I am currently reading the autobiography of Richard Feynman entitled: Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman. It is a collection of vignettes from the life of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist. Feynman was a consummate prankster. He eschewed conventional norms in science and society and left an indelible mark on both.
While I recommend Feynman’s story (a New York Times bestseller at the time of its publication), I caution that it is not a politically correct book, nor was he a politically correct man. So it is with those truly unique individuals who cause mischief and disrupt the status quo. They are often referred to as “leaders.”
I will admit that I share a tinge of Feynman’s mischievousness, and more often than not it shows up in the form of a provocative question or a sarcastic quip. In another form (thanks to my father) it can manifest as an insatiable curiosity (a trait I share with Feynman) where I have a tendency to question nearly everything, sometimes to the point of seriously annoying the “that’s the way we do it around here” crowd. In the context of leadership, I believe this curiosity and willingness to disrupt the norm are essential qualities. The childlike “mischief” just makes the game of leadership all that much more fun. Playful misbehavior with the intention of evoking transformation can lead to a wholesome and healthy organization that is a delight to work in.
In management parlance, we call this kind of mischief “creative destruction” (Joseph Schumpeter). In this context, we might even say “creative disruption.” In dynamic systems, it is not a question of whether change will impact the organization, it is a question of when and by how much. Will the change be imposed by events and circumstances from without, or will the change manifest from within? Herein lies one significant paradox faced by organizational management. Managers tend to want to bring order to chaos. Some might go as far to say; this is the manager’s specific role to create systems and hire personnel that delivers predictable results. Leaders, on the other hand, seem to be more comfortable with ambiguity, and they are willing to disrupt and disorient the organization frequently for the sake of its health.
In smaller nonprofits, or on smaller teams in larger nonprofit organizations, sometimes individuals play two roles: leader and manager. What is one to do in this circumstance? If you wear both hats, then I recommend that you manage what you can, while also causing as much mischief as possible. Here are a few suggestions:
- Stop attending useless meetings.
- Frequently ask: “Why?”
- Break one “rule” each week.
- Call a colleague (especially if s/he is an introvert).
- Sing a song to one of your direct reports (even if your voice is lousy).
- Give your boss an unexpected hug for Christmas.
- Laugh until you cry at the absurdity of your own bureaucracy.
Go ahead, have some fun, and tap your inner Feynman.