Positive Deviance

I was gifted the term "Positive Deviance" the other day by Sean Abrahams, Founding Strategic Lead of the Centre for Wellbeing & Flourishing at the University of Cape Town.

I joined his online seminar on Leadership and Flourishing, and he asked the group, "What could become extraordinary?" My first thought was, what if participants in my workshop were actually clarifying their exact purpose? That would be extraordinary!

Don’t get me wrong, I believe many are, but there is no scientific way to prove it; we can only rely on the feedback they give us, the evidence we uncover in the stories they tell, and the actions they take after the workshop.

Then he started talking about Positive Deviance: “the search for exceptionally positive outcomes — possibilities that exceed the norm and inspire what's next.” My next thought was, is my workshop a Positive Deviance?

I know there are skeptics out there wondering how this one-hour workshop could be so extraordinary that it can take the abstract concept of purpose and make it not only human-level but deeply personal so that it can be put into practice right away. It just seems too simple.

What if it isn’t? What if I have actually given each participant a tool that fosters well-being, helps the world flourish, and, in return, fills them with fulfilment? That would be extraordinary.

I challenge you to embrace a positive deviance. What have you got to lose? It is a $45 workshop that takes 1 hour of your time and has no prerequisites. 

You never know; you might find out why what you are doing right now is extraordinary.