We all know that innovation and high performance often result from behaviors that defy organizational norms—the established ways of thinking and of doing things.
Francesca Gino, nails it in her Harvard Business Review article “Let Your Workers Rebel”. She defines ‘Constructive Non-conformity’– thinking outside the box requires a form of Rebel Talent where nonconformity promotes disruptive innovation and improves performance for accelerated value creation.
Innovative Disruptors are Rebels who are outside-the-box thinkers in various fields, but in a positive and constructive way. They challenge the norms and do things that make them different from the crowd. A Rebel is NOT somebody who has to break the law and get in legal trouble. It is a person who is fully engaged in their relationships, in their lives, in the work that they are doing because they have certain character traits that they have cultivated that enable them to push the boundaries of what's possible.
Breakthrough outcomes require whole brain thinking of data-driven analytical acumen together with creativity to deliver big ideas from the insight out.
That’s Erin in a nutshell.
Companies currently facing adversity financial or otherwise or those who are trying to develop strategic responses to anticipated challenges will benefit from Erin’s hard-won lessons during a long career in successful problem solving and high impact value creation, both financial & social. Never high-profile, never ego-driven, her experience and passionate dedication has nevertheless resulted in a string of business victories in recent years.
Erin has developed strategic responses to anticipated and unanticipated challenges by being nimble and creative in her solutions to help companies punch above their weight class no matter the circumstances. She has guided brands through adverse situations and has also delivered growth to companies manifesting their exits, including Bare Snacks, KeVita Probiotic Beverage, Ella’s Kitchen Organic Baby Food, Birds Eye, Annie’s Homegrown, among others.
There are few challenges she has not faced or solved. She can solve problems faster and more effectively and her people management skills are inspirational! She builds a culture of purpose to elevate the mission around which to unite and motivate her teams. When it comes to judgment, well, she just makes better decisions because she have faced more. She’s seen what works and what doesn’t work. It takes time to develop the leadership skills that she has. Few are born with it. Her experience is your greatest strength.
So ask yourself if you want to follow a script –or write your own story?
Northwestern – Kellogg School of Management Executive Education | Cloud-based
Digital Marketing Strategies: Data, Automation, AI & Analytics
L’Institut des Sciences Politiques de Paris & La Sorbonne Paris VI | Paris, France
Junior Year Abroad from Smith College