Typically, when you hire a new employee, you seek out someone who will just fit right in with your existing company. You actively pursue someone who will acclimate to the cultural norms, sense the direction you want to go in, and generally go with the flow. But what if the alternative – in this case, a rule breaker – could shake up your company for the better?
In general, we view rule breakers as negative. However, if we turn to the history books, some of the most successful businesspeople got that way by bending the rules. Steve Jobs, for example, was fairly new to the world of mobile phones when he decided that his phone would be button-free. Asked whether users would be willing to give up everything they knew about handheld devices in favor of Job’s brand-new technology, the touch screen, he said “they’ll learn.” And we did. Similarly, Jeff Bezos of Amazon could be considered a rule-breaker for his decision process, which recognizes the speed at which commerce moves and thus endorses a quick decision-making process, with the company noting that “many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study.” And to be honest, the list goes on: Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Steve Wynn. All non-conformists that have hit big in the corporate world.
Below, we examine what a nonconformist employee may bring to the table and how it may benefit your business.
They think differently
What sets aside the rule breaker from their peers is their ability to actively disrupt the norm. By nature, the rule breaker has a unique perspective on the world and can look at a problem or issue that may have plagued your company for months – or even years – turn it on its head and come up with a solution that no other person before them could have ever dreamt up. This ability to look at a problem from a completely different angle will help prevent your organization from stagnating and help you to continue to innovate and change with the times.
They speak up
In our experience, the rule breaker is rarely the quiet person in the room. While others may be afraid to speak up out of fear that they will say something wrong or ruffle some feathers, the rule breaker doesn’t hold those same fears. Rather, they would prefer to question the status-quo and are often-times bold enough to bring up what others are thinking but are too afraid to say. In having someone in your company who is willing to speak up, you can feel more confident as a business owner that you aren’t operating in an echo chamber and that the viewpoints of your staff are understood and explored.
They keep asking the questions that count
In addition to being willing to speak up, the rule breaker also has no problem questioning authority or the way that things are being done. By asking the tough questions the rule breaker can gain clarity on the existing process, chat through potential new options, and even help usher in new and creative solutions to old and stagnant problems.
They have excellent follow-through
In the corporate world, you should seek out a rule breaker because they believe they can find a better way, not because they like the chaos and upheaval that it can cause. In fact, a good rule breaker will actually be your biggest advocate when it comes to implementing change, accompanying you through the whole journey, troubleshooting issues as they arise, and making sure that they can see their novel idea through to fruition. It is part of what drives the rule breaker and will make them one of the hardest working members of your team. As you can see from the above examples, a rule breaker doesn’t have to be detrimental to your organization and can instead usher in a complete transformation! However, there are a few things that you should know before hiring a bunch of non-conformists. The first is that you need to be able to identify a rule breaker with good motives. One that will help you to build your business better as opposed to breaking it apart. In addition, you’ll need to understand that rule breakers will rarely be happy with the status quo and must be given opportunities to stretch their limits and see project improvement efforts through to completion. If you’ve identified a rule-breaker in your midst, funnel their talents towards collaborative, multi-departmental efforts where they can get folks brainstorming and help shake up the status quo or, if they’re lower on the totem pole, have them put hands on smaller pet projects that could make incremental but meaningful changes to the way you do business. By keeping these rule-breakers engaged in transforming your organization, you have a shot at conquering their biggest downfall: that they are super sought after by companies the world over and are likely to jump ship if a more interesting or challenging opportunity comes along.
Have you ever hired a rule-breaker? Did they lead meaningful change at your company or was it a bust?
