Positive Deviance in Thought Leadership | Jeff DeGraff

How positive deviancy drives thought leadership and innovation.

An interview with Jeff DeGraff about the push and pull between bureaucracy and innovation.

Today’s guest is the “Dean of Innovation” Jeff DeGraff, is the founder of the Innovatrium, an innovation consulting firm focusing on creating innovation culture, capability, and community. Jeff is also a business professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and bestselling author of The Creative Mindset.

Jeff sits down with Peter to discuss how positive deviance is the driving force behind innovation. Furthermore, he explains why bureaucracy both can stifle progress by attempting to pull everything into a more traditional standard.

Jeff talks about his business model and how it evolved. In addition, he discusses how finding new applications for established schools of thought has allowed him to create hybrid schools. These hybrid schools have become the key to innovation.

Finally, Jeff tells us the four things you should think about in your life. He touches upon why they are important, and why for better or worse you need to own them!

If you are the creative type feeling stifled by red tape, this episode will give you the insight you need to charge forward!

Three Key Takeaways from the Interview:

• Cutting edge thought leadership will often feel deviant to the norms because it does not fit into the established standards.
• Thought leaders should surround themselves with other talented people that will challenge your thinking and force you to regularly evolve.
• Often there is no career for thought leaders. You’ll need to create your own job and make it up as you go.

If you would like help strategizing your next steps in thought leadership, contact Thought Leadership Leverage. We can assist you with everything from book launch strategies, research, marketing, branding, sales, and more.