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Dr Rebel: Rigid office hours clash with creative rhythms… give your rebels room to spark ✨ Today’s question: The rebel in my team often emails whenever inspiration strikes, and I’m worried the round-the-clock messages unsettle the others The manager is focused on psychological safety, boundaries, and equity across the team. They know that even ‘optional’ […]

Dr Rebel: Not every hill is worth dying on Today’s question: Why do I feel compelled to fight every battle? When you try to fight every battle, you quickly run out of energy and feel constantly tense. People begin to tune you out because they can’t tell which issues truly matter. This makes your voice

Dr Rebel: “We’ve tried this before” isn’t cynicism, it’s disappointment Today’s question: When someone says “We’ve tried this before”, steam comes out of my ears. Help me reframe this! “We’ve tried this before” may be one of the most annoying things a rebel encounters when dropping a new idea enthusiastically. But before you go berserk,

Dr Rebel: Rebels treat responsibility as something fluid, while managers see it as fixed Today’s question: How come rebels and managers so often clash about the scope of work? Rebels often push beyond their job boundaries because they see better ways to do things and can’t resist jumping in. They fix things before the manager

Dr Rebel: Where conformity rules, a well-timed ‘no’ is worth its weight in gold Today’s question: As a rebel, how do you make sure your viewpoint is taken seriously without coming across as difficult? Rebels challenge ideas, question assumptions, and push for change, not to provoke, but to improve. But those who value harmony or

Dr Rebel: Are rebels disruptive? Maybe. Are they powerful? Definitely! Today’s question: Why are rebels often informal leaders? Rebels are the people who challenge the status quo, question authority, and bend rules (or sometimes break them). This is why managers struggle with them in their teams. However, rebels often manage to inspire their colleagues and

Dr Rebel: Pick your battles Today’s question: I feel overwhelmed at work because I always end up being the one who has to take the lead. Help! Congratulations! This means you are clearly competent, and others see it. You can’t stand watching things fall apart or move slowly, so you jump in, again and again.

Dr Rebel: Conflict is not the enemy; avoiding it is Today’s question: There always seems to be conflict within the team. Why can’t the rebel ever just take it easy? With a rebel in the team, you know things will never be quiet and peaceful. There is always something going on, many heated discussions and

Dr Rebel: No two rebels are alike Today’s question: What types of rebels are there? No two rebels are the same because rebellion takes many forms, shaped by personal beliefs, backgrounds, and causes. Some challenge authority with bold defiance, while others resist quietly through creativity, nonconformity, or quiet persistence, proving that there are countless ways

Dr Rebel: This may be a rebel’s worst nightmare Today’s question: OMG, it’s that time of the year… my performance review. Any tips on how to survive this time? Hardly anyone enjoys the yearly performance review, yet it has become a yearly ritual in almost any organisation. When I was still living my corporate life,

Dr Rebel: There is no such thing as being too honest, is there? Today’s question: My teammates find me blunt, but if I don’t tell them as it is, things won’t change. Am I using the wrong tactic? Rebels don’t mince their words; they say what they think, regardless. And while that comes from a

Dr Rebel: It’s a misunderstanding that rebels love to argue Today’s question: How can I disagree more productively? Many people remain silent, even when they see a better way, because they don’t want to seem difficult, create tension, or burn bridges. But disagreement doesn’t have to be divisive. When approached with respect and curiosity, it

Dr Rebel: Every organisation needs its Wild Ducks 🦆 Today’s question: Some rebels in our organisation follow their own path. How should we handle this? IBM’s former CEO T.J. Watson Jr. said: “We are convinced that any business needs its wild ducks. And in IBM, we try not to tame them.” Watson believed that wild

Dr Rebel: Make your rebel a G.R.O.S.S.-leader, it’s a win-win 💫 Today’s question: All that bureaucracy at work drives me nuts, but my boss won’t let me spend time on it to fix it. At the hospital, a nurse cared for a patient who wasn’t allowed to drink more than 500 millilitres a day. However,

Dr Rebel: Being nice is not the same as being kind Today’s question: The rebel in my team always gives me a hard time. Why can’t he ever be nice? Southwest Airlines Herb Kelleher, the legendary co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines, was known for his humour and unique leadership style. Here is an

Dr Rebel: 5 things you should never say to a rebel Today’s question: Somehow, I always seem to say things that piss off the rebel in my team. What am I doing wrong?  In 2001, Microsoft announced they would launch a ‘pen-enabled’ Personal Computer called the Microsoft Tablet PC. It failed miserably: “Nobody wants a big

Dr Rebel: Canary in the coal mine Today’s question: My fellow rebel always says “I told you so”, and it drives the team nuts! This topic probably resonates with many rebels. I can’t count the number of times I have tried to warn my manager and coworkers of potential issues, only to see these exact issues happen

Dr Rebel: A rebel with a curse ☢️ Today’s question: I see problems and opportunities from miles away, but no one ever listens. Help! Cassandra was a princess of Troy in Greek mythology, known for her beauty and wisdom. The god Apollo fell in love with her and offered her the gift of prophecy if

Dr Rebel: Too much focus on focus… the problem isn’t overthinking, it’s overdoing 📌 Today’s question: One of my team members procrastinates, often staring into space. How can I help him to get more focused? We live in a work world obsessed with being busy—setting goals, making to-do lists, and checking things off. We are

Dr Rebel: Disengagement is easy to fix, indifference is not Today’s question: Many rebels in our organisation have become disengaged, which worries me. What can we do? Rebels are known for their proactive attitude. They have a deep urge to improve things. Whenever they see a problem, they take ownership to solve it. For them,

Dr Rebel: Ooops … I did it again! Upsetting the boss, now what? Today’s question: I might have offended my boss. How can I make up? I believe today’s question is pretty recognisable for many rebels. At least it is for me, and probably during my corporate career, I have offended my bosses more often

Dr Rebel: Can we stop framing ‘Yes, but…’ negatively? Today’s question: My co-worker always says ‘Yes, but …’ and it drives me crazy. Please advise! The “yes, buts” can kill change and smother attempts at innovation. Well, that’s the general belief. And in some cases, it does. But it can also spur creative thinking. Let

Dr Rebel: Don’t judge too quickly; rebels have a different operating system Today’s question: The rebel in my team bypasses me, and it upsets me. How do you think I should handle this situation? Before I get to why people in your team bypass you and what you can do about it, I want to

dr rebel: 2024 … it’s a wrap 💫 this is it – we near the end of 2024 so it’s time for a reflection, an overview, and a gift (or two)! this was the first year of the ASK DR REBEL newsletter. below you can find the full overview of all 23 questions, categorised into three

dr rebel: don’t mistake rebelliousness for toxicity Today’s question: i don’t know how to interpret the rebel’s behaviour in my team. am i dealing with a toxic person? we often refer to a toxic colleague as someone who is always negative, critical, or just plain difficult to be around. there seems to be an overlap