Positive Deviance
Positive Deviance
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daily Instructor: Dr. Joseph SmithHow it Works
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Course Overview
Foundations of the Positive Deviance Approach
Conceptual Framework
- Understanding the core premise that solutions to complex problems already exist within a community, despite resource constraints.
- Distinguishing between traditional 'deficit-based' problem solving, which focuses on what is missing, and the 'asset-based' Positive Deviance approach, which focuses on what is working.
- Analyzing the statistical and sociological underpinnings of why certain individuals achieve better results than their peers while operating under the same set of constraints and conditions.
Identifying Positive Deviants
- Developing objective criteria to define success within a specific system or population to distinguish genuine success from random outliers.
- Applying systematic observation techniques to isolate individuals whose behaviors or practices deviate significantly from the norm in a positive, measurable way.
- Mapping the social, environmental, and behavioral variables that separate high-performers from the average group.
Methodological Execution and Data Gathering
The Inquiry Process
- Conducting discovery interviews to uncover 'tacit knowledge'—the unspoken practices or routines that successful individuals perform without conscious awareness.
- Utilizing observational field research to document the specific mechanics of a practice, moving beyond self-reported accounts which are often prone to bias or memory gaps.
- Triangulating findings across multiple sources to ensure that observed practices are replicable and not dependent on unique, individual talents that cannot be taught to others.
Analysis of Behavioral Constraints
- Identifying the social norms, cultural barriers, or systemic policies that prevent average individuals from adopting the behaviors of the positive deviants.
- Creating a 'behavioral map' that translates complex successful actions into discrete, teachable steps that others can emulate.
- Validating the transferability of identified practices through pilot testing within controlled subsets of a target population.
Systems Change and Scaling Practices
Facilitating Behavior Adoption
- Designing 'practice-based' interventions where community members teach each other rather than relying on external experts, which builds internal ownership and sustainability.
- Implementing social learning loops where the success of early adopters is amplified through peer-to-peer demonstration to encourage rapid, organic spread of the new behavior.
- Creating supportive environments that remove friction for those attempting to adopt new, more effective behaviors, such as modifying workflow processes or social incentives.
Ensuring Systemic Integration
- Monitoring for 'practice drift,' where a successful behavior is modified over time in a way that reduces its effectiveness or safety.
- Developing feedback mechanisms to measure the impact of the new, diffused behaviors on original key performance indicators at the system level.
- Institutionalizing the Positive Deviance process as a continuous improvement cycle rather than a one-time project, ensuring the system remains self-correcting and adaptive to new challenges.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For detailed information about our Positive Deviance course, including what you’ll learn and course objectives, please visit the "About This Course" section on this page.
The course is online, but you can select Networking Events at enrollment to meet people in person. This feature may not always be available.
We don’t have a physical office because the course is fully online. However, we partner with training providers worldwide to offer in-person sessions. You can arrange this by contacting us first and selecting features like Networking Events or Expert Instructors when enrolling.
Contact us to arrange one.
This course is accredited by Govur, and we also offer accreditation to organizations and businesses through Govur Accreditation. For more information, visit our Accreditation Page.
Dr. Joseph Smith is the official representative for the Positive Deviance course and is responsible for reviewing and scoring exam submissions. If you'd like guidance from a live instructor, you can select that option during enrollment.
The course doesn't have a fixed duration. It has 12 questions, and each question takes about 5 to 30 minutes to answer. You’ll receive your certificate once you’ve successfully answered most of the questions. Learn more here.
The course is always available, so you can start at any time that works for you!
We partner with various organizations to curate and select the best networking events, webinars, and instructor Q&A sessions throughout the year. You’ll receive more information about these opportunities when you enroll. This feature may not always be available.
You will receive a Certificate of Excellence when you score 75% or higher in the course, showing that you have learned about the course.
An Honorary Certificate allows you to receive a Certificate of Commitment right after enrolling, even if you haven’t finished the course. It’s ideal for busy professionals who need certification quickly but plan to complete the course later.
The price is based on your enrollment duration and selected features. Discounts increase with more days and features. You can also choose from plans for bundled options.
Choose a duration that fits your schedule. You can enroll for up to 180 days at a time.
No, you won't. Once you earn your certificate, you retain access to it and the completed exercises for life, even after your subscription expires. However, to take new exercises, you'll need to re-enroll if your subscription has run out.
To verify a certificate, visit the Verify Certificate page on our website and enter the 12-digit certificate ID. You can then confirm the authenticity of the certificate and review details such as the enrollment date, completed exercises, and their corresponding levels and scores.