As we approach the end of the year, it’s a great time to hit pause and reflect—but this year, let’s do it differently. Rather than focusing on what didn’t go as planned, let’s zero in on standout moments when you or your team went beyond expectations.

This approach, called positive deviance, shines a light on surprising successes and powerful outliers. By understanding those standout moments and figuring out how to make them the norm, we can gain powerful insights that make exceptional results repeatable, setting us up for even greater success now and in the year ahead.

Personal Reflection: Mining Your Own Moments of Positive Deviance

Start with yourself. Before involving the team, identify and learn from your own moments of positive deviance—those times when you were “in the zone” and performing with clarity and energy.

1. Ask yourself: When did I do something remarkable this year? Think of times you stepped outside the norm and something clicked. Was it a presentation, a valuable insight, or a challenge you navigated smoothly?
2. Identify the conditions: What was happening around you that made this possible? Were there specific conditions, mindsets, or relationships that supported your success?
3. Extract the learnings: Reflect on what you did differently. This isn’t about luck; it’s about identifying repeatable patterns you use now and can carry into the new year.  These are the DNA of your future success; the behaviors and mindsets that define you at your best.

Bringing Positive Deviance to Your Team

Once you’ve reflected personally, it’s time to turn this lens on your team. Leaders often focus on fixing problems, but imagine the power of a team that learns and from – and replicates success?

Steps to Guide Team Reflection:

1. Frame the Conversation Around Positive Deviance
   Start by explaining positive deviance and why it matters. Let the team know this isn’t about the usual high performers but about learning from those moments when anyone found a better way.Questions to Ask:
   – Can you share a time this year when you achieved something that surprised you?
   – What was different about this situation?
2. Activity: Mapping the Positive Deviance Moments of the Year
   Draw up a timeline of the year, and ask each team member to highlight one moment of positive deviance. When mapped together, these moments reveal a picture of the team at its best.

Building Momentum with Positive Deviance

Once you’ve identified these moments, it’s about building on what worked. Positive deviance gives a roadmap for what the team can do more of next year. Rather than general improvement, you’re replicating specific actions that lead to success. It’s about going next level now.

Here’s how to keep the momentum going:

1. Ask the Team to Commit to Their “Best Self” Behaviors
   Have each person choose one behavior to amplify next year. These aren’t rules but empowering behaviors that play to each person’s strengths.
2. Encourage Curiosity and Experimentation
   Positive deviance isn’t a one-off exercise—it’s a mindset. Encourage the team to keep experimenting and keep the conversation open about what’s working.

Ending on a High Note

Gratitude and celebration should end any reflection exercise. Recognize each team member’s positive contributions. By focusing on what went right, you create a positive, energizing environment where everyone is ready to take on the new year with motivation and purpose.

Use positive deviance to reflect, learn, and grow—and watch your leadership and your team’s success go Next Level, Now.