As a leader, you’re no stranger to disruption! But what if disruption didn’t just happen to you? What if you could actually create it? Constructive disruption is about being proactive, not reactive – making change happen before the world forces it on you. Discover the three essential habits for embracing this mindset, so you’ll be better equipped to navigate uncertainty and turn disruption into opportunity.
Would you like more disruption in your life? That might seem like a silly question, and you might be thinking you want less disruption, not more! But it depends on how you think about disruption.
I was in Adelaide last week, speaking to an association of leaders from large organisations around Australia. Their event theme was “constructive disruption”, which I love because it turns the common idea of disruption on its head.
We often think of disruption as something that happens to us. But I often say disruption and innovation are the same thing: They are both about change, and the difference is that disruption happens when change happens to you, and innovation is when you create that change yourself. So, constructive disruption is about being proactive and creating disruption – or change – before the world forces you to change.
We have to expect more disruption, more change, more uncertainty, and more more chaos in the future. But we also have more opportunity – if we are willing to embrace constructive disruption.
There are three key things you can do – and these should become habits in your leadership journey.
Think ahead.
Reach out
Lean in.
1. Think Ahead
We need to think more about the future. The more senior you are, the more of your salary is being paid for you to think about the future. But that’s not easy because we often get bogged down in operational, day-to-day things. Those are important, but if that takes up all your time, who’s thinking about the future? Thinking ahead is about understanding what’s coming so you can make better decisions now.
2. Reach Out
In times of change and uncertainty, people re-evaluate their goals and desires, and often re-assess the “suppliers” who currently help them achieve those goals. Make sure everything you do is aligned with solving customer problems or helping them achieve their goals. If you’re not doing that, then you’re vulnerable to a competitor who will come along and do it better.
3. Lean In
You have a talented, diverse team with different skills and perspectives. Tap into their experience and expertise, which may extend beyond their job description. Lean in to your team, so you can access a wealth of insights that can help drive constructive disruption.
Those are the three keys to constructive disruption.
If you’re not doing them already, you can’t just snap your fingers and start disrupting from today. But you can start! And then make them habits in your leadership, in your team, and in your organisation.
AI, of course, is a big part of the future, and can help you with constructive disruption. I’m running a free public online presentation soon to help you understand how AI will affect you in 2025 and beyond. So, please register and invite other leaders in your team and network to join us.
