Rebel Talent

Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life

By: Francesca Gino

Narrated by: Tamara Marston

The world’s best chef.

An airline captain who brought his flight to safety in a daring water landing.

A magician known for his sensational escape acts.

A computer scientist who founded a world-renowned animation studio.

What do all of these people have in common? They love their jobs, they break the rules, and the world is better off for it. They are rebels.

From an early age, we are taught to be rule followers, and the pressure to fit in only increases as we age. But conformity comes at a steep price for our careers and personal lives. When we mindlessly accept rules and norms rather than questioning and constructively rebelling against them, we ultimately end up stuck and unfulfilled. As leaders, we are less effective and respected. As employees, we are more likely to be overlooked for top assignments and promotions. As partners and friends, we are checked out and unhappy.

Francesca Gino has been studying rebels in life and in the workplace for more than 15 years. She has discovered that rebels—those who practice “positive deviance” at work-- are harder to manage, but they are good for the bottom line: their passion, drive, curiosity, and creativity raise the entire organization to a new level. And she has found that at home, rebels are more engaged partners, parents, and friends.

Packed with strategies for embracing rebellion at work and in life, and illuminating case studies ranging from the world of fine dining to fast food chains to corporations such as Google and Pixar, Rebel Talent encourages all of us to rebel against what’s comfortable, so that we can thrive.

This Book is Great!

I really enjoyed this book, thoroughly. I learned so much amazing information from reading this book. The author does an amazing job of presenting both engaging illustrations with scientific evidence that rebels are rock stars! This is a great book packed with organizational super knowledge. What an awesome surprise.

Bill

Rebel with a Cause

Humanity tends to progress in fits and start. As we face, a loss of biodiversity, a climate crisis, and the threat of authoritarianism, we are in need if rebels. This book is a beautiful look at, and argument for, well mannered rebels. Nice, but a small subset. Ignored are more youthful rebels and rebel movements. Not bad for an academic.

A collection of stories that support the rebel way

It sometimes feels like a collection of stories that were collected to support the rebel nature and how it can be beneficial

Empowering!

As a woman and minority, and without many resources, I’ve struggled way too much in my life to succeed! This book really helped me me realize that so much of this has to do with my rebel talent! I’m an idea generator and often a decade ahead of my time. In seeking support, I now realize I need to find mentors and role models that carve new paths! And I’d like to see more and more examples of women that have done this successfully!

Thank you so much for writing this book! I will be using what I’ve learned to be a better employer and business person as well!

Thank you for helping me embrace my rebel talent!! This book is a game changer for me!

Boldly go where few have gone before AND Succeeded

A hopeful journey into the trenches of being a pariah to change the world. A personal look into businesses big and small that leave power structure and hierarchy behind.