The Power of Positive Disruption

One of the areas of change management that particularly keeps my attention is the idea of creating positive disruption. I am a firm believer that constant, continuous questioning of the status quo is a necessity in our ever changing world. It is now truer than ever that we must change or die, on a continuous basis. We live in a global world of business where our competition is coming from every corner of the world and in the form of rapid and relentless product and service innovation which will leave us behind if we do not keep up. The speed of business is becoming ever more relentless and those that succeed are those who are most comfortable with constant change.

I suppose the key question is how to create positive disruption and whether it should be in a slowly, slowly way or the Gordon Ramsey type approach. I guess my answer would be that it depends on the culture of the organisation, the degree to which views are entrenched and a willingness to pursue change and improvement evident or absent and also the imminent danger from the marketplace, competitors etc. If the organisation is operating in a stable environment and change is seen as a way of life and is a comfortable fit within the culture then progressive implementation of change as a constant way of life can be embraced by all and become the mainstay of a winning culture. However it is worth contrasting this with a business who have become very settled in a certain level of mediocrity and become blind to imminent threats from new products, new competition etc. Such an organisation may require a much more direct and immediate approach with far less time and space to introduce long term cultural change. In these cases it can be a matter of driving necessary change in order to secure the future and build up the necessary culture afterwards. The worry I have for such organisations is that without introducing new blood from outside it is difficult to see the problems lurking under the guise of we have always done it this way.

I guess the challenge for today’s leaders is how to distinguish the different scenarios as above, in order to effectively coax or coerce change. To find the people eager for change, bring them on side and allow them to become change champions and influence the more entrenched views. Its about selling a vision of a better future for all and working together to make that future happen !