Rebellious leadership

Santa Clarita Valley Jaycees
March 31, 2011
Alan D. Lewis II | Principal | Stonecutter Group, LLC

• Introduction • Academic Theories of
 Definition of Rebel
Rebellion
 Cycles of Growth and Change  Handbook of Political Sociology
• A Portrait of Rebellious  American Literature
Leaders  Eastern Philosophy

 Renowned
• Practical Application
 Controversial  The Contrarian Perspective
• From Loyalist to Rebel  Discipline and Responsibility
 Education
 Generally Speaking
 Purpose
 Personal Experience  Balance
• Discussion

SCV Jaycees | March 31, 2011 REBELLIOUS LEADERSHIP
Alan D. Lewis II | Principal | Stonecutter Group, LLC Slide 2

• Who and What is a “Rebel Leader”
• Why is rebelliousness good for progress?
• How do we become rebel leaders for the greater
good?


Synonyms
re·bel • Insurgent
intr.v. re·belled, re·bel·ling, re·bels • Protester
1. To refuse allegiance to and oppose • Mutineer
by force an established government • Objector
or ruling authority.
• Campaigner
2. To resist or defy an authority or a • Agitator
generally accepted convention.
• Radical
3. To feel or express strong
• Dissenter
unwillingness or repugnance.
• Maverick
n. reb·el
• Renegade
1. One who rebels or is in rebellion.
• Iconoclast
2. A Confederate soldier. • Nonconformist


Adj. 1. rebellious - resisting control or
authority; "a rebellious crew"

insubordinate - not submissive to authority; Synonyms
"a history of insubordinate behavior" • Defiant
2. rebellious - discontented as toward • Resistant
authority • Obstinate
disaffected, ill-affected, malcontent • Revolutionary
• Disaffected
discontent, discontented - showing or
experiencing dissatisfaction or restless • Disobedient
longing; "saw many discontent faces in the • Insubordinate
room"; "was discontented with his position"

3. rebellious - participating in organized
resistance to a constituted government; "the
rebelling confederacy"


A rebel is distinguished from an outsider. An outsider is
one who is excluded from a group whereas a rebel goes
against it. Also, a rebel's potential to overthrow the
leadership is recognized and substantial, unless the
rebellion is crushed, whereas an outsider has been
marginalized and is considered to be degenerate.


To understand why rebel
leaders are important,
we must first have an
understanding of the
cycles of growth and
change within an
institution.

Rebel leadership is
needed to overcome
“cusps”.

Also critical in leading
the fight against
tyranny.
= Point of (R)evolution


Renowned Controversial
• Moses • Genghis Khan
• Jesus / Buddha • Simon Bolivar
• Spartacus • Pancho Villa
• Socrates • Che Guevara
• Galileo • Ho Chi Minh
• Martin Luther • Malcolm X
• Joan of Ark • Bob Marley
• Founding Fathers
• Gandhi Fictional
• Rosa Parks • Mr. Smith (Goes to Washington)
• Dr. Martin Luther King • James Dean
• Edward R. Murrow • Luke Skywalker
• Nelson Mandela • Kuato (Total Recall)


• Participated in the American Revolution by
signing the Declaration of Independence and
framing the Constitution.
• Consisted of politicians, jurists, statesmen,
soldiers, diplomats, and ordinary citizens.
• On the whole they were less wealthy than the
Loyalists.
• Had strong educational backgrounds.
• Were considered dissidents and terrorists by
the established authorities.


• African-American Muslim minister, public speaker,
and human rights activist.
• Rose up through the ranks of the Nation of Islam.
• Eventually found himself at odds with the Nation of
Islam, which caused his assassination.
• Malcolm X disagreed with the hypocrisy of the
organizations leader, and became more extreme
than was thought politically correct.


• Pivotal leader in the Rebel Alliance’s struggle
against the Galactic Empire.
• “…the young man, called to adventure, the hero
going out facing the trials and ordeals, and coming
back after his victory with a boon for the
community.” ~Joseph Campbell
• Outmanned and outgunned.
• Destroys the Death Star.
• Compels his father (Darth Vadar) who had turned
to the dark side to kill the emperor in order to
save him.


Generally Speaking
• Brought up believing in the institution
(e.g. government, religion, society, etc.)

• Gives up freedom for the benefit of the institution
• Is embattled and discontent
• Becomes educated
• Challenges the current norm
• Persists
• Eventually engenders significant positive change


Personal Experience
• Dedicated servant and leader
• Corporate Rules & Micromanagers
• Capitalist Greed and the “Me Generation”
• Life energy drained for others gain
• Life and energy are finite for everyone
(we’re all equal in death, why not in life?)
• Spend my life and my energy on my own
terms
• Independent practitioner (“free agent”)
• Scarcity, trade-offs, freedom to fail


The Hanbook of Political Sociology
S. 1 – Rulemaking, Rulebreaking, and Power
S. 3 – Conflict Theories…
S. 10 – Money, Participation, and Votes; Social Cleavages and Electoral Politics
S. 15 – Corporate Control, Interfirm Relations, and Corporate Power
S. 16 – Social Movements and Social Change
S. 20 – Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements

American Literature Eastern Philosophy
Benjamin Franklin Buddhism
Thomas Paine Taoism
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson


Hanbook of Political Sociology
S. 1 – Rulemaking, Rulebreaking, and Power

“…just as rule making is a strategy for domination, so is rule breaking a
strategy in challenge to domination.”

“ – every actor confronts the social constructions imposed by other actors,
including collective and institutionalized constructions, as an exterior and
constraining force.”

“ – power rests on attributes or things such as personal skills, technical
expertise, money or the control of opportunities to make money, prestige or
access to prestige, number of people, or the capacity to mobilize numbers of
people.”

“ – power [is] an attribute not of social actors but of relationships. Power
resides in the dependence that one actor has on another in social
relationships.”

“…people must recognize their potential power before they can act on it.”


The Hanbook of Political Sociology
S. 20 – Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements

“A revolutionary movement may be defined as that type of social
movement which attempts to overthrow, supplant, and/or
fundamentally transform… power.”
“The prevalence of poverty and other social problems is precisely
why extraparliamentary movements for social justice so often arises
in democratic contexts. These movements, however, almost always
view the state as an instrument to be pressured and influenced, not
as something to be seized or smashed.”
“A new era of widespread revolutionary conflict will surely dawn…if
the most recent wave of democratization dramatically recedes.”


American Literature
Thomas Paine

“He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence
of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to Defender of the
Faith…”
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength
from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little
minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience
approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.”


American Literature
Thomas Jefferson

“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good
conscience to remain silent.”
“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of
government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow
operations, perverted it into tyranny.”
“I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow
truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every
authority which stood in their way.“


Eastern Philosophy
Buddhism
“[Mara is] the one who rules events connected with a life of
passion… who hates the very thought of freedom. He had with him
his three sons – Agitation, Mania, and Sullen Pride – and his three
daughters – Discontent, Excitement, and Craving.”
“Impermanent are all formations. Observe this carefully and
constantly.”
“On life's journey - Faith is nourishment, Virtuous deeds are a
shelter, Wisdom is the light by day and Right mindfulness is the
protection by night. If a man lives a pure life nothing can destroy
him; If he has conquered greed nothing can limit his freedom.”


Eastern Philosophy
Taoism
“The Master sees things as they are, without trying to control them.
She lets them go their own way…”
“If you want to be a great leader… Stop trying to control. Let go of
fixed plans and concepts, and the world will govern itself.”
“If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below
them. If you want to lead the people, you must learn to follow
them.”


 The Contrarian Perspective
 Discipline and Responsibility
 Education
 Purpose
 Balance


 “A person who takes an opposing view,
especially one who rejects the majority
opinion...”

 “Contrary to popular belief…”

 Do your due diligence!


“We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if
we dig deep into our own history and our doctrine and
remember that we are not descended from fearful men,
not men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and
to defend causes which were for the moment unpopular.”

~Edward R. Murrow


 Discipline: Leadership is not passive. It is
active. By raising the bar on yourself, you
must be, know, and do. This requires
practice, which requires discipline.

 Responsibility: Without taking ownership in
your own actions, you will not be able to
demonstrate the merit of your position.
Particularly if its contrarian.


 Knowledge is power.
 Provide the basis for assertions.
 Credibility.


 Purpose is a result, end, mean, aim, or goal
of an action intentionally undertaken.
 Rebellion without purpose is “dissidence”.
 Purpose gives meaning and vision… a reason
for rebellion.


 “The only extreme one should pursue is
extreme balance.”
~ Dale Smith, Professor of Sociology, College of the Canyons

 Apply the right approach. Rebellion does
not have to mean the toppling of an
institution, but rather significant positive
reform.

 Be a “Change Agent”


Rebellious leadership

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Rebellious leadership

Similar to Rebellious leadership (20)

More from Alan D. Lewis II

More from Alan D. Lewis II (6)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Rebellious leadership