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Why Every Office Needs an Outsider

Posted by samzenpus on from the he-put-my-stapler-in-Jell-O-again dept.

Research has shown that having an oddball team member not only gives you someone to make fun of, but also leads to better decision making. Researcher Katie Liljenquist, says having "socially distinct newcomers" on a team can help it perform at a higher level. Team tension is crucial, and shaking up the same old crowd is the way to create it. "You can imagine if you work in an office and you've got this outsider like Dwight Schrute who walks in and a lot of his ideas resonate with you. Your fellow in-group members are hearing this and thinking, 'Wait, you agree with Dwight?' That can be really uncomfortable and socially threatening," she says.

23 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. It's also nice.... by Quantos · · Score: 5, Funny

    To have another scapegoat that you can blame stuff on too :)

    --
    Some people are only alive because it's against the law for me to hunt them down and kill them.
    1. Re:It's also nice.... by schon · · Score: 3, Funny

      another scapegoat that you can blame stuff on too

      Ah, Tibor, how many times have you saved my butt?

  2. They're called testers by hansamurai · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And there's more than enough of them!

    --
    Reviewing just the first hour of video games.
  3. me? by purpleque · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you keep looking for the outsider and can't find one...it might be you.

    1. Re:me? by QuantumRiff · · Score: 3, Insightful

      There is one common element in all your failed relationships and careers...

      You...

      --

      What are we going to do tonight Brain?
    2. Re:me? by Haoie · · Score: 2, Funny

      Oh dear.

      It's high school all over again!! Ahhhh!!

      --
      If each mistake being made is a new one, then progress is being made.
  4. Terrible camera work by ChronosWS · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Whoever was shooting that video, please... put down the camera and walk away. You clearly don't know what you are doing, and it sickens us to watch you. Either that or take your anti-spasmodics. I don't know how you managed to do it, but the most interesting bits - the stopping and starting - you managed to effectively miss. Did you even know what your subject was or why it would be interesting? Apparently not. Go home, please.

    1. Re:Terrible camera work by KanSer · · Score: 2, Informative

      No kidding. One can jury rig a steady-cam (Stick + Counterweight = steady-cam) for like $15.00. Even if you only shoot video casually for shits and giggles you should have one. If you intend to publish it to a real audience then for god's sake make one.

      Or spend $850 on a Merlin and honestly get your money's worth on the first shoot if you're a "professional".

      --
      • MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward Wednesday April 20, @4:20
  5. Dwight Schrute by Culture20 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "You can imagine if you work in an office and you've got this outsider like Dwight Schrute who walks in and a lot of his ideas resonate with you. Your fellow in-group members are hearing this and thinking, 'Wait, you agree with Dwight?' That can be really uncomfortable and socially threatening."

    Socially threatening because Dwight Schrute is a sociopathic cat killer who delights in blocking fire exits and pulling the alarm. A better choice could have been chosen. Michael, for instance.

  6. False. by D+Ninja · · Score: 3, Funny

    Alright! Who put my stapler in the Jello again!

    1. Re:False. by JCSoRocks · · Score: 2, Funny

      uhh, how do you know it was me?

      --
      You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
  7. Outsiders don't have to be assholes by cryfreedomlove · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I agree that outsiders can shake an organization out of inbred complacency. However, Dwight Schrute is an anti-social asshole. The most effective outsiders don't need to be an asshole to have the positive effect this article is calling for.

    1. Re:Outsiders don't have to be assholes by MrEricSir · · Score: 4, Interesting

      While I also agree that Dwight is a poor example, sometimes the outsider does have to be an asshole.

      The only way I've found to break through an echo chamber is by being enough of a jerk that everyone gets jolted out of their little world for a while.

      --
      There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
    2. Re:Outsiders don't have to be assholes by fructose · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Exactly. The perfect outsider is the one who is socially acceptable, technically competent, but isn't scared to ask 'Why are we doing this?' When you have a group of people that think the same, always agree, and don't deviate from the norm, you won't grow. If you have one person that frequently asks why or enjoys being the devil's advocate, then you get get change. Without change, you can never grow from where you are.

      Of course, some people are just asses. And those people need to be, uh, wiped off the books.

      So to speak.

    3. Re:Outsiders don't have to be assholes by JCSoRocks · · Score: 2, Insightful

      We all work in The Office. Don't you?

      --
      You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
  8. Re:I totally disagree! by Nutria · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Now stop misunderestimating me!

    - George W.

    As compared to the current President who thinks that Austrians speak Austrian, and is totally lost without a teleprompter?

    --
    "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
  9. Re:I totally disagree! by Swizec · · Score: 2, Informative

    But Austrians do speak Austrian. Just like americans don't actually speak real english.

    This will of course get modded flamebait because american mods like to think they speak real english.

  10. GM, Chrysler, AIG by daveywest · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I bet all these companies really appreciate the input from the new guy, Barrack.

  11. Having been an outsider many times by plopez · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I can tell you it's hell.

    Until you quit and then you get that "I've been released from prison" feeling.

    It's especially nice when 6 to 12 months later you hear that your boss got fired due to all the problems you tried to warn him about destroying the project and or his general incompetence.

    --
    putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
    1. Re:Having been an outsider many times by KlomDark · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Woohoo! No shit! I thought I LOVED my last job. Got laid off (aka canned) basically for "not conforming." Was devastated, really didn't see it coming. Spent three months out of work, which was terrifying in this economy. Even though I'm usually pretty confident in my abilities, this time it really shook my confidence.

      But... Got a job in January (Of all months!! It's tough to get a job in January in a GOOD economy!) with a very well known company, and although I dropped "in title", my actual work responsibilities are far more - Like architect/lead engineer.

      Just put my first app (Which I wrote all DAL/BLL/Presentation layer, with much kudos to the DB guy who I worked with - he's been with the company long enough to actually know the data of the company, without which I would have failed miserably! I can write stored procs all day long, but there's the harder part of actually knowing the data.) for the new company into production yesterday, did a presentation for really upper management today - and they were ECSTATIC about it!!! I was really amazed, having been the "bad kid" for way too long at the last place.

      My confidence is back, I just got a second guy (contractor for now) to start on my "team" yesterday who had been out of work for 5 months, so I also get the warm fuzzy of helping out a guy in need. (And never knew him until yesterday, he moved over 1000 miles to take the job, so no "nepotism" type stuff going on.)

      And, I've heard the old place is really having a lot of trouble now. (Best of luck to them, really! They are deep down the wrong path.) So although I wondered if my career had come to a complete halt when I was terminated, instead it was the best thing that's happened in a long time. So I totally get the "I've been released from prison" feeling! :)

  12. Re:I totally disagree! by Moridineas · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Perfect example of nonsense...no linguist (I'm sure you're not familiar with terms like AAVE, AE, or SAE. That would be African-American Vernacular ENGLISH, American ENGLISH, and Southern American ENGLISH. You may notice the keywords ENGLISH) or anyone else who wasn't blatantly trying to defend Obama would agree with you.

    Just think of the urban legend about Dan Quayle and Latin in Latin America. Many people still actually believe that one. Obama makes a stupid comment and the chattering classes go crazy coming up with explanations to defend him.

  13. Re:I totally disagree! by DreamsAreOkToo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What's "real english?"

    If England (the root word of English) started speaking only a modified Latin, would that language be "english?"

    Or maybe, American's speak "real english" because there's more people who speak American English than there are who speak any other type of English?

    Or maybe, instead of inane nitpicking about "real english" we can just recognize it for what it is, a regional accent.

    Besides, I think British English is more corrupt than American English, innit?

  14. Re:I totally disagree! by Grishnakh · · Score: 4, Informative

    Or maybe, instead of inane nitpicking about "real english" we can just recognize it for what it is, a regional accent.

    It's not a "regional accent", it's a dialect. An "accent" is how you pronounce words. A "dialect" is a different version of a language, such as Castillian Spanish, used in Spain, compared to Mexican Spanish, used in Mexico. Accents and dialects frequently go together, but not always. Southern Americans speak standard American English (with a little regional variation in words, but not enough to be called a separate dialect), but with a Southern accent.