What it means to be a contrarian leader is often misunderstood. True contrarians do not try to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing, nor do they take a contrary stand just to be different.
I wholeheartedly with the sentiment of this essay—that leaders don’t conform and are looking to do the right thing even if that is not the typical thing—but would advise you to reconsider your terminology. You have redefined “contrarian” in a positive way, but there is still the literal meaning of the word: “someone who just does the opposite.” There are bosses like that out there—true contrarians—who just do the opposite because it makes them stand out. I have worked for one, and it is a nightmare. The leaders you describe are “iconoclasts,” people who focus on the truth and values to guide their decisions, not what everyone else is doing or not doing. I wrote about the iconoclastic leader here: https://jimsalvucci.substack.com/p/great-leaders-are-iconoclasts. I think the distinction is well worth making. Whatever the terminology, though, you are absolutely right about the character of a great leader, though.
Iconoclast carries this same idea well, Jim. It has, as any term would, its own baggage as well.
The potential concern might be that a leader who is known to be unnecessarily disagreeable might use this as an excuse to justify or double down on bad behavior… but frankly, those leaders aren’t who we are addressing when we write these.
Happy for narcissistic leaders to find your clarification in the comments, Dr Jim.
Ohhoho...I loove it when one of my quirkity quirks occasionally gets some good press..🙃 And the older I get, the less I apologize for needing to sometimes go against the grain.
And I say 'need' instead of 'want', re voicing a dissenting view, since disagreeing just for sport has no benefit to the other person at all...
I wholeheartedly with the sentiment of this essay—that leaders don’t conform and are looking to do the right thing even if that is not the typical thing—but would advise you to reconsider your terminology. You have redefined “contrarian” in a positive way, but there is still the literal meaning of the word: “someone who just does the opposite.” There are bosses like that out there—true contrarians—who just do the opposite because it makes them stand out. I have worked for one, and it is a nightmare. The leaders you describe are “iconoclasts,” people who focus on the truth and values to guide their decisions, not what everyone else is doing or not doing. I wrote about the iconoclastic leader here: https://jimsalvucci.substack.com/p/great-leaders-are-iconoclasts. I think the distinction is well worth making. Whatever the terminology, though, you are absolutely right about the character of a great leader, though.
Iconoclast carries this same idea well, Jim. It has, as any term would, its own baggage as well.
The potential concern might be that a leader who is known to be unnecessarily disagreeable might use this as an excuse to justify or double down on bad behavior… but frankly, those leaders aren’t who we are addressing when we write these.
Happy for narcissistic leaders to find your clarification in the comments, Dr Jim.
I’d think the popular usage of Contrarian is those who tend to buck popular opinion— not necessarily all opinions they come up against.
Ha!
Such a friendly way to be contrarian in the Field Note about being contrarian.
I see what you did there, Dr. Sal :)
I was trying to be iconoclastic!
Amen! I concur to the expression and elaboration of the word, contrarian here.
Would you agree just as quickly if you didn’t think of yourself as a contrarian, Richy? :)
Read , "Who Moved The Cheese", abd the lead character is just such a personality.
Ohhoho...I loove it when one of my quirkity quirks occasionally gets some good press..🙃 And the older I get, the less I apologize for needing to sometimes go against the grain.
And I say 'need' instead of 'want', re voicing a dissenting view, since disagreeing just for sport has no benefit to the other person at all...
I really enjoy your stuff.. 👍👍
Ridiculous- contrarian bosses abuse their power...
Say more please, Lisa.
Can a leader who generally operates, say… counterintuitively also be someone who definitely abuses power?