Rebels are known for colouring outside the lines. They never do this just because, though. Most rebels have a strong moral compass and act accordingly. They don’t break the rules because they want to, but because they feel it is the right thing to do.
Deviating from the protocol
It is October 17, 1995. Twins Kyrie and Brielle are born twelve weeks before their due date. They are both placed in their own incubator as soon as possible. Kyrie, who weighed just over two pounds, is making good progress and gaining weight. But her little sister Brielle has breathing and heart rate problems. She is barely gaining weight, and her oxygen levels are low.
About three weeks later, on November 12, little Brielle gets into a critical condition. Her arms and legs turn blue-grey as she gasps for air. Her heart rate shoots up. The twins’ parents watch helplessly, terrified that their daughter will die.
Nurse Gayle Kasparian tries everything, but nothing works. At her wit’s end, she decides to go beyond the protocol. She has heard that in some parts of Europe, it is common practice to place premature twins together in an incubator. The parents give permission to try it out.
When she closes the incubator door, Brielle snuggles against Kyrie and calms down. Within minutes, her blood oxygen levels improve. As she falls asleep, Kyrie wraps her left arm around her little sister. Brielle’s heart rate stabilizes, and her temperature rises normal levels. Her health improves by leaps and bounds, and soon, the two little sisters can to go home.
Strong moral compass
Rebels are known for coloring outside the lines. They never do this just because, though. Most rebels have a strong moral compass and act accordingly. They don’t break the rules because they want to, but because they feel it is the right thing to do. They are averse to bureaucracy and quickly see the absurdity of unnecessary rules and procedures. In addition, they are practical, come up with solutions quickly, and often just try them out.
Without the rebellious Gayle Kasparian, Kyrie and Brielle’s story would probably have taken a different turn. Due to this incident, procedures have changed, and now, almost everywhere in the world, it is protocol to place premature twins in the same incubator.
Fresh perspective
We live in a world with many rules and procedures that make little sense. They are there because they once served a purpose. However, meanwhile, the world has changed, and they now defeat their purpose. Rebels can see the absurdity of rules and procedures very quickly. Even if they have been working in the same place for years, they still notice when rules have expired and must be adjusted.
Rebels are not troublemakers at all. They are extremely engaged. They keep wondering how to improve things and dare to speak up, despite the opposition they often had to deal with in the past. Cherish that and become worried when they turn silent.
‘It’s not rebels that make trouble, but trouble that makes rebels’. So, it’s about time we see the power of rebels!
This article was originally published in Dutch on the platform DeSpreker.nl, the best agency for booking speakers in the Netherlands.
don’t miss out!
subscribe and get my columns straight into your mailbox