--- title: "Normalization of Deviance | SPMS Insights" description: "Paul Smith explains how small exceptions can become accepted practice and why effective oversight helps organizations identify drift before consequences arrive." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "ProfessionalService", "name": "Smith Project Management Services, LLC", "description": "Independent advisory led by Paul Smith, advising leadership on complex project recovery, risk identification, organizational effectiveness, and contract and project execution oversight.", "url": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com", "telephone": "+1-941-812-7035", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressRegion": "FL", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": "United States", "priceRange": "$$$$", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Smith", "jobTitle": "Founder & Principal Consultant" }, "knowsAbout": [ "Project Recovery", "Independent Project Oversight", "Risk Identification", "Organizational Effectiveness", "Contract and Scope Oversight", "Nuclear Decommissioning Oversight", "Construction Project Leadership" ], "hasCredential": [ { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "Professional Certification", "name": "Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST)" }, { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "Professional Certification", "name": "Safety Trained Supervisor-Construction (STS-C)" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Normalization of Deviance", "alternativeHeadline": "How Small Exceptions Become Accepted Practice", "description": "Paul Smith explains how small exceptions can become accepted practice and why effective oversight helps organizations identify drift before consequences arrive.", "articleSection": "Insights & Perspectives", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Smith" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Smith Project Management Services, LLC" }, "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights/normalization-of-deviance", "url": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights/normalization-of-deviance" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Insights", "item": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Normalization of Deviance", "item": "https://www.smithprojectmanagement.com/insights/normalization-of-deviance" } ] } ] --- [![Smith Project Management Services, LLC](/assets/spms-logo-Cm2mE7fh.png)](/) [About](/#about)[Services](/#services)[Experience](/#experience)[Credentials](/#credentials)[Insights](/insights)[Contact](/#contact)[Get In Touch](/#contact) [Home](/)[Insights](/insights)Article No. 010 ![Smith Project Management Services, LLC](/assets/spms-logo-Cm2mE7fh.png) Smith Project Management Services, LLC Insights & Perspectives Series • Article No. 010 Normalization of Deviance How Small Exceptions Become Accepted Practice [Back to Insights](/insights) # Normalization of Deviance How Small Exceptions Become Accepted Practice Most organizational failures don't begin with a major mistake. They begin with a minor deviation. - • A shortcut. - • A workaround. - • A missed step. - • A requirement that gets ignored "just this once." At the time, none of these actions seem particularly significant. The work still gets completed. Nothing bad happens, and the project moves forward. And that's precisely what makes normalization of deviance so dangerous. ## Success Can Be Misleading One of the most common assumptions people make is that successful outcomes validate the decisions that led to them….but they don't. Sometimes organizations achieve successful outcomes despite accepting unnecessary risk. The absence of negative consequences is not proof that a decision was correct - It's simply proof that the consequences didn't occur this time. Over time, however, people begin drawing a different conclusion. - • The shortcut worked. - • The workaround worked. - • The requirement didn't seem necessary. - • The risk appeared manageable. Eventually, what was once considered an exception begins feeling normal. That's when standards begin to drift. ## The New Normal Normalization of deviance occurs when people become so accustomed to deviations that they no longer recognize them as deviations at all. I've mentioned normalization of deviance in several other Insights articles because, in my experience, it helps explain how many organizational problems develop. Projects rarely fail because people intentionally lower standards. More often, standards gradually erode through a series of small, seemingly reasonable decisions that become accepted over time. Understanding that process is critical because once a deviation becomes normalized, people often stop recognizing it as a deviation at all. The process is rarely intentional. In fact, it often occurs within organizations staffed by intelligent, experienced, and well-intentioned people. The progression usually looks something like this: - • A standard exists. - • An exception occurs. - • Nothing bad happens. - • The exception is repeated. - • The exception becomes accepted. - • The accepted exception becomes routine. - • The routine eventually replaces the standard. The organization hasn't formally changed the process….Yet the process has changed. And often nobody notices until a significant problem occurs. ## Why Smart People Fall Into the Trap A common misconception is that normalization of deviance is caused by negligence, but more often, it's caused by pressure. Schedules, budgets, and productivity all matter, so organizations naturally seek efficiency. When a shortcut appears harmless and repeatedly produces acceptable outcomes, people begin trusting experience instead of questioning assumptions. The problem is that repeated success can create false confidence. The fact that something worked yesterday does not guarantee it will work tomorrow. That's one of the reasons normalization of deviance can be so difficult to recognize. The very fact that the shortcut worked yesterday often becomes the evidence people use to justify repeating it today. ## Warning Signs Normalization of deviance rarely announces itself. It appears through small conversations and subtle changes in behavior. Listen for phrases like: - • "We've always done it this way." - • "We've never had a problem before." - • "That's how everyone does it." - • "We're making an exception this time." - • "The procedure doesn't really apply to this situation." None of these statements automatically indicate a problem. But they should trigger questions. Why? Because organizations often begin accepting risk long before they recognize they're accepting risk. ## The Role of Oversight One reason effective oversight is so important is that it provides an independent perspective. People working closest to a process often become accustomed to its weaknesses and stop seeing the drift because they've simply adapted to it. An effective oversight function helps identify: - • Standards that are no longer being followed. - • Workarounds that have become permanent. - • Assumptions that are no longer being challenged. - • Risks that have quietly become accepted. This isn't about finding fault. As I discussed in Insight Article #001, "Oversight Isn't About Finding Fault," effective oversight is about maintaining visibility and identifying deviations early. In this case, it's about recognizing small deviations before they become accepted practices and eventually significant consequences. ## What High-Performing Organizations Do Differently The strongest organizations recognize that standards must be actively protected. They encourage questioning attitudes, challenge assumptions, welcome dissenting opinions, and they avoid confusing past success with future safety. Most importantly, they create environments where people feel comfortable asking: Are we becoming comfortable with something we shouldn't be? \-That single question can prevent an organization from drifting much farther than it realizes. ## Final Thoughts Major failures rarely begin as major failures. More often, they begin as minor deviations that were repeated often enough to become normal. - • The shortcut becomes routine. - • The exception becomes accepted. - • The workaround becomes standard practice. - • And eventually the organization forgets there was ever a difference. That's why normalization of deviance is so dangerous. Not because it happens suddenly - But because it happens so gradually that people often don't recognize it until the consequences arrive. In complex organizations, the greatest risks are not always the ones we can see. Sometimes they're the ones we've stopped noticing. [Back to Insights](/insights) [Previous Article Respect the Process ](/insights/respect-the-process)[Next Article The Evolution of Organizational Culture Maturity ](/insights/evolution-of-organizational-culture-maturity) ## Related Consulting Capabilities Explore consulting capabilities related to the project and organizational issues discussed in this article. [Project Oversight ](/#services)[Safety Program Development ](/#services)[Leadership Assessment ](/#services)[Project Recovery ](/#services)[Schedule Analysis & Review ](/#services)[Contract & Scope Development ](/#services) For more insights from Paul Smith, connect with him on LinkedIn. [Connect on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-smith-chst-sts-c-1514b414) ## Need an Experienced Perspective on a Complex Project? Smith Project Management Services advises leadership on project risk, organizational effectiveness, contract oversight, and recovery before issues become failures. 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