Weird Works
By Les Mottosky
A quarter century ago, if we saw someone walking down the street staring blankly at their hand, we'd likely wonder something like:
"Did they hurt their hand?"
Or...
"Does that person understand situational awareness?"
How that's changed. Watch today's pedestrians – no matter how busy or dangerous a street is – focusing on the phone in their hand is almost to be expected.
What was un-relatable just a couple of decades ago is now common.
Tree-hugging used to be for fringe eco-warriors, now it's considered therapy. Grandmothers are adding functional mushrooms to their coffee to improve focus and memory. Psychedelics were once the domain of Grateful Dead concert goers, now they're a high-performance hack for CEOs. (More than that, we can now experience a psychedelic session from a licensed therapist - legally). A handful of people used to do a polar swim as a New Year's Day dare, now dedicated ice tubs are popping-up in backyards for daily use.
The most consequential expression of the weirdness takeover we're living through can be found in our media landscape. Once considered mainstream, legacy media reporting is now questioned depending on an individual's identity. Specifically their idealogical leanings. (This is bizarre unto itself. If you ask someone "What are you?" you might get a response like "liberal", "progressive", "libertarian" or "conservative". A decade ago they'd answer "Zookeeper", "Mechanic" or "Engineer".) A very real skepticism of what constitutes "news" has gripped society. And that skepticism is intensifying.
So, so, so weird.
In 2026, weird is where it's at. And it's only gonna get weirder.
Again, this is a good thing.
For most of history, weird was a warning label. Don’t be strange, don’t stand out, don’t do the thing no one else is doing. Weird got you exiled, mocked, burned, or at least uninvited from dinner. Normal kept you safe.
But normal doesn’t work anymore.
The world has slipped its rails. Systems we trusted are wobbling. Careers, identities, institutions —none of which ever guaranteed happiness, success or safety – have become even more questionable.
Playing it safe now just means slowly falling behind (with slightly) better posture.
In this environment, weird isn’t a liability. It’s an adaptation.
This is the shift we’re living through.
Odd obsessions, nonlinear thinking, uncomfortable questions, intuitive leaps —once the exclusive domain of the weirdo – are exactly what create breakthroughs. The people who see around corners don’t arrive there by following the straight path. They zig when others zag; pushing forward a scintillating solution that looks ridiculous right up until it's accepted as inevitable.
Weird people notice patterns others miss. They tolerate ambiguity longer. They ask better questions because they’re not trying to sound smart, they’re trying to understand. What made them inconvenient in stable times makes them crucial in 2026.
You already know what makes you weird. You’ve probably spent years managing it, hiding it, or apologizing for it. You were told to be “more realistic,” “tone it down,” or “stay in your lane.”
That advice has aged like milk.
We don’t need more polished normals. We need people willing to trust their strange angle on reality long enough to test it. Weird is no longer the opposite of competent. It’s become the raw material of the remarkable.
Weird is where outstanding leadership, organizational breakthroughs and unbreakable team chemistry are all birthed.
If you're doing your part to make your workplace weirder, you're also pushing it where it needs to go to thrive.
Weird is adaptation turned up to eleven.
Normal had a good run.
But weird? Weird is just getting warmed up.
TAGS: #Weird Works #Adaptation As Innovation #Wisdom In Leadership #Radical Reframe #Forever Change
Les Mottosky
Adaptation Strategist & Advisor // Revealing competitive advantage. I help leaders build aligned creative cultures that can measure their vitality and adapt to rapid change. It's not easy. But it's simple.
Ask about the Clarity Engine Process.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/les-mottosky-9b94527/
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