Managing "Rebels"

You lead a team of talented individuals. Everyone has their quirks, of course, but Jack is the team member who gives you the most problems.

Jack is a star performer and often has great ideas, but he constantly pushes back against your authority. He often offends his teammates, too, by accusing them of not being innovative.

Jack is a "workplace rebel." You sometimes think that he's instinctively contrary – that whatever you do, he'll come up with a different way of doing it.

In this article, we'll look at workplace rebels: who they are, why they can be valuable, and how to manage them – so that they can realize their full potential, positively.

What Is a "Workplace Rebel"?

The Random House Dictionary defines a rebel as "a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition." Rebels like to challenge the status quo – and, in the workplace, that includes management, business practices, and colleagues' ideas.

At first glance, rebels might seem to be nothing but trouble. However, when managed correctly, they can be a valuable asset to both teams and organizations. Rebels can make things happen – they bring about change, and can even transform entire organizations.

For example, rebels aren't afraid to stick their necks out for things they believe in. They often tell the truth, even when it's unpopular. They have innovative ideas because they enjoy challenging existing ones, and they're not afraid to express those ideas, even when they're the only ones to do so.

Rebels tend not to be afraid of risk or hard work either. Colleagues may find their energy disconcerting, but this isn't always a bad thing. After all, innovation can stagnate when people get too comfortable.

Getting the Best From a Workplace Rebel

It's tempting to shy away from tackling the challenges that rebels present for fear of causing more disruption. However, if you don't manage a rebel effectively, you're not only condoning their behavior but you're also failing to give them the chance to change.

Use the strategies below to help rebels live up to their positive potential, and to restore harmony in your team.

1. Understand a Rebel's Motivation

Your first step is to understand what's behind your rebel's behavior. What's really going on? For example, some rebels push against authority and alienate others because they're frustrated. They want to bring about change, but they have hit a brick wall.

Instead of channeling their emotions into positive change, these rebels complain, break rules, and argue with team members. They may also become negative, affecting colleagues' motivation. This type of rebel is described in more detail in our article on Waldroop and Butler's Six Problem Behaviors.

Other rebels are more positive. They may take risks, because they're passionate about a project, or pursue a personal agenda that they believe in, even if it strays from the organization's goals. They may disagree with senior colleagues because they believe that they're standing up for a better idea.

You'll find that many rebels care deeply about the organization and their team. This is why they can't be silent and follow along – not when they believe that something is wrong. They'll pick apart ideas or established processes, and come up with new ones.

Some rebels have more complex motivations for their behavior. They may be unhappy in their job and may be using "rebellion" as a means of expressing this. It's also possible that they lack the emotional maturity or the vocabulary to talk about problems directly.

It's essential that you uncover the motivations behind a rebel's behavior before you decide how to act. The best way to understand this is simply to listen.

Open a conversation by recognizing your rebel's commitment before asking open questions about what's prompting the disruptive behavior. Invite your rebel to tell you, in private, what they want to say in public.

2. Show Them the Impact of Their Behavior

If your rebel is causing negativity, then you must ensure that they understand the consequences of their behavior. Explain that while it's acceptable to be passionate and committed, it's not OK to cause arguments or drive down team morale.

Remind them of the scope of their role, and of the subjective view of the organization and their colleagues' work that this inevitably presents. Then restate where the boundaries in your organization lie. For example, if your rebel has concerns about a colleague's work, they should raise this with a manager rather than airing their views in a team meeting.

Encourage them to make amends if they need to, and to reflect on how their behavior affects others.

3. Refocus Energy on Making Change

Your rebel likely wants to change things – so give them a chance to do that. Assign them a project to solve a specific problem.

Encourage your rebel to use the project to find a balance between getting what they want and working with the status quo. What difficulties did they come up against? What tactics did they use to overcome them?

Ask your rebel to document the project's progress, so that they can use this as a guide for future work.

4. Encourage Rebels to Make a Difference

Often, financial incentives or public recognition won't motivate rebels. Business strategist Lois Kelly researched corporate rebels in her 2011 study Rebels and Work: Motivated to Make a Difference. According to this research, rebels are most motivated by the ability to make a difference in their organization. They're also highly motivated by encouragement from managers and leaders. [1]

Begin by simply asking your rebel about their ideas more often. Manage expectations carefully, however: ensure that they understand that you're not able to follow up every suggestion, but that you'll look into the ones that you believe could be beneficial.

Encourage your rebel to think their ideas through and to put together business cases before proposing them. For example, they may want to do a cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate the viability of their ideas.

5. Coach Rebels to Be Team Players

Rebels can get frustrated with members of the team who are reluctant to change. This can make them speak harshly to colleagues or drive them to push ahead on initiatives before others – including you – have discussed and accepted their ideas. Over time, rebels can become unpopular in the office. This is why it's important to help them become better team players.

First, let your rebel know how much you appreciate his input – but remind them that no one gets far alone. If they want to see their ideas make a real difference, they need to know how to win their team's support, so coach them to practice empathy toward their colleagues.

If your rebel is inspired by a particular business leader, remind them that it probably took this person years – and many setbacks – to achieve their goals. Slow, measured change is still progress, and it's more likely to be successful if it has widespread support.

Finally, encourage your rebel to "be the change they want to see." How can they find ways to make changes without also making waves? Remind them that the most powerful change of all – and the one that will help them achieve more in the long run – is learning to manage their own behavior.