Positive Deviance in Business: A Catalyst for Change

In business, there is constant pressure to innovate and find new solutions to complex problems. One approach that has gained popularity in recent years is positive deviance. Positive deviance is a concept that challenges the traditional notion of problem-solving by focusing on the strengths and success stories of a group or community.?

This article explores the positive deviance model. It uses the metaphor of a treasure hunt to explain how it works and its application in business settings. This article also examines a real-life example of positive deviance in action and provides references for further reading.

The Positive Deviance Model

Positive deviance is a model that seeks to identify and amplify the positive deviant behaviours, strategies, and solutions that already exist within a community or organisation. These deviants are individuals or groups who have found unique and successful solutions to a problem or challenge that other community or organisation members have not been able to solve. The positive deviance model assumes that individuals or groups within a community or organisation have already found successful solutions to a problem. Furthermore, the community or organisation can benefit by identifying and amplifying these solutions.

The Treasure Hunt Metaphor

Let’s use a treasure hunt metaphor to understand better the positive deviance model works. Imagine that you’re leading a group of people on a treasure hunt. You’re unsure where it is, but you know some hidden treasure is nearby. So, you ask the group to search for the treasure by looking for clues. Still, after several hours of searching, nobody found anything.

At this point, you remember that one group member, Sarah, had mentioned earlier that she had been to this area before and had found a treasure hidden in a similar location. You ask Sarah to share her experience and guide the group to where she previously found the treasure. As the group follows Sarah’s lead, they discover the treasure and celebrate their success.

In this metaphor, Sarah represents the positive deviant, the individual who has already found a successful solution to the problem. By identifying and amplifying Sarah’s solution, the group was able to find the treasure and achieve their goal.

Applying Positive Deviance in Business

Positive deviance applies to various business settings, from small start-ups to large corporations. The key is to identify the positive deviants within the organisation, those individuals or groups who have found successful solutions to a particular problem or challenge. Once identified, various means, such as storytelling, mentoring, and peer-to-peer learning, amplifies positive deviants.

For example, imagine a small start-up struggling to find a way to increase sales of its product. The founders have tried a variety of marketing and advertising strategies, but nothing seems to be working. Finally, however, one member of the team, John, has consistently sold the product to a particular demographic through word-of-mouth referrals. John is a positive deviant, and his success can be amplified by sharing his story with the rest of the team and encouraging them to adopt his strategies.

The Positive Deviance Initiative

The Positive Deviance Initiative (PDI) was an organisation that was been at the forefront of promoting and implementing positive deviance in various settings, including healthcare, education, and business. One example of their work in the business world was their partnership with Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organisation.

Mercy Corps worked with small businesses in Indonesia to improve their sales and marketing strategies. However, despite their best efforts, they did not see the results they had hoped for. So, the Corps bought in PDI to apply the positive deviance approach to the problem. As a result, PDI identified several positive deviants within the community, individuals and groups using the positive deviance approach. These deviants had found unique and successful ways to increase sales and improve their marketing strategies.

PDI then worked with these positive deviants to amplify their solutions. Finally, PDI shared their success stories with the rest of the community, providing mentoring and coaching and facilitating peer-to-peer learning. As a result of this approach, small businesses in Indonesia were able to increase their sales and improve their marketing strategies, leading to greater success and sustainability.

The PDI was dissolved in 2014 and the Positive Deviance Collaborative was established in 2017 (see the next section).

Thought Leadership

The positive deviance approach has been widely studied and implemented in various settings, and a wealth of resources are available for those interested in learning more about this approach. Here are two recommendations:

• The Power of Positive Deviance: How Unlikely Innovators Solve the World’s Toughest Problems?by Richard Pascale, Jerry Sternin, and Monique Sternin. This book provides an in-depth look at the positive deviance approach and its application in various settings.
• The Positive Deviance Collaborative (https://positivedeviance.org ) supports positive deviance projects world wide and has a library of resources.

Positive Deviance in Wicked Problems and Opportunities

Positive deviance grew out of seeking answers to singularly wicked problems.

If faced with a complex or chaotic problem or opportunity, it’s highly likely that your tried and tested solutions aren’t going to work. Why not try being or find a Sarah or a John? They might just be the catalyst you need to tame the problem or leverage the opportunity.?

#wickedproblems #wickedopportunities #positivedeviance #leadership #coaching #problemsolving