Chapter 9. Am I Becoming a Bad Rebel?
Each rebel journey is unique. But all unsuccessful journeysâespecially when you donât take the time to take care of yourself and maintain your rebel fitnessâwill look a lot like the rebel arc (Figure 9-1).
You notice something that needs fixing.
You come up with your idea.
You get a hearing, which is fair or less fair. Your ideas donât receive the acclaim you expected. Theyâre just not a priority for the leadership team.
You get frustrated, and then, if youâre not careful, slide into obsession.
You donât give up. You canât take no for an answer.
You donât notice how your tone is changing. In fact, many rebels never really understand why people start calling them cynical and negative.
But people at work notice youâve changed. They can tell right away. You have slipped into obsession. Next stopânegativity. Youâve become so pessimistic and angry that people no longer consider your ideas, and you fall into irrelevance.
You are becoming a bad rebel.
Avoiding Bad Rebel Behavior
Most rebels weâve talked to admit their behavior sometimes falls on the bad side of the rebel ledger. There are some circumstances in whic such âbad behaviorâ is unavoidable and even necessary (see âBad Rebel Doing Goodâ). But in general, bad rebels cannot survive long in most organizations.
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