The inspired maverick: Dirty Harry lives on the edge

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe three threshold experience cases where individuals avoid and disobey hierarchy and rules in order to satisfy their own values and aspirations. Design/methodology/approach - Observations of the author as a participant observer, employee, and academic researcher are reported and analyzed. Findings - In each of the three cases, the formal hierarchy was reversed or temporarily dissolved, continuity of tradition was uncertain and outcomes were thrown into doubt. These were liminal situations which involved uncertainty, ambiguity, doubts, and fear as a result of the suspending of organizational structure. The circumstances in which disobedience is most likely to occur are: lack of transparency; conflict between point of view of leaders and individual perception; demands that seem to be unreasonable; individual role in conflict with authoritative expectations. Originality/value - Organizational hierarchy and mandates are designed to produce achievement of management goals. There are, however, circumstances where individual resistance is required in order to achieve desired results.