In variations of Stanley Milgram's obedience experiments, the presence of nonconformists, or "principled deviants," dramatically reduced the group's willingness to inflict harm. These outsiders model ethical behavior, reining in the cruelty of others and guiding the group toward a better moral outcome.
A Johns Hopkins study found that participants made to feel left out were more creative. However, this boost only applied to those with an "independent self-concept"—people who already took pride in not belonging. For this group, rejection acts as a mental catalyst for new ideas.
People exhibit "Solomon's paradox": they are wiser when solving others' problems than their own. To overcome this, view your challenges through a third-person lens. Mentally frame the issue as if you were advising a friend—or even refer to yourself by name—to gain dispassionate clarity.
Psychologist Michelle Gelfand's research shows societies exist on a spectrum from "tight" (strict norms, less crime) to "loose" (wider behaviors, more creativity). Feeling like an outsider may simply mean your workplace or social circle has a "tight" culture that values order over innovation.
To get a group to accept unconventional ideas, first conform to its established values to build trust. This earns you "idiosyncrasy credits," which you can later "spend" on deviating from the norm without being rejected. This 'conform, then innovate' strategy was used by The Beatles to gain mainstream acceptance before experimenting.