The impact of being a Disruptor
How can you be a change agent for your company and other teams? What does it take to successfully shift culture?
Disruption. It can be an overused term, with positive and negative connotations. This week on Learning to Lead we delved deeper into disruption, what it is, how you can be impactful as a disruptor and resources to get started.
Key Takeaways:
Disruption is not accepting the status quo
Disruption is often about a shift in mentality and helping people move past ego and fear that may have constrained their thinking
When assessing whether you need to disrupt a culture, team, or organization, seek first to understand before acting. Know that previous playbooks may not apply and you’ll need to adjust your approach.
Ensure disruption is driving towards a meaningful outcome.
Partner with the “no” people in your organization who may be perceived as blockers. This is a sustainable way to disrupt an organisation that is grounded in trust, transparency and collaboration.
Explain the “why” so you can disrupt through yourself and establish proxies who are a part of the long-term shift.
Don’t forget the human element in all disruption. Connect with individuals and seek to understand where they are coming from, and take the time to explain why you are seeking to disrupt. Bring team members along on the journey.
Understand where you need disruption versus transformation, and know the difference.
Pay attention to other teams and your peer leaders. Lead through conversations and be open to helping those outside your team.
Perspective and mentality matters; A shift from “I get to do ___” vs. “I have to ___” can make a huge difference.
Resources:
Nancy Duarte - a speaker who covers topics such as what is possible, presentation, and storytelling
Amazon Day 1 - the philosophy that every day can be the first day at a company. This is especially important for large or established companies.
If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. - Henry Ford
Every Saturday we hold a live discussion on Clubhouse. Join us in the official Learning to Lead Clubhouse from 9:30-10:30 am PT. We will be on summer break returning on September 4, 2021.
Upcoming topics include:
Storytelling and the Art of Presenting
Managing a burnt-out team
Coaches: How to find the right coach for your leadership journey
Do you have an idea for a topic? Contact me on Linkedin or comment below.