rebel research
i do a lot of research on rebels and i am happy to share all my insights and sources
what makes a rebel:
curious
curious
creative
creative
courageous
courageous
care
care
(hover over the cards to learn more)
did you know?
10%
of employees think their employer regularly encourages nonconformity (from research by Francesca Gina, Harvard Business School)
50%
of employees believe nothing will happen when they speak up, so they don’t bother (from research by Karin Hurt and David Dye)
75%
of employees say that the biggest drain on their resilience reserves is managing difficult people or office politics at work (from research by Sarah Bond and Gillian Shapiro)
67%
of employees believe their leadership operates on the notion that ‘this is how we’ve always done it’ (from research by Karin Hurt and David Dye)
33%
of employees hold back at work because they lack confidence (from research by Amy Edmondson, Harvard Business School)
50%
of employees feel the need to conform to their workplace norms (from research by Francesca Gino, Harvard Business School)
a bad job is worse for mental health than being out of work
gain more in-depth knowledge
Researchers conducted a series of studies to understand when curiosity may lead to different reactions in the workplace. They found that curious employees were often seen by their leaders as insubordinate and, in turn, less likable. However, curious employees who were politically skilled were not seen this way.
Challenging the status quo is the mechanism that leads to innovation and improvement. But doing so can feel risky, leading you to self-censor and shy away from speaking up. Challenging the status quo calls into play context, personalities, and self-interest, and could bruise egos, reveal poor performance, redistribute power, or upend hierarchy. So how should you go about sharing an idea or feedback that goes against the status quo?
When people were asked what was happening in their own lives that required them to draw on those reserves, they didn’t point to tragedies like the London Tube bombings, appalling business mistakes, the need to keep up with the inexorably accelerating pace of change, or the challenges of the still-difficult economy — they pointed to their co-workers. A whopping 75% of them said that the biggest drain on their resilience reserves was “managing difficult people or office politics at work.”
Whether you’re someone who enjoys ruffling feathers or the type of person who’d like to challenge the status quo but shies away, you’ll benefit from understanding the best, research–backed ways to practice disagreement – even insubordination – while holding onto others’ respect at work.
In today’s interconnected business environment, companies won’t be able to solve problems effectively without encouraging “contributory dissent”—a healthy approach to gathering diverse perspectives that should be taught to team members, modeled by leaders, and supported by culture.
A book that offers a comprehensive recipe for rebellion that is eminently practical and based on cutting-edge science.
The book provides concrete ideas, techniques and advice on how to refine your thinking, improve your approach to work, and manage yourself so you can achieve more and stay sane and optimistic in the process.
Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world, there’s another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. In our daily lives, too many of us favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt. We listen to opinions that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard. We see disagreement as a threat to our egos, rather than an opportunity to learn. We surround ourselves with people who agree with our conclusions, when we should be gravitating toward those who challenge our thought process. The result is that our beliefs get brittle long before our bones. Intelligence is no cure, and it can even be a curse: there’s evidence that being good at thinking can make us worse at rethinking. The brighter we are, the blinder to our own limitations we can become.
Originals is about how to champion new ideas and fight groupthink. Using surprising studies and stories spanning business, politics, sports, and entertainment, Grant explores how to recognize a good idea, speak up without getting silenced, build a coalition of allies, choose the right time to act, and manage fear and doubt; how parents and teachers can nurture originality in children; and how leaders can build cultures that welcome dissent.
The book examines the power of ‘cognitive diversity’ – the ability to think differently about the world around us. It explains how to harness our unique perspectives, pool our collective intelligence and tackle the greatest challenges of our age – from climate change to terrorism. It draws on a great range of case studies.
Struggling to make changes at work or convince management to take action? Ready to challenge conventional thinking or introduce a new idea, but worried about being viewed as a troublemaker or getting in way over your head? The book provides concrete ideas, techniques and advice on how to refine your thinking, improve your approach to work, and manage yourself so you can achieve more and stay sane and optimistic in the process.
Carmen Medina spent 32 years at CIA but when you meet her you will hardly notice. She is recognized as a national and international expert on intelligence analysis, strategic thinking, diversity of thought, and innovation and intrapreneurs in the public sector. She is also a rebel. Watch this TED-talk to learn many valuable lessons from her!
my publications about rebels
- Oh no! We have a rebel in our team. But is that really a disaster?
- Oh my lord! I am a rebel. Now what?
- Kickstarting innovation? Six tips to empower rebels in your team
- A bit of rebellion can lead to magical results
- Why companies should nurture rebels in the workplace
- A rebel in your team? Congratulations!
- Rebels are the 'birds of paradise' of an organisation
listen to my view on rebels
rebel research
for my research on rebels, i collect rebel stories. if you have a 'rebel experience', i would love to hear from you!
ask dr rebel
i answer your questions about rebellious behaviour – for rebels, and co-workers and managers of rebels