Jennifer Evans, Ross School of Business
September 2017
Much of what we know about successful organizational change requires leadership from the top of the organization and the ability to influence individuals lower in the hierarchy. Positive deviance describes uncommon behaviors or strategies that have positive outcomes and will move individuals and the organization to a better place. ennifer Evans is a positive deviant who—without authority—has positively influenced the culture at the Ross School of Business. Through her story we will discuss the tendency of organizations to resist positive deviance and consider the strategies she used for overcoming resistance from higher levels and more powerful players. We will explore how you can use positive deviance to unlock resources in yourself and others and create change—from the bottom.