Presentation Overview
The most effective solutions to organizational challenges are often already present within the organization itself. Every workplace has individuals, teams, or departments that consistently achieve exceptional results despite facing the same constraints, resources, and challenges as everyone else. The Positive Deviance approach seeks to identify these high performers, uncover what they are doing differently, and scale those successful practices across the organization.
In this engaging and highly practical presentation, Dr. Davi Kallman introduces Positive Deviance as an innovative framework for organizational learning, change management, and continuous improvement. Participants will explore how organizations can shift from focusing on deficits and problems to discovering existing strengths and successful behaviors already occurring within their own systems.
Drawing from organizational communication, leadership, systems thinking, and change management, this presentation provides participants with practical tools for identifying hidden organizational expertise, fostering innovation, and creating sustainable change by empowering people rather than imposing top-down solutions.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will:
- Understand the principles and philosophy of the Positive Deviance approach.
- Recognize why traditional problem-solving methods often overlook existing organizational strengths.
- Learn how to identify individuals and teams who consistently outperform expectations under similar conditions.
- Explore strategies for uncovering and replicating successful behaviors across an organization.
- Develop techniques for facilitating collaborative, employee-driven organizational change.
- Understand how Positive Deviance promotes innovation, engagement, and continuous improvement.
- Leave with practical tools for applying Positive Deviance to organizational challenges, strategic planning, and culture change initiatives.
Ideal Audience
This presentation is designed for:
- Executive leadership teams
- Higher education administrators
- Student affairs professionals
- Organizational development professionals
- Human resources professionals
- Change management practitioners
- Corporate leadership teams
- Government agencies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Health care organizations
- Continuous improvement teams
- Project managers
- Team supervisors
- Professional associations
- Anyone responsible for leading organizational improvement, innovation, or change
Length Options
30-Minute Session
A compelling keynote introducing the Positive Deviance framework and how organizations can discover innovative solutions by learning from their own highest performers.
60-Minute Workshop
A practical presentation exploring the Positive Deviance process, supported by research, organizational examples, and actionable strategies participants can immediately implement.
90-Minute Interactive Workshop
A collaborative learning experience featuring case studies, organizational mapping exercises, facilitated discussion, and practical activities that help participants identify hidden strengths and develop Positive Deviance strategies for real-world challenges.
Half-Day Professional Development
A comprehensive, hands-on training focused on applying Positive Deviance to organizational change, strategic planning, leadership development, and continuous improvement. Participants will work through a structured framework for identifying successful practices within their own organizations and creating sustainable implementation plans.
Custom keynote, conference, leadership retreat, strategic planning, organizational development, and change management sessions are available upon request.
Book This Presentation
Interested in bringing Swimming Against the Current: Using Positive Deviance to Identify Solutions within Organizations to your organization or event?
Whether you’re planning a leadership retreat, strategic planning session, conference keynote, professional development workshop, or organizational change initiative, this presentation can be tailored to your organization’s goals and challenges.
Book this presentation today by visiting the Contact page. Together, we can uncover the innovative solutions already thriving within your organization and harness them to create lasting, meaningful change.