Archetype: Destructive Provocateurs
Driver: Motivated to shake things up; challenge the status quo.
Behaviors and Characteristics:
Provocateurs come in two flavors – those who focus on constructive change (Constructive Provocateurs) and those who are ready to ‘blow it all up and start over’, Destructive Provocateurs. The latter are:
- Not afraid to rile people up, be irreverent or challenge authority.
- Enjoy the spotlight and use the microphone as a ‘bully pulpit’.
- May act precipitously and take the unexpected path which can lead to enormous change but also enormous pain.
- Willing to put themselves at risk, personally and professionally
- May support more than one cause or have less loyalty to a cause than to a point of view of how the world ‘should’ be.
- Can quickly break down barriers and open a path for others to follow.
Challenges:
- To share their ideas in a way that others welcome rather than reject.
- To avoid being defined by their controversial techniques rather than the cause for which they stand.
- To not be seen as controversial for the sake of being controversial, which might undermine their effectiveness.
Greatest Fear:
- Others will not take them seriously.
Must Avoid:
- Creating controversy just to see others squirm.
Call to action:
- Why not?
Example Destructive Provocateur Thought Leaders:
- Michael Moore (DP), filmmaker, social critic, and liberal activist
- Julian Assange (DP), editor-in-chief and founder, WikiLeaks
- Edward Snowden (DP), former National Security Agency contractor who disclosed top-secret NSA documents
While these individuals may not act in overtly destructive ways, they may advocate that others move to overthrow existing structures.
- Maureen Dowd (CP/DP), a columnist for the New York Times, author of Are Men Necessary?
- Maya Angelou (CP/DP), author, poet, civil rights advocate
- Germaine Greer (CP/DP), feminist, author, The Female Eunuch
(c) 2022 Thought Leadership Lab
Do not distribute without permission.
are you ready for
a bigger playground?
If you are ready to take your next step as a thought leader, you’ll find an easy-to-follow 7-step blueprint in my book Ready to Be a Thought Leader?. Order today at Amazon.
check out our online courses on LinkedIn learning
becoming a thought leader
AND
organizational thought leadership
want more influence?
In the Thought Leadership Manifesto, I share 12 strategies to secure the support of influencers and empower them to amplify your message. To get your copy, sign up for the email newsletter below.