The Leader Learner Podcast

Does Defiance Have a Place at Work?


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TOPIC: Do you think we should punish defiance in organizations?

BIG IDEAS:

  • defiance appreciated in different cultures - in France it shows you're thinking critically
  • power dynamics that are at play when talking about defiance
  • defy and comply isn't a binary
  • most of us were raised to believe that compliance was good and defiance was bad
  • defiance can be good when it aligns with our values
  • consent is when you have the capacity, knowledge
  • we comply without having the knowledge
  • false defiance - you go along with something that isn't aligned with your values
  • conscious compliance -- where we're consciously going with something that's against your values because the risk is too high to comply
  • there is often a long build up to defiance
  • recognize the moments when I'm consciously complying
  • not wanting to be the "complainer" when being harassed - risks too great for career
  • people from marginalized groups have a great risk when defying
  • looking to any ally from a more powerful social group to defy for you
  • saying "no" to people's behavior and setting boundaries
  • he-peating -- when a man repeats a woman's ideas, and others praise him over her
  • How should companies deal with defiance? 
  • getting curious about the defiance -  look at practices and processes that are outdated
  • look at gaps between personal values and organizational values - how do we reconcile gaps in values
  • Are values stated, but not practiced? 
  • people can value the same thing, but how they demonstrate those values can differ
  • look at the behaviors over the stated values of an organization
  • emotional, psychological, physical, financial risks when it comes to defiance and compliance
  • if there is a values misalignment between you and the organization, you choose a principled exit
  • Is doing values exercises a pointless and dangerous exercise because you will never have alignment?
  • the word defy has a moral connotation in French
  • when people take your defiance to a process as a personal attack
  • How do you defy but still stay loyal to the organization?
  • it's hard to argue with someone's values
  • standing on your moral high ground makes the other person wrong 
  • using your values as a launch pad for your defiance
  • build around a common need
  • finding the nuanced way to defy - it doesn't have to be big and bold
  • when you're at work, you're in a dependent relationship, so there are inherent risks
  • the difference between protesting and striking 


RESOURCES:

  • Defy by Dr. Sunita Sah
  • Non Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg

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The Leader Learner PodcastBy Theresa Destrebecq and Vincent Musolino