months into their jobs. Those who which allowed no time for such reflection. The em-
felt they could express their authentic selves at ployees in the first group had found ways to tailor
work were, on average, 16% more engaged and more their jobs so that they could be their true selves — for
example, they exercised judgment when answering
calls instead of rigidly following the company script.
The Perils of Conformity They were more engaged in their work, performed
better, and were more likely to be with the company
Organizations put tremendous pressure on employees to conform. In a recent survey of
seven months later.
2,087 U.S. employees in a wide range of industries, nearly 49% agreed with the statement
Leaders can also encourage this type of reflection
“I regularly feel pressure to conform in this organization.”
once people are on the job. The start of a new year is a
This takes a heavy toll on individuals and enterprises alike. Employees who felt a need
natural time for employees and their leaders to reflect
to conform reported a less positive work experience on several dimensions than did other
on what makes them unique and authentic and how
employees, as shown by the average scores plotted below.
they can shape their jobs — even in small ways — to
avoid conformity. Reflection can also be encouraged
Regularly feels pressure to conform Doesn’t regularly feel pressure to conform
at other career points, such as a performance review, a
I can be myself at work. DISAGREE AGREE promotion, or a transition into a new role.
Tell employees what job needs to be done rather than
My organization fully uses my talents. how to do it. When Colleen Barrett was executive vice
I am committed to my organization. president of Southwest Airlines, from 1990 to 2001,
she established the goal of allowing employees to
I am engaged in my work.
be themselves. For example, flight attendants were
I am satisfied with my job. encouraged to deliver the legally required safety an-
nouncement in their own style and with humor. “We
I try to improve my job and my organization.
have always thought that your avocation can be your
I perform at a high level. vocation so that you don’t have to do any acting in
your life when you leave home to go to work,” she has
I lack control over my job.
said. This philosophy helped make Southwest a top in-
I feel burned out. dustry performer in terms of passenger volume, profit-
I would like to leave my organization. ability, customer satisfaction, and turnover.
FROM “LET YOUR WORKERS REBEL,” BY FRANCESCA GINO, OCTOBER 2016 © HBR.ORG
Employees of Semco Group set their own schedules and production

quotas. They even choose the amount and form of their compensation.
Let employees solve problems on their own. Leaders processes if something does not seem right. (They
can encourage authenticity by allowing workers also know they can ask for help.) When I was conduct-
to decide how to handle certain situations. For in- ing interviews for a case on Pal’s, a general manager
stance, in the 1990s British Airways got rid of its gave me an example of how he encourages frontline
thick customer-service handbook and gave employ- workers to make decisions themselves: “A 16-year-old
ees the freedom (within reason) to figure out how [employee] shows me a hot dog bun with flour on it
to deal with customer problems as they arose (see and asks me if it’s OK. My response: ‘Your call. Would
“Competing on Customer Service: An Interview with you sell it?’”
British Airways’ Sir Colin Marshall,” HBR, November– Let employees define their missions. Morning Star,
December 1995). a California-based tomato processing company, has
Another company that subscribes to this philoso- employees write “personal commercial mission state-
phy is Pal’s Sudden Service, a fast-food chain in the ments” that reflect who they are and specify their goals
southern United States. By implementing lean princi- for a given time period, ones that will contribute to the
ples, including the idea that workers are empowered company’s success. The statements are embedded in
to call out and fix problems, Pal’s has achieved im- contracts known as “colleague letters of understand-
pressive numbers: one car served at the drive-through ing,” or CLOUs, which employees negotiate with co-
every 18 seconds, one mistake in every 3,600 orders workers, each spelling out how he or she will collabo-
(the industry average is one in 15), customer satis- rate with others. The personal commercial mission of
faction scores of 98%, and health inspection scores Morning Star’s founder, Chris Rufer, is “to advance to-
above 97%. Turnover at the assistant manager level mato technology to be the best in the world and operate
is under 2%, and in three decades Pal’s has lost only these factories so they are pristine.” That of one sales
seven general managers — two of them to retirement. and marketing employee is “to indelibly mark ‘Morning
Annual turnover on the front lines is about 34% — half Star Tomato Products’ on the tongue and brain of ev-
the industry average. Pal’s trains its employees ex- ery commercial tomato product user.” That of one em-
tensively: New frontline workers receive 135 hours of ployee in the shipping unit is “to reliably and efficiently
GETTY IMAGES
instruction, on average (the industry average is about provide our customers with marvelously attractive
two hours). As a result, employees are confident that loads of desired product.”
they can solve problems on their own and can stop
STEP 2 observe a strict hierarchy, with specific titles for each

ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO BRING OUT position. But at Osteria Francescana, jobs and their
THEIR SIGNATURE STRENGTHS attendant responsibilities are tailored to individual
Michelangelo described sculpting as a process workers.
whereby the artist releases an ideal figure from the Discovering employees’ strengths takes time and
block of stone in which it slumbers. We all possess effort. Massimo Bottura, the owner and head chef, ro-
ideal forms, the signature strengths — being social tates interns through various positions for at least a
connectors, for example, or being able to see the pos- few months so that he and his team can configure jobs
itive in any situation — that we use naturally in our to play to the newcomers’ strengths. This ensures that
lives. And we all have a drive to do what we do best employees land where they fit best.
and be recognized accordingly. A leader’s task is to If such a process is too ambitious for your organi-
encourage employees to sculpt their jobs to bring out zation, consider giving employees some freedom to
their strengths — and to sculpt his or her own job, too. choose responsibilities within their assigned roles.
The actions below can help.
Give employees opportunities to identify their STEP 3
strengths. In a research project I conducted with Dan QUESTION THE STATUS QUO, AND
Cable, Brad Staats, and the University of Michigan’s ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO DO THE SAME
Julia Lee, leaders of national and local government Although businesses can benefit from repeatable prac-
agencies across the globe reflected each morning on tices that ensure consistency, they can also stimulate
their signature strengths and how to use them. They employee engagement and innovation by questioning
also read descriptions of times when they were at their standard procedures — “the way we’ve always done it.”
best, written by people in their personal and profes- Here are some proven tactics.
sional networks. These leaders displayed more en- Ask “Why?” and “What if?” By regularly asking em-
gagement and innovative behavior than members of a ployees such questions, Max Zanardi, for several
control group, and their teams performed better. years the general manager of the Ritz-Carlton in
Tailor jobs to employees’ strengths. Facebook is Istanbul, creatively led them to redefine luxury by
known for hiring smart people regardless of the posi- providing customers with authentic and unusual
tions currently open in the company, gathering infor- experiences. For example, employees had tradition-
mation about their strengths, and designing their jobs ally planted flowers each year on the terrace outside
accordingly. Another example is Osteria Francescana, the hotel’s restaurant. One day Zanardi asked, “Why
GETTY IMAGES
a Michelin three-star restaurant in Modena, Italy, that do we always plant flowers? How about vegetables?
won first place in the 2016 World’s 50 Best Restaurant What about herbs?” This resulted in a terrace garden
awards. Most restaurants, especially top-ranked ones,
featuring herbs and heirloom tomatoes used in the than others (as measured by the time taken to com-
restaurant — things guests very much appreciated. plete each task); the variety kept them motivated. This
Leaders who question the status quo give employ- allowed the bank to process applications more quickly,
ees reasons to stay engaged and often spark fresh increasing its competitiveness.
ideas that can rejuvenate the business. Variety can be ensured in a number of ways. Pal’s
Stress that the company is not perfect. Ed Catmull, the rotates employees through tasks (taking orders, grill-
cofounder and president of Pixar Animation Studios, ing, working the register, and so on) in a different or-
worried that new hires would be too awed by Pixar’s der each day. Some companies forgo defined career
success to challenge existing practices (see “How Pixar trajectories and instead move employees through var-
Fosters Collective Creativity,” HBR, September 2008). ious positions within departments or teams over the
So during onboarding sessions, his speeches included course of months or years.
examples of the company’s mistakes. Emphasizing In addition to improving engagement, job rota-
that we are all human and that the organization will tion broadens individuals’ skill sets, creating a more
never be perfect gives employees freedom to engage flexible workforce. This makes it easier to find substi-
in constructive nonconformity. tutes if someone falls ill or abruptly quits and to shift
Excel at the basics. Ensuring that employees have people from tasks where they are no longer needed
deep knowledge about the way things usually operate (see “Why ‘Good Jobs’ Are Good for Retailers,” HBR,
provides them with a foundation for constructively January–February 2012).
questioning the status quo. This philosophy underlies Continually inject novelty into work. Novelty is a pow-
the many hours Pal’s devotes to training: Company erful force. When something new happens at work,
leaders want employees to be expert in all aspects of we pay attention, engage, and tend to remember it.
their work. Similarly, Bottura believes that to create We are less likely to take our work for granted when it
innovative dishes, his chefs must be well versed in continues to generate strong feelings. Novelty in one’s
classic cooking techniques. job is more satisfying than stability.
So, how can leaders inject it into work? Bottura
STEP 4 throws last-minute menu changes at his team to keep
CREATE CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES excitement high. At Pal’s, employees learn the order
It’s easy for workers to get bored and fall back on rou- of their tasks for the day only when they get to work.
tine when their jobs involve little variety or challenge. Leaders can also introduce novelty by making sure
And employees who find their work boring lack the that projects include a few people who are somewhat
motivation to perform well and creatively, whereas out of their comfort zone, or by periodically giving
work that is challenging enhances their engagement. teams new challenges (for instance, asking them to
Research led by David H. Zald, of Vanderbilt University, deliver a product faster than in the past). They can as-
shows that novel behavior, such as trying something sign employees to teams charged with designing a new
new or risky, triggers the release of dopamine, a work process or piloting a new service.
chemical that helps keep us motivated and eager to Identify opportunities for personal learning and growth.
innovate. Giving people such experiences is an essential way to
promote constructive nonconformity, research has
Leaders can draw on the following tactics when shown. For instance, in a field study conducted at a
structuring employees’ jobs: global consulting firm, colleagues and I found that
Maximize variety. This makes it less likely that em- when onboarding didn’t just focus on performance
ployees will go on autopilot and more likely that they but also spotlighted opportunities for learning and
will come up with innovative ways to improve what growth, engagement and innovative behaviors were
they’re doing. It also boosts performance, as Brad higher six months later. Companies often identify
Staats and I found in our analysis of two and a half growth opportunities during performance reviews, of
years’ worth of transaction data from a Japanese bank course, but there are many other ways to do so. Chefs
department responsible for processing home loan at Osteria Francescana can accompany Bottura to
applications. The mortgage line involved 17 distinct cooking events that expose them to other countries,
tasks, including scanning applications, comparing cuisines, traditions, arts, and culture — all potential
scanned documents to originals, entering application sources of inspiration for new dishes. When I worked
data into the computer system, assessing whether in- as a research consultant at Disney, in the summer of
formation complied with underwriting standards, and 2010, I learned that members of the Imagineering R&D
conducting credit checks. Workers who were assigned group were encouraged to belong to professional so-
diverse tasks from day to day were more productive cieties, attend conferences, and publish in academic
and professional journals. Companies can help pay for Hire people with diverse perspectives. Decades’ worth
courses that may not strictly relate to employees’ cur- of research has found that working among people
rent jobs but would nonetheless expand their skill sets from a variety of cultures and backgrounds helps us
or fuel their curiosity. see problems in new ways and consider ideas that
Give employees responsibility and accountability. At might otherwise go unnoticed, and it fosters the
Morning Star, if employees need new equipment to do kind of creativity that champions change. At Osteria
their work — even something that costs thousands of Francescana the two sous-chefs are Kondo “Taka”
dollars — they may buy it. If they see a process that Takahiko, from Japan, and Davide diFabio, from Italy.
would benefit from different skills, they may hire They differ not only in country of origin but also in
someone. They must consult colleagues who would strengths and ways of thinking: Davide is comfort-
be affected (other people who would use the equip- able with improvisation, for example, while Taka is
ment, say), but they don’t need approval from above. obsessed with precision. Diversity in ways of think-
Because there are no job titles at Morning Star, how ing is a quality sought by Rachael Chong, the founder
employees influence others — and thus get work done and CEO of the startup Catchafire. When interview-
— is determined mainly by how their colleagues per- ing job candidates, she describes potential challenges
ceive the quality of their decisions. and carefully listens to see whether people come up
with many possible solutions or get stuck on a single
STEP 5 one. To promote innovation and new approaches, Ed
FOSTER BROADER PERSPECTIVES Catmull hires prominent outsiders, gives them im-
We often focus so narrowly on our own point of view portant roles, and publicly acclaims their contribu-
that we have trouble understanding others’ experi- tions. But many organizations do just the opposite:
ences and perspectives. And as we assume high-level hire people whose thinking mirrors that of the cur-
positions, research shows, our egocentric focus be- rent management team.
comes stronger. Here are some ways to combat it:
Create opportunities for employees to view problems STEP 6
from multiple angles. We all tend to be self-serving in VOICE AND ENCOURAGE DISSENTING VIEWS
terms of how we process information and generate (or We often seek out and fasten on information that con-
fail to generate) alternatives to the status quo. Leaders firms our beliefs. Yet data that is inconsistent with our
can help employees overcome this tendency by en- views and may even generate negative feelings (such
couraging them to view problems from different per- as a sense of failure) can provide opportunities to im-
spectives. At the electronics manufacturer Sharp, an prove our organizations and ourselves. Leaders can
oft-repeated maxim is “Be dragonflies, not flatfish.” use a number of tactics to push employees out of their
Dragonflies have compound eyes that can take in mul- comfort zones.
tiple perspectives at once; flatfish have both eyes on the Look for disconfirming evidence. Leaders shouldn’t
same side of the head and can see in only one direction ask, “Who agrees with this course of action?” or “What
at a time. information supports this view?” Instead they should
Jon Olinto and Anthony Ackil, the founders of the ask, “What information suggests this might not be the
fast-casual restaurant chain b.good, require all employ- right path to take?” Mellody Hobson, the president of
ees (including managers) and franchisees to be trained Ariel Investments and the chair of the board of direc-
in every job — from prep to grill to register. (Unlike tors of DreamWorks Animation, regularly opens team
Pal’s, however, b.good does not rotate people through meetings by reminding attendees that they don’t need
jobs each day.) Being exposed to different perspectives to be right; they need to bring up information that can
increases engagement and innovative behaviors, re- help the team make the right decisions, which happens
search has found. when members voice their concerns and disagree. At
Use language that reduces self-serving bias. To prevent the Chicago Board of Trade, in-house investigators
their traders from letting success go to their heads scrutinize trades that may violate exchange rules. To
when the market is booming, some Wall Street firms avoid bias in collecting information, they have been
regularly remind them, “Don’t confuse brains with trained to ask open-ended interview questions, not
a bull market.” At GE, terms such as “planting seeds” ones that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
(to describe making investments that will produce Leaders can use a similar approach when discussing
fruitful results even after the managers behind them decisions. They should also take care not to depend on
have moved on to other jobs) have entered the lexicon opinions but to assess whether the data supports or un-
(see “How GE Teaches Teams to Lead Change,” HBR, dermines the prevailing point of view.
January 2009).
Create dissent by default. Leaders can encourage pay themselves too much have to work with resentful
debate during meetings by inviting individuals to colleagues. Second, employee compensation is tied
take opposing points of view; they can also design directly to company profits, creating enormous peer
processes to include dissent. When employees of pressure to keep budgets in line.
Pal’s suggest promising ideas for new menu items, the Ritz-Carlton, too, excels in balancing conformity
ideas are tested in three different stores: one whose and nonconformity. It depends on 3,000 standards
owner-operator likes the idea (“the protagonist”), one developed over the years to ensure a consistent cus-
whose owner-operator is skeptical (“the antagonist”), tomer experience at all its hotels. These range from
and one whose owner-operator has yet to form a how to slice a lime to which toiletries to stock in the
strong opinion (“the neutral”). This ensures that dis- bathrooms. But employees have considerable free-
senting views are aired and that they help inform the dom within those standards and can question them if
CEO’s decisions about proposed items. they see ways to provide an even better customer ex-
Identify courageous dissenters. Even if encouraged perience. For instance, for many years the company
to push back, many timid or junior people won’t. So has allowed staff members to spend up to $2,000 to
make sure the team includes people you know will address any customer complaint in the way they deem
voice their concerns, writes Diana McLain Smith in best. (Yes, that is $2,000 per employee per guest.) The
The Elephant in the Room: How Relationships Make or hotel believes that business is most successful when
Break the Success of Leaders and Organizations. Once employees have well-defined standards, understand
the more reluctant employees see that opposing views the reasoning behind them, and are given autonomy in
are welcome, they will start to feel comfortable dis- carrying them out.
senting as well. Organizations, like individuals, can easily become
complacent, especially when business is going well.
STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE Complacency often sets in because of too much con-
By adopting the strategies above, leaders can fight formity — stemming from peer pressure, acceptance of
their own and their employees’ tendency to conform the status quo, and the interpretation of information in
when that would hurt the company’s interests. But to self-serving ways. The result is a workforce of people
strike the optimal balance between conformity and who feel they can’t be themselves on the job, are bored,
nonconformity, they must think carefully about the and don’t consider others’ points of view.
boundaries within which employees will be free to Constructive nonconformity can help companies
deviate from the status quo. For instance, the way a avoid these problems. If leaders were to put just half
manager leads her team can be up to her as long as her the time they spend ensuring conformity into design-
behavior is aligned with the company’s purpose and ing and installing mechanisms to encourage construc-
values and she delivers on that purpose. tive deviance, employee engagement, productivity,
Morning Star’s colleague letters of understand- and innovation would soar.
ing provide such boundaries. They clearly state em-
ployees’ goals and their responsibility to deliver on
the organization’s purpose but leave it up to indi-
vidual workers to decide how to achieve those goals.
Colleagues with whom an employee has negotiated a
CLOU will let him know if his actions cross a line.
Brazil’s Semco Group, a 3,000-employee con-
glomerate, similarly relies on peer pressure and other
mechanisms to give employees considerable freedom
while making sure they don’t go overboard. The com-
pany has no job titles, dress code, or organizational
charts. If you need a workspace, you reserve it in one
of a few satellite offices scattered around São Paulo.
Employees, including factory workers, set their own
schedules and production quotas. They even choose
the amount and form of their compensation. What
prevents employees from taking advantage of this
freedom? First, the company believes in transpar-
ency: All its financial information is public, so every-
one knows what everyone else makes. People who
The Origins ofThe theOrigins

Idea of theResearch Idea
Francesca Gino’s
for “Rebel Talent”
Francesca Gino’s
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Psychology Psychology
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Organizational Theory and Organizational Theory and
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Richard Cye
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James March and Herbert
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Abraham Maslow Abraham Maslow
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Abraham Maslow
Mary Parker Follett Mary Parker Follett
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Bureaucratic management Bureaucratic management
Mary Parker Follett
Scientific management Scientific management
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1911 1911 1930 1930 1950 1950
Scientific management
Arthur Jenness Arthur Jenness
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Muzafer Sherif Muzafer Sherif
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Solomon Asch
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Herbert Kelman
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Arthur
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followed by Max Weber’s
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(1936)
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championed
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workertheir minds to will change people make
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organizations. decisions
Richard
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and GregRichardresponsible
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ind
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studies (1932) challenged studies (Stanley pressure (Solomon Asch,
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work to Hackman
social
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designed responsible
work could be designed in
studies (1932)
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motivational (Stanley
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tacticsStanford and to Oldham
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keep employees argued
Stanford
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increased productivity. conformity
by that increased
prison to social1971).
experiment,
productivity. roles prison experiment,
work
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1971).
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that increased productivity. prison experiment, 1971). and productive.
Positive psychology
Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham
Chris Argyris
Frederick Herzberg
Richard Cyert and James March
Rensis Likert
Douglas McGregor
James March and Herbert Simon
1970 1990 2016
Stanley Milgram
Philip Zimbardo
Herbert Kelman
Henri Tajfel
Robert Cialdini
(1947), Douglas McGregor’s The psychology of conformity As technology has eroded Psychology research has helped
an Theory X and Theory Y and the ability of leaders to divisions between work and Francesca Gino understand
(1960) codified the scientific sway others through it life, theories of how to keep how nonconforming workers
ng that and human relations culminated in the theory of employees engaged have think and make choices and the
that approaches to management. influence, introduced by followed. The positive resulting benefits for their
r their Theory X assumes that Robert Cialdini (1984). psychology research of the firms, especially in terms of
d Cyert workers are irresponsible early 21st century argues that employee engagement.
eneral and lazy, making managers workers want to bring their Organizational theory and
king in autocratic and distrustful. “whole selves” to the job and behavioral management
dational. Theory Y holds that they are that by letting them do so, research have helped her
d Greg responsible individuals who firms can find deep reserves of understand how leaders can
that seek motivation. untapped potential. structure work to encourage
d nonconformity without
ppy creating chaos. The result:
“Rebel Talent” (2016).
CASE STUDY: EGON ZEHNDER

THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAIT
FOR REBEL TALENT: CURIOSITY
T
The executive search firm Egon Zehnder found a link between
high potentials and curious nonconformists.
hink of an innovation that
changed how a key process
in your organization unfolds
or the way a product is
made. I’m willing to bet the
driving force behind it was curiosity.
Curiosity — the impulse to seek out
new ideas and experiences — is crucial
to innovation because it moves people
to look at the world from a diffe ent
perspective and to ask questions rather
than accept the status quo. Thus it’s an
important tool for fighting conformity.
Yet few organizations and leaders
think systematically about it. One
exception is the global executive
search firm Egon Zehnder, which has
developed a robust way to assess
curiosity, both in its own employees
and in the candidates it proposes to
clients.
Most companies evaluate leaders
and employees on the basis of certain
broad competencies, such as being
results-oriented or having the ability
to influence others. Egon Zehnder
itself did so for many years. But as the
business environment became more
volatile and complex, the firm realized
the importance of being able to adapt
to unforeseen situations by learning
new skills, and it began assessing
candidates in terms of their potential in
this area.
To that end, it created a model
consisting of four dimensions:
1. Curiosity: a thirst for new
experiences and knowledge; an
openness to feedback, learning, and
change
2. Insight: the ability to gather and
synthesize information that suggests
new possibilities
3. Engagement: the ability to connect
with others and communicate a vision
4. Determination: the persistence
to overcome obstacles and achieve
diffic t goals
Egon Zehnder’s research showed that
curiosity was the most important of the
four dimensions and that people who
scored high on it were likely to score
Focusing on curiosity, and on potential more broadly, can shine a

different light on candidates who may seem ill-suited to a given
role but who excel when faced with new challenges.
high on the other qualities as well. In board thought it might need to take suggest whether someone was learning
fact, level of curiosity determines the the time-consuming and possibly risky for a narrow purpose (“I had to look
readiness with which a person will step of recruiting one of the external something up for my job”) or out of
exhibit behavior associated with the candidates. innate curiosity (“I just had to know”).
other traits, and variations in people’s However, that became unnecessary A person who’s curious grapples with
curiosity levels predict variations in once Egon Zehnder had assessed the learning something but stays with it —
their job performance and innovative internal candidate’s potential to adapt she feels she needs to understand.
behaviors. Curiosity triggers a direct and grow. Interviews with him and his Curiosity increases the likelihood
response to situations that challenge colleagues revealed that he scored high that someone will not just survive
our assumptions. And our capacity on all four dimensions of the model but triumph when he encounters
to question unlocks the potential for — especially curiosity. Although he unexpected challenges. By encouraging
change that such situations represent. needed to refine his people skills, he employees’ curiosity — and nurturing
(See “21st-Century Talent Spotting,” by had great insight and could effecti ely that quality in themselves — leaders
Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, HBR, June communicate his vision. And he had a can unleash their organization’s
2014.) track record of surmounting obstacles potential to adapt and grow.
Focusing on curiosity, and on and achieving challenging goals.
potential more broadly, can shine Egon Zehnder concluded that with
a diffe ent light on candidates who mentoring and support from the board,
may seem ill-suited to a given role the internal candidate could overcome
but who excel when faced with new his weaknesses and adapt to changing
challenges. Consider this example: situations as the industry continued
Several years ago a global energy to evolve. Viewed through the lens
company asked Egon Zehnder to of the model, he was stronger than
evaluate its prime internal candidate the external candidates. The board
for CEO. After meeting with the designed a professional development
board of directors, Egon Zehnder program for the year before he
developed a detailed description of became CEO, giving him significan
the job, mapping the competencies strategic-planning roles and requiring
required in the present and those that he delegate a larger portion of
likely to be needed in the future. It his operational responsibilities. Since
assessed the internal candidate on taking the helm a few years ago, he has
those skills and also presented six surpassed the board’s expectations.
well-qualified external candidates to To assess curiosity, pose questions
the board. The assessment showed like the ones Egon Zehnder’s
that the internal candidate had strong interviewers ask, especially:
GETTY IMAGES
operational and analytical abilities but When could you not stop yourself from
lacked strategic acumen and did not learning something new? and What
delegate effecti ely. As a result, the fueled that drive? The answers will
CASE STUDY: SUN HYDRAULICS Controls, an Ohio-based maker of fluid-

power control products, rising through
THE MANUFACTURER THAT SET the ranks to become vice president and
director of corporate development.
ITS WORKFORCE FREE

At Sun Hydraulics, almost no one has a title. Workers design their own jobs,
During that time annual sales grew
from $600,000 to $5 million, but Koski
felt that the company’s organization
and culture — especially its obsession
and they can make decisions and implement changes as they see fi . with prescribed procedures — stifled
employees’ contributions.
Koski died in 2008, but Sun
O
Hydraulics still reflects his vision.
The only job titles are those legally
required of a public company (for
ur predisposition to fit in States, France, the United Kingdom, example, CEO and CFO). Employees
by imitating starts early: Germany, South Korea, India, and have great discretion to make decisions
Within minutes of birth, China. and to implement changes as they see
infants begin mimicking When Robert Koski cofounded Sun, in fi . There are no quality inspectors;
the facial expressions 1970, he set out to create a company everyone is responsible for the quality
of their parents. But this innate without hierarchy, organizational of his or her own work.
tendency to conform can be costly for charts, titles, job descriptions, private Employees are also expected to
organizations. It undermines the ability offices reporting relationships, or choose the activities that best allow
of employees, including leaders, to even close supervision. He wanted them to contribute to the organization
think creatively and to innovate. everyone to be informed about what and to express their signature
How can companies fight conformity? was happening in the business and strengths. They may decide to expand
By encouraging employees to be to be aware of organizational goals or share their responsibilities. For
themselves — to be authentic and and desires. He wanted to be able example, a worker who had largely
use their strengths. Sadly, this to trust people to make the right administrative and clerical duties found
rarely occurs. One exception is decisions. And he wanted to foster an that other employees often approached
Sun Hydraulics, a Florida-based environment that would capitalize on her with questions about and problems
manufacturer of high-performance people’s strengths. with working relationships. After a few
hydraulic cartridge valves and Koski, then 40, was motivated by years she was recognized as the person
manifolds. The company has roughly the frustration he had experienced at most responsible for human resources
$200 million in annual sales, and its his previous employer. For more than and related matters.
900 employees work in the United a decade he had worked at Dynamic
Efforts to get Sun employees to the company’s Florida plants. A operators to the vendor’s factory to
use their core strengths and express machinist had an idea for a process learn how to program them. It was the
their authentic selves begin with the improvement, presented it to his fi st time the vendor had been asked
onboarding process. All new employees colleagues, got positive feedback, and to train relatively unsophisticated
take a “manufacturing tour” during pursued it to fruition. No supervisor shop workers: Other customers
which they rotate through areas of was looking over his shoulder, but had hired specialized programmers
the plant, including assembly, testing, he knew he could ask for help at any and instructors. But Sun wanted to
washing, and lathing. Depending on point. He also knew that as long as he ensure that the employees using the
the employee’s role, the tour may made a good-faith effor , he would not equipment had the skills to run and
last anywhere from two weeks to four be penalized if the idea didn’t work maintain it. And the vendor said it
months. This introduction lets workers out. Another worker, frustrated by had never seen a faster, smoother
discover the various jobs involved in how long it took to manually prepare introduction of its machines.
the business and learn which ones hydraulic valves for testing, thought up Even exceedingly hierarchical
interest them most and suit them a simple machine that could make the organizations can learn from
best. It also allows them to build necessary adjustments and persuaded Sun’s efforts to foster employees’
relationships across the organization an initially skeptical engineer to build authenticity. For example, fully
and to understand the company from the device — which became a valuable informing workers about company
all angles. Finally, it enables them to part of the assembly process. Upon operations and objectives increases
understand one another’s roles and assuming responsibility for the plant’s their ability to make decisions on
capabilities — something that, my aluminum inventory, one employee their own and thus empowers them.
ongoing research has found, creates installed a just-in-time ordering system Organizations might also let employees
trust and therefore increases the after persuading machine operators sculpt their jobs or give them greater
likelihood that people will be authentic to learn how to use it. Aluminum bars say in their tasks so that their work
and use their strengths. are now delivered daily in the exact better reflects their interests and
After the manufacturing tour, it is quantities needed rather than monthly draws on their capabilities. There is no
not unusual for a worker to assume a in imprecise amounts — significant y downside to encouraging employees to
role diffe ent from the one for which lowering inventory costs. be true to themselves and to use their
he was hired. Personal interests Sun believes that when needs signature strengths. There is only this
and qualifications take precedence. arise, it should help workers expand upside: a more engaged, productive,
For instance, an engineer hired for their capabilities rather than recruit innovative workforce.
a product development function outside expertise. Upon introducing
became intrigued with computers and a complicated new generation of
decided to concentrate on creating flexible machining centers, it sent plant
new programming applications
instead. Through careful planning
and discussion, the company fills the
vacuums thus created, even if that
takes months.
Sun’s self-management approach
gives all employees the liberty to
Employees have great discretion to
identify opportunities for improvement,
discuss their ideas with colleagues, make decisions and to implement
GETTY IMAGES
and implement changes without

seeking high-level approval. I saw
several examples of this at one of
changes as they see fit.
CASE STUDY: ARIEL INVESTMENTS

THE EVERYDAY WAYS
ONE LEADER HELPS
EMPLOYEES BUST Hobson’s remarks inspired me to Ariel was final y able to control its
THE STATUS QUO

write a Harvard Business School case own destiny.
study about her leadership at Ariel. I’ve told that story many, many
During my research, I learned that times, because that kind of trust is a
Ariel Investments president Mellody she is an exceptional role model. In a great gift. Recently I hired a person
Hobson models rebel behavior to get her recent interview she discussed simple to join our research team. I told her,
staff to question everything and everyone — methods every leader can use to figh “I am expecting you to be a source of
conformity and to encourage others to spark in the conversation. I expect you
including herself. do the same. to push us to say the uncomfortable
thing.” She kept asking, “You are really
Gino: What is your personal inviting that?” and I assured her, “I am
experience with organizational expecting it!”
pressure to conform? The second reason I don’t think I’ve
Hobson: Conformity is the norm in ever been a conformist during my
many organizations — but fortunately career is that I’ve approached work
I
it has not played a large part in my with an entrepreneurial mindset. When
career, for two main reasons. you are in that mode, you try to think
The fi st is the precious and diffe ently and act diffe ently so that
n February 2014 I gave a talk at unforgettable advice I received on my you can stand out. I’ve always had a
the Impact Summit, a conference fi st day at Ariel, where I came after view that being original and unique
of 250 top women in financia graduating from Princeton. The founder is very hard — but it’s something I’ve
services. One person in particular and CEO, John W. Rogers Jr., said to aspired to. In my mind, that means not
stood out: Mellody Hobson, me, “You are going to be in rooms with just having original ideas in meetings
the president of Ariel Investments, a people who make a lot of money and or original ways of attacking a problem
Chicago-based money management have big titles. But it does not mean but also being who I am without fear.
firm with office in New York City and your ideas are not as good or even For example, I take a nontraditional
Sydney. Hobson serves as a director better. I want to hear your ideas. It is approach to business attire: When it
of Estée Lauder and Starbucks and incumbent on you to speak up.” He comes to fashion, I am very willing to
chaired the board of DreamWorks started off by giving me permission be myself. The fact that I’m a black
Animation until its recent acquisition to speak “my truth” — the truth as I woman also challenges the status quo.
by Comcast-NBCUniversal. An saw it as a young woman (I was 22 at Rather than viewing that as a potential
impressive background — but that’s the time). It was a very reassuring and diffic ty, as some do when it comes to
not why she caught my attention. compelling instruction. sensitive issues, I see my uniqueness
Nor was it because she was the only Fast-forward three years: I persuaded as an opportunity to be memorable.
African-American in attendance. It was John to separate from the Calvert And my name is Mellody, with two Ls.
her remarks during a session titled Group, which had been selling Ariel’s It stands out. I often joke that I don’t
“Insights on Innovative Leadership.” mutual funds as Calvert-Ariel funds. At need a last name.
Hobson noted how easy it is to conform the time, we had about $400 million
to the usual ways of thinking in a fir invested in our mutual funds. I said As a leader, how do you encourage
and how important it is to fight that that we were big enough to strike out employees to resist pressure from
tendency. She also pointed out that on our own. Amazingly, John said, “I colleagues to conform?
being diffe ent makes you memorable trust you.” As with a divorce, it was It is hard to fight conformity personally
and voiced her hope that people will both painful and liberating to make the and to encourage others to fight it. But
embrace, not hide, their diffe ences. break from Calvert. But by doing so, there are ways, big and small.
“I am expecting you to be a source of spark in the

conversation. I expect you to push us to say the
uncomfortable thing.”
For instance, during a brainstorming
meeting, I might throw out sentences
like “This may be a crazy idea.” I do
that because it invites other people to
have crazy ideas. In meetings where I
am the only voice on an issue, I point
to that fact and say, “It is a bit lonely
dangling on this branch alone, but I
feel strongly about this issue.” It’s a
way to tell people that I am willing to
be there on my own and hopefully to
give them permission to do the same.
Similarly, I model dissenting behaviors.
For instance, when John and I would
disagree in meetings, I’d say, “Mom and
Dad are disagreeing,” or I would look at
him with a smile and say, “What are you
going to do, fi e me?” I was not trying
to be disrespectful. I was sending a
message to everyone else that I didn’t
fear repercussions for disagreeing with
him and that they should feel free to
speak their minds too.
When I see conformity at Ariel, I
point it out. For instance, when I
see people automatically agree with
others’ opinions, I say, “We are making
donuts.” That’s based on a Dunkin’
Donuts commercial from years ago, in
which Fred the Baker would wake up
and say, “Time to make the donuts.”
The next day he would do the same
thing, and the day after that. So when
I feel that we are repeating something
without questioning it, I tell people,
“We are making donuts.” I’ve used
this language for a long time, so it’s
understood here. Quick phrases like
that can be really helpful.
One of the ways in which conformity
takes over is through email chains. The
chains get so long that people start
agreeing with one another because
they lose the point. I always try to stop
email chains. After the third back-and-
COURTESY OF STARBUCKS CORPORATION
forth, I write, “Stop, and meet!”
Obviously, it’s necessary to abide by

certain rules and norms. How do you
strike a balance between conformity
and nonconformity?
The line has to do with excellence and
compliance. So we have clear rules
around processes. You can’t wing it
with a process that is mission-critical against the wind. You have to learn to can be just as insightful as someone
for the firm. You want to follow the be comfortable being on your own. with an economics degree. And we
process as much as possible, and have There are other things we do to don’t have hard rules about prior
very good and defensible reasons when encourage people to challenge the experience. We will adjust a role to a
you don’t. That is the only way we can status quo. At the end of our summer person’s skill set.
do postmortems when something goes internship program, we ask the interns As Scott Page acknowledges, diversity
wrong. what they would do diffe ently if they can result in conflic . And at times it
The processes may involve something were leading the firm. And when new does result in conflict at Ariel. But, as
as simple as how a trade goes through teammates join the firm, we ask about Page writes, if you find yourself in a
— or how to comply with industry the best practices of their previous meeting arguing with your colleagues,
advertising regulations, or how to employers. you should stand up and clap. The
check a client statement before it dissension should lead to a better
goes out. We have a rule that no letter It sounds like you’ve tried to outcome. It may be easier to be around
leaves the firm until two sets of eyes institutionalize dissent. people who agree with you, but that
have reviewed it to ensure that there Yes. I have a McKinsey quote on my doesn’t drive stronger outcomes.
are no typos. Nothing is worse than a desk: “Uphold your obligation to
business letter with typos. It hurts the dissent.” I am told that at McKinsey,
brand. voicing dissent is not optional; it is
required. Similarly, Reed Hastings,
A big risk is that people won’t of Netfli , says that if you don’t
question standard practices that are respectfully dissent, you are being
no longer helpful. How do you get disloyal to the company. Both
people to challenge the status quo — sentences have resonated with me.
“the way we’ve always done it Here is an example of how we put
around here”? these ideas into practice at Ariel. We
At Ariel, people are encouraged to want analysts to work as hard to keep
ask questions, investigate further, and an idea out of a portfolio as they do
not take things for granted. Asking to keep it in. We don’t want them just
questions is critically important. Go advocating for possible investments;
back to Plato and Socrates — that’s we want them fighting hard against
what they did. The Socratic way of them, because it hurts us all if an
questioning led to the best thinking investment goes badly.
and outcomes. Questions can generate
breakthroughs, not just answers. I Are there other ways you seek
ask a lot of questions. I want asking diverse points of view?
questions to be in our fir ’s DNA. We One is in our hiring practices. We want
joke that if everyone is agreeing on a to make sure we have people with
stock, we should be very nervous. diffe ent backgrounds and experiences.
We often assign someone to serve We totally buy in to the work of Scott
as a devil’s advocate. In 2008 and Page — the University of Michigan
2009, during the financial crisis, the professor who wrote the book The
devil’s advocate became a fixtu e in our Difference. He argues that if you
research process. There is one person want to solve a really hard problem,
who follows a stock and another whose you need people to come at it from
job is to argue the other side. That’s diffe ent perspectives.
one way to make sure people do not We love to find people who are
conform to others’ opinions or fall diffe ent. We don’t feel we have
into groupthink. We are contrarian to consider only candidates with
investors — we try, at our core, to traditional finance backgrounds
do things diffe ently from others. So or those from traditional schools.
much of what we do is about standing Someone with a liberal arts education
ASSESSMENT
ARE YOU A “CONSTRUCTIVE
NONCONFORMIST”?
F
Find out how much of a rebel worker you are.
or decades, prevailing management wisdom has encouraged leaders

to focus on designing efficien processes and getting employees to
follow them. But conformity can hurt businesses. Innovation and high
performance often result from behaviors that defy organizational
norms — established ways of thinking and of doing things. How much
does your company pressure you to conform? And are you succumbing to the
pressure and hurting your chances of success? Take the following assessment
(adapted from my ongoing research) to discover whether you’re engaging in
what I call constructive nonconformity: deviant behavior that benefits the
organization.
When answering these questions, focus on the

ES
VE ST
IM
S
TE LY
TE Y
past month.
AY
NELMO
OFVER
R
ET
N
R
N
OF AIR
VE
W
M
AL
NE
F
A
SO
1. In the past month, how often have you refrained from SCORE: 0–24 You’re lucky: Your low
opposing your team members just to avoid rocking the boat? 0 1 2 3 4 5 score indicates that you are probably
very engaged in your work, are
2. How often have you publicly supported ideas you
privately disagreed with? 0 1 2 3 4 5 performing at a high level, and are
innovating frequently. Just make sure
3. How often have you followed established rules or that you don’t become complacent — the
procedures, even though you suspected there was a better 0 1 2 3 4 5 pressure to conform affects everyone.
way to do things? Keep being the rebel that you are!
4. How often have you raised questions about the SCORE: 25–30 Your score is average —
effecti eness of current processes or systems? 0 1 2 3 4 5 and in this case, average is good. Scores
in this range indicate that your ability to
5. How often have you seen senior leaders challenge the express yourself at work is at a healthy
status quo or ask employees to think outside the box? 0 1 2 3 4 5 level, allowing you to be productive and
innovative. To stay in this sweet spot,
6. How often have you felt pressured to conform to the watch out for situations in which you feel
cultural norms of your organization (how to dress, pressured to conform.
how to interact with others, how to do your work, and so 0 1 2 3 4 5
on)? SCORE: 31–39 Your higher-than-average
score indicates a level of pressure that
7. How often have you felt free to be yourself — to behave may be detrimental to your performance
and express yourself in an authentic way? 0 1 2 3 4 5 and your ability to innovate. You may
also be disengaged. Try shaping your
8. How often have you been encouraged to solve problems
on your own, without involving a supervisor? 0 1 2 3 4 5 job in ways that allow you to be yourself
and that bring out your talents and
9. How often has your job played to your strengths? skills. Even small changes can let your
0 1 2 3 4 5 authentic self shine through.
SCORE: 40–60 Your high score indicates
10. How often have you been challenged — urged to an unproductive level of conformity.
develop a new skill or to take on a task that pushed you out 0 1 2 3 4 5 You’re probably disengaged, and you’re
of your comfort zone? almost certainly having a hard time being
11. How often have you sought information that was your true self at work. It’s critical that
inconsistent with your views and might even prove you 0 1 2 3 4 5 you find ways (big and small) to lower
wrong? the pressure to conform, and that starts
with allowing your authentic self to shine
12. How often have you and your team been encouraged through. Act more like a rebel, and you
to debate ideas or consider multiple perspectives before 0 1 2 3 4 5 and your organization will benefi .
reaching a decision?
VISIT HBR.ORG/REBEL
FOR MORE
VIDEO
REBEL TALENT
AT OSTERIA
FRANCESCANA
Chef Massimo Bottura breaks all the rules
for running a kitchen. And he has the best
restaurant in the world.
Watch at hbr.org/rebel
"TO BUILD A TEAM YOU HAVE

TO KNOW THE PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHO YOU
HAVE, AND LOOK IN THEIR EYES
SOLO PRODUCTION.IT
AND FIND THE SPARKLE."

–Massimo Bottura
Chef Patron, Osteria Francescana
RELATED READING
In the course of developing this Big Idea on Rebel Talent, HBR asked Francesca Gino
to provide a portfolio of content that could further inspire, advise, and help develop
your understanding of the topic. Gino's curated list of materials on rebel talent runs
the gamut from classic HBR articles to novels and more.
HBR CASE OTHER

ARTICLES BOOKS STUDIES ARTICLES
While studying leaders and I’ve found inspiration in The best way to learn how “Monkeys Are Adept at
organizations that attract, books from as far back as to foster constructive Picking Up Social Cues,
develop, and manage talent the 1850s that document nonconformity is to dig into Research Shows”
so as to spark engagement how and why companies how actual companies did so. Pam Belluck
and creativity, I found many create pressure to conform New York Times, 2013
insights in the pages of HBR. and what can be done to “Sun Hydraulics: Leading in
combat it. Tough Times (A)” “For Some Flight
“How Pixar Fosters Linda A. Hill and Attendants, Shtick Comes
Collective Creativity” The Organization Man Jennifer M. Suesse With the Safety Spiel”
Ed Catmull William H. Whyte 2003 Zach Schonbrun
September 2008 1956 New York Times, 2016
“Pal’s Sudden Service—
“Are You a High Potential?” Reinventing Organizations: Scaling an Organizational “I’m Quite Eccentric Within
Douglas A. Ready, Jay A. A Guide to Creating Model to Drive Growth” Accepted Societal Norms”
Conger, and Linda A. Hill Organizations Inspired by Gary P. Pisano, Francesca Martin Grossman
June 2010 the Next Stage of Human Gino, and Bradley R. Staats The Onion, 2007
Consciousness 2016
“How to Hang On to Frederic Laloux
Your High Potentials” 2014 “The Morning Star Company:
Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, Self-Management at Work”
Boris Groysberg, The Art of Being Francesca Gino and
and Nitin Nohria Unmistakable: A Collection Bradley R. Staats
October 2011 of Essays About Making a 2013
Dent in the Universe
“How GE Teaches Teams Srinivas Rao
to Lead Change” 2013
Steven Prokesch
January 2009 Bartleby, the Scrivener
Herman Melville
“Managing Without 1853
Managers”
Ricardo Semler Collective Genius:
September–October 1989 The Art and Practice
of Leading Innovation
“Why My Former Employees Linda A. Hill, Greg Brandeau,
Still Work for Me” Emily Truelove, and
Ricardo Semler Kent Lineback
January–February 1994 2014
SURVEY RESULTSEGON ZHENDER

CASE STUDY:
SMALL MEASURES
DISCUSSES CAN LIBERATE
THE ROLE OF CURIOSITY AS A KEY
EMPLOYEES
INGREDIENT TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR BEST
TO NONCONFORMITY
A six-week experiment demonstrates that small prods can significant y increase worker engagement.
IT
n 2007hinkI decided
about enough
your fi stwas test
Through
the effecti
my own eness
experience
of a few andsmall to
exercise,
a decadebetter
of my
relationships,
research, these and
enough. dayI had
of work
beenatrunning
your changes.
in my work coaching clients on time behaviors
overall peace are of
keymind.
ingredients for
my own job.business
If you’reforlike
a couple
most management,
First, I recruited
I’ve seen
HBR subscribers
that there often enhancing
Begin by evaluating
employee engagement.
how you currently
of yearspeople,
and I constantly
you probably felt for
is aan
strong
online
correlation
survey about
between
theirpoor decide when to stop working. People
felt stressed.
energized,I hadmotivated,
no clear and current
time management,
job experiences.
workingRespondents
longer often
The stop
four messages
when theywere: feel too tired
boundaries
even inspired. between
You may workhaveandbeen answered
hours, andquestions
feeling stressed.
about their
It’s due
level to1.continue
“In the next
or they
week, observe
we’d liketheiryou to
personal
anxious about
time, joining
and I rarely
a newstopped
group of of
to engagement
the tension where,at work,
intellectually,
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colleagues
on thestop.
following.
But these For signals
many, work
working
colleagues,without
but you
feeling
wereguilty.
ready for the they
you desire
take charge
to workand fewer
innovate
hours in but,
their has
aren’tbecome
helpful.routine.
Working It’stoimportant
exhaustion to
Although
challenge.I enjoyed
Yet it’s likely
my work
that and
within
wasjust jobs,
emotionally,
and how it curious
just doesn’t
theyseem
feel. I also keep
meansfinding
you’reways
less productive
to improve when currentyou
compensated
a few months the wellhoneymoon
for it, the constant
period asked
appropriate.
them questions
You feel likeabout
you’re
theiralready processes.
are workingDo — not
andtake
it canestablished
also mean
stress
came to of an
overwork
end. prevented me from performance.
behind, so working They indicated
fewer hours their
would systems
you don’tand have procedures
the energyfor to granted:
enjoy your
feeling
All toolike
often,
a realwork
success.
is a source of agreement
only make the withsituation
various worse.
statements Frequently
time outsideask of yourself
work. Basing why youyourare
hours
frustration
That year than
was afulfillmen
turning point
. Thisfor
lack (e.g.,
You can
“At work,
revise Ithe
feelway
bursting
you workwithso executing
on a colleague’s
work theis dangerous
way you are because
and
me.
of engagement
I made some canchanges
hinder in productivity
the way energy”
that you andgradually
“I am cut
immersed
down on in yours
my if
you’re
thereputting
might beyourbetter
time ways
in someone
of doing
Iand
worked,
innovation.
bringing my hours from work”)
hours. It’s
on not
a seven-point
easy at fi st,scale,
and ranging
it may things.”
else’s hands (someone who may or may
about
How 60canpercompanies
week down improve
to 50. Over from
take astrongly
few monthsdisagree
to reach
to strongly
your goal. not2. be
“Inworking
the nexteffecti
week, ely).
we’d like you to
the
employee
subsequentengagement?
years, I gradually
In agree.
But by managing your time diffe ently, focus
Instead,
on the
take
following.
your timeFind intoways
yourtoown
let
reduced
collaboration
my hourswith to
HBR,
40 per
as part
week.
of And you
Once
canawork
weekmorefor the
effecti
next ely
fourinweeks,
less your
hands. true
Setself
a target
shinerange
through of hours
at work.
youIt
even
the “Rebel
thoughTalent”
I was working
program,less, I recently
I was respondents
time, discoverreceived
a renewedonepassion
of four foremail may
wantbe to as
worksimple
in a given
as dressing
time period
the way
increasing
conductedmy a six-week
revenue.survey to messages
your job, and asking
improve
themyourto engage
healthin you
— forwant,
example,
decorating
45–50 yourhoursworkspace
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certain
— especially
behaviors
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of sleep
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and so
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it reflects
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your personality
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overwhelming,
and makes you start feel at small
ease, byorfocusing forAsthe time being,
I expected, or delegate
in the fi st survey projects
I without theme)
entirely by stress.
and redistributed them
on an incremental
communicating with goal, like leaving
colleagues and15 to someone
found no diffe else.
ence in the levels of to all members of my team, having
minutesinearlier
clients ways that eachalign day. withDetermine
who You might have
engagement, some awkward
innovation, and self- in mind the skills that each person
the tasks
you are. Inyou needtry
short, toshaping
accomplish youron job moments when someone
reported performance is surprised
between the should develop. In that way, I made
a weekly
in ways that andallow
daily youbasistowithinfeel morethis that you declined
respondents in thea intervention
project or asked group a lot of free time for myself and I was
schedule to
authentic andfeel comfortable
bring out your ending talents to
andextend
thoseaindeadline.
the control Butgroup.
being able to get involved in more important
yourskills
and work moreon time.frequently.” honest
But then withthe people
results about what you
got interesting. issues that I was not able to until now,
Then
3. “Inobserve
the nexthow week, youwe’d work. likeIf you
you can
When or comparing
can’t get done the within
scores the from hours due to lack of time. People felt better,
findfocus
to yourself
on theplanning
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found more they as they felt that they were trusted with
still are working
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colleagues or effecti
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on weekends,
others identify what’s
in the organization hindering
to avoid process.
the control group. The results were director, and higher management
you from working
confrontation your preferred
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diffe thisforfails
those andI you
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asked can’tto fin started to take a different look at me,
number of
making, behours.
sure toMaybe fight that you’re in
tendency the
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questioning as I have started participating in more
meetings
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opinion or get If you
instead. revisit your planning.
usual practices Front-loadtheir
and expressing your complicated decision making.”
interrupted
feel stronglyconstantly,
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is wrong or most important
individuality, forprojects.
example.Put in your
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way ofafter doing or priorities
their survey early in the day
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week sixso These behaviors reflect diffe ent
everyoneabout
thinking leaves. Or perhapsspeak
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up that
weeks you canwere
they make21% progress on them
more engaged ways of responding to the messages,
is understaffed
and offer your diffe and you’re working
ent perspective.” before
in theirthe jobs,lasttheyminute
wereand 18%end more work but they point to a broader theme:
multiple
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likely to without
take charge feelingandstressed.
innovate,For To stay engaged, we need to fight the
youIdentifying
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following. allows Askyou example, I plan to complete
their performance improvedall byof the
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andFor most important
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example,
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constructively ways to be more authentic at work,
out chunks
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focused work.
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instead of their
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tasks.
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If your overload
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able todue draw to to leave.
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LIVE EVENT
FOSTERING REBEL TALENT
INSIDE PIXAR
AS FRANCESCA GINO delved into the topic of rebel talent, she
found inspiration in how Pixar onboards employees. Instead
of celebrating the company’s successes, Pixar tells new hires
about its mistakes and less successful ideas. This helps new
workers get past the idea that they’re not allowed to make
errors or question decisions. Gino joined Pixar president Ed
Catmull and HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius for a sold-out
event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
The three talked about how Pixar continues to get great
results from its highly engaged, creative staff of constructive
nonconformists.
TOMMY LAU PHOTOGRAPHY
WEBINAR
FOSTERING REBEL
TALENT AT WORK
Watch at hbr.org/rebel
“OPPORTUNITIES TO FIGHT CONFORMITY

EXIST IN OUR JOBS. RIGHT NOW.”
—Francesca Gino
FRANCESCA GINO AND HBR SENIOR EDITOR STEVEN PROKESCH

talked about “Rebel Talent” in an hour-long webinar. Gino dove
deep into examples of companies that encourage constructive
nonconformity and gave advice on how you can follow their lead:
Start small. Be persistent. Let new employees know it’s safe to
question authority and bring their whole selves to work. Prokesch
explored the challenge of balancing nonconformity with the need
to get things done and follow some rules and regulations. The duo
also answered questions from the audience.
THE
BIG
IDEA
NEXT IN THE BIG IDEA:
JANUARY 2017
Generosity Burnout
Join HBR and Adam Grant, author of “In the Company of
Givers and Takers” and The Originals, as we explore his
latest research on generosity’s dark side, and how leaders
can avoid the kind of giving that backfires.

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THE

2 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

Employees who said they could express their authentic selves at

4 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 5

6 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

Employees of Semco Group set their own schedules and production

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 7

STEP 2 observe a strict hierarchy, with specific titles for each

8 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 9

10 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 11

The Origins ofThe theOrigins

Frederick W. Taylor’s Frederick W. Taylor’s

12 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

1970 1990 2016

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 13

CASE STUDY: EGON ZEHNDER

14 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

Focusing on curiosity, and on potential more broadly, can shine a

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 15

CASE STUDY: SUN HYDRAULICS Controls, an Ohio-based maker of fluid-

ITS WORKFORCE FREE

16 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

and implement changes without

CASE STUDY: ARIEL INVESTMENTS

THE STATUS QUO

“I am expecting you to be a source of spark in the

forth, I write, “Stop, and meet!”

Obviously, it’s necessary to abide by

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 19

20 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

or decades, prevailing management wisdom has encouraged leaders

When answering these questions, focus on the

"TO BUILD A TEAM YOU HAVE

AND FIND THE SPARKLE."

HBR CASE OTHER

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 23

SURVEY RESULTSEGON ZHENDER

24 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 25

TOMMY LAU PHOTOGRAPHY

26 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

“OPPORTUNITIES TO FIGHT CONFORMITY

FRANCESCA GINO AND HBR SENIOR EDITOR STEVEN PROKESCH

THE BIG IDEA HBR.ORG 27

NEXT IN THE BIG IDEA:

You might also like

2 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

4 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

6 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

8 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

10 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

12 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

14 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

16 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

20 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

"TO BUILD A TEAM YOU HAVE

24 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

26 HBR.ORG THE BIG IDEA

“OPPORTUNITIES TO FIGHT CONFORMITY