The Role of the "Deviant" on Effective Teams
Most teams have experienced a moment in which a team member throws a wrench into the conversation. A "yeah, but" kind of offering. It might be a warning of what's to come, the lingering dissatisfaction with a past decision, or simply an alternative perspective of the topic at hand. If you can see these comments, which appear to be at odds with the momentum of the team, as gems packed with value, you'll build a stronger team. In the HBR interview, Why Teams Don't Work, Richard Hackman calls these team members "deviants" because their view deviates from the consensus.
THE DEVIANT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE
Often, the comment the deviant is bringing up is a perspective that others share or can at least relate to. The deviant is just the person with enough audacity to put the thought into the mix. Can the team value the comments for what they are—a check and balances, a need to justify the decision or direction—or will the team “shoot the messenger”?
A HEALTHY TEAM DOESN'T HAVE JUST ONE DEVIANT
The more teammates that feel comfortable speaking up with potentially unpopular perspectives, the healthier the team. While deviant roles may be played by a handful of usual characters, a team with just one deviant is at risk of scapegoating or ostracizing that person for their lack of conformity. The more diffused this role is among the team, the more the team as a whole will feel comfortable with healthy disagreements, which will ultimately lead to more innovative solutions.
THE "HOW" MATTERS GREATLY
How the deviant puts their thoughts into the mix matters greatly to the team's cohesion. Done well, the deviant can make the team and its results stronger. Done poorly, it can tear a team apart (I've written about Pessimistic Pete before).
Is there self-awareness that the comment may require a pause in what feels like progress? Is there an undertone of optimism and a desire to build the best solution together? If the deviant's comments are just a negative message thrown like a bomb into the "pool of shared meaning," well, that's much more difficult for the team to use constructively to say the least.
That brings us to the last point: how your team receives the deviant's comments is telling, too. Does it empathize and validate the perspective? Is there an underlying belief that the perspective can get integrated into the holistic picture that is being generated?
Comments that are deviating in nature can be frustrating and annoying for a team because they feel like they hold the team back. Often, though, the deviant speaks a truth worth looking at if the team is able to see through poor delivery styles. Try leaning into the deviant’s comments next time. Or if the deviant is you, try delivering your message with self-awareness and an eye towards progress.
