Insiders, Outsiders, Outliers and Misfits
Belonging is one of the 4 great human drives, understanding how you do or don’t belong makes leadership, business, and life so much easier
We all want to “belong” to something, it’s one of our great internal drivers (the other 3 are the drive to comprehend, the drive to acquire, and the drive to defend – more on those another time)
The drive to belong is important because it allows us to understand where we do and don’t fit and why. This ultimately affects how we think, behave and perform within the environments we exist in.
It also affects how we lead and how people respond to our leadership.
Plus it affects how we develop ideas, react to change and growth and make progress.
There are 4 types of people in the environments we exist in, each is important and each has its own way of being understood and its own means of contribution.
As you read the 4 types below, give some thought to which one you are in the different environments you show up in (eg, family, work, club, team etc)
INSIDERS
The insider is the most easily understood of the 4 types. the insider feels like they belong. They feel they know the group they are part of and understand the group and its values and preferred behaviours.
The insider contributes 100% because they feel they belong. They trust others in the group and feel like they are acknowledged and respected by the group
Organisations and teams need a high percentage of their members to be insiders to get anything done. When the percentage of insiders is below 50% an organisation, group or team become toxic. When an organisation or team becomes toxic, they struggle to function and barely get by.
OUTSIDERS
An outsider can still belong to a team or organisation. However, they feel a little disconnected and not part of the culture or inner circle. This can be because they are new to the organisation or have become disconnected through a change of role or change of circumstances.
An outsider is valuable because they have a different view of what’s happening and can provide valuable insights into systems processed and operations that have gone stale.
All organisations will have outsiders and that’s ok.
You shouldn’t be in a rush to make them insiders but you should collect their thoughts, ideas, and insights. they can be game-changers
OUTLIERS
Outliers are right out on the periphery of organisations.
They do not feel like they belong and they don’t really care. They are to some degree, rebels. They purposely shake up the status quo. They think and act differently.
These differences often see people chastise them, ignore them or react to them badly.
When I am working with leadership teams I am always looking for the insiders, outsiders, outliers, and misfits.
I particularly like the outliers.
The outliers haven’t been drinking the kool-aid. they don’t conform to the typical thoughts and behaviour patterns and it’s for that reason they are invaluable to a team or an organisation.
You see, if you get a group together with common thought patterns, common focus and common behaviors you will only get modest performance and growth.
If however you have a few outliers and can listen to their thoughts and embrace their ideas and insights they will take you places you never imagined.
MISFITS
Misfits don’t belong and are most likely only around because they drive a benefit for themselves. they don’t care about the team, group, or organisation and never will.
They are a rust on the organisation, slowly eating away at the culture, performance, and values.
Misfits need to move on or be moved on, they are usually unhappy, unfulfilled and a drain on the rest of the team.
Most organisations hang on to the misfits way too long. It’s better to move them on. So they can find somewhere where they do belong, do contribute, and are far happier. As they say at Disney when they do let someone go “It’s time to find your happiness elsewhere”
I know I have been an insider, outsider, outlier, and misfit at times and it’s good to know and understand how that impacts me, the team, and the organisation.
Now here are 3 questions for you
1. In all of the places you show up, are you an insider, an outsider, an outlier or a misfit?
2. What do you want to be in these places and what needs to change to make that happen?
3. Where do the members of your team sit and are you making the best use of the way they belong and can contribute?
If you would like to explore the 4 drives and Insiders, Outsiders, Outliers, and Misfits in your organisation, group or team, email me rowdy@playabiggergame.com.au and I will arrange a time to discuss the possibilities
Rowdy “BELONG” McLean
Play BIG!
