If you’re not a positive deviant in your field, consider studying those who are, and then becoming one. Positive deviants are courageous people whose attitudes, behaviors and strategies dramatically increase their success over others who are in identical environments with the same opportunities. Positive deviants aren’t constrained by conventional wisdom. In fact, they understand that conventional wisdom is often the problem. Here’s one of the most profound applications of using positive deviance to save tens of thousands of kids from starving:*

In 1991, 50% of Vietnamese children under the age of 5 were malnourished. Jerry and Monique Sternin, who worked for Save the Children, were asked to help save these starving children, but were only given six months to demonstrate success. The Sternins adopted a courageous approach to making change; they studied kids from poor families who weren’t malnourished (the positive deviant children) to determine why they were healthy.

They found that the mothers of the positive deviant (healthy) children were collecting tiny shrimps and crabs from the rice paddies and adding these along with sweet-potato greens to their children’s rice, making balanced meals. The positive deviants’ mothers also personally fed their kids little servings of the rice mixture several times a day; other mothers just left the rice for the children to eat while the mothers were working.

The Sternins helped positive deviant mothers share what they were doing with other mothers, and their kids got healthier. The mothers then spread their knowledge from village to village. It has now reached 265 villages in Vietnam, and has even spread to other countries. The Sternin’s positive deviant approach has sustainably rehabilitated an estimated 50,000 malnourished children in Vietnam under the age of 5.

If positive deviants’ mothers can save tens of thousands of kids from starvation, imagine what you could do if you weren’t constrained by conventional wisdom. Consider allowing yourself to discover new attitudes, behaviors and strategies to become a positive deviant.

Be courageous.
Be a positive deviant in your world.

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