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I would say Yes to being a misfit in many of my earlier organisations / roles. Being an employees’ & organisation’s advocate I fought for things, I stood up against what I thought wasn’t right for the employees, and for the organisation culture. For all this I was disliked by some, but I was also appreciated by many, I still get calls from employees about the experiences I helped create for them. BUT all this at the cost of not getting a raise or promotion.
Switching back to an organisation where (for a change) I opted for staying quite, and just doing the things as I was asked to – well it took a lot of time to get used to it.
Having been on both sides, I feel strong voices who have it in them to make a difference won’t stay around for long if they are not heard or their ideas are not addressed. Organisations develop only when they have space enough to accommodate divergent views. Only yay-sayers will lead to organisation structures that are easy for now but in the long run it won’t contribute to a strong & valuable organisation.
However, it all depends on the industry / function / work area. E.g. In defence forces, if the Commanding Officer is not listened to, and all other divergent voices start speaking up, then it will lead to highly chaotic situations, and would risk life of people. Similar leadership style (Commanding) will not work in areas wherein a person has to be creative / innovative (say IT or branding); well exceptions are always there. But considering today’s highly dynamic world, if organisations don’t adapt themselves and provide space to ‘rebels’, it sure isn’t going to go too far.