Ode to the black sheep
Thinking differently about the odd one out...
Are you familiar with the term black sheep? Perhaps you’ve even been described as the black sheep of your family, friend group, or workplace. I certainly have.
It’s an idiom that marks people as different, wayward, or deviant. Etymonline describes a black sheep as a “person of bad character; member of some group guilty of offensive conduct that does little credit to the flock, family, or community to which he belongs.”
The origins of the idiom
There are several theories about the phrase's origin, some biblical and some economic — there seems to be no reference to racism. Gary Martin suggests it might be due to the penchant of English texts to cast black cats, magic, mountains, and other things in a dark light. However, black sheep were at one point considered omens by farmers, right up until the late 19th century, with the Folk Lore Record of 1978 stating, “We speak figuratively of the one black sheep that is the cause of sorrow in a family; but in its reality, it is regarded by the Sussex shepherd as an omen of good luck to his flock.”
Shout out to Somerset, Kent and Derbyshire shepherds, who are also on record as fans. Despite this, black wool was considered commercially undesirable because it couldn’t be dyed.
A well-travelled sheep
It’s not just English where this phrase is found — the image above is from Pecora Negra, a fantastic pizza restaurant in the French/Italian border town of Menton. Perhaps it’s the family's black sheep because the other restaurant in the group is Michelin-starred. In this household, we love it anyway. There’s a similar phrase in German, French (à chaque troupeau sa brebis galeuse, a black sheep in every herd), Porthuese, Greek and more.
The phrase white crow illustrates the same concept in other languages: for example, belaya vorona in Russian and kalāg-e sefīd in Persian.
Black sheep in psychology
The “black sheep effect” in psychology refers to the tendency of group members to judge more harshly those members who deviate from the group norm, compared to similar judgments made about non-members. This phenomenon is observed mainly when a group member's behaviour negatively reflects the group's image or reputation. These deviants (gasp!) can also threaten personal identities (Eidelman and Biernat).
There are, of course, many other sheep-themed idioms; one of my favourites compares people to sheep, labelling them foolish, docile and easily led, AKA sheeple.
Reframing the sentiment
There is a lot of research on why cognitive and other types of diversity are so important in organisations. While I have many questions about being the black sheep in a family, this newsletter tackles working better, and it’s essential to realise the role it can play in groups outside of the home.
As an overview, Dr Vivienne Ming has written a fantastic evidence-based article on why diversity and trust lift innovation and productivity. For example, a study of London companies found that diverse management teams, in terms of ethnicity and immigration status, produced more product innovations than their competitors.
Companies with an inclusive talent system are 1.8 times more likely to be change-ready and 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders in their market — Deloitte, 2015
Often, the phrase black sheep is taken as a negative. Perhaps, if you’re a black sheep, it helps to think of the positives. Maybe it reflects your creativity and divergent ways of thinking. Black wool can’t be dyed? Fantastic, perhaps this reflects a skill of critical thought. You stand out from the herd, and the benefits of this are immense.
I believe an organisation should never hire someone for culture fit — as that creates a homogenous group. The alternative of culture add is more appropriate as a principle: appreciating what people bring to the table is much more enjoyable and beneficial.
Questions to flip the script
Here are some prompts focussed on the workplace or other situations — sports teams, educational settings — where you might have a woolly one within your midst. The questions are designed to help you reflect and possibly change the narrative from “different means bad” to “Oh, this could be interesting…”
Observing reactions: How have I seen the group react to members who deviate from these norms? Are the reactions different from how the group reacts to non-members exhibiting similar behaviours?
Personal responses: How do I react when a group member deviates from the norm? Do I feel a more substantial need to respond or correct this behaviour compared to when a non-member does the same?
Handling nonconformity: How does this group typically handle nonconformity? Is there a process for addressing behaviours outside the norm, and is it applied consistently?
These questions help you observe the black sheep effect, differential treatment within/outside the group, and your role in group dynamics.
It's important to prod and poke at your biases, and understanding how your group deals with nonconformity can reveal a lot about the group's values and your role in upholding or challenging them.
🐑 Until next time,
Amber