I will be honest up front: I really struggle working with people who refuse to create some kind of collaborative structure or work within a logical framework to the best of their ability. It’s a true test of my patience to engage with a person who replies “I just don’t do things that way” when not doing things a certain way literally upends the flow or efficiency of a project. There are so many challenges that come from working with people who cannot see the importance of structure and efficiency as it relates to those around them who help drive projects to completion. I believe people who refuse to find some middle ground are some of the worst to work with, and this applies to the traditionalists who resist change and refuse to question the status quo as much as to the self-avowed disruptor types who use this title as an excuse for creating chaos.
I used to be called a disruptor. I now understand that I’m less a disruptor than I am someone who is truly looking out for the greater good, and trying to seek opportunities for improvement for all, instead of for my own benefit. Sometimes this behavior is perceived as threatening (traditionalists), and sometimes this behavior can transform the way people cooperate and accomplish goals. I love change. What I don’t love is change without thought behind it.
I’m cool with no longer being a disruptor; I’m not sure I loved the term in the first place, and always felt like my core objective was to serve a team and an organization with care. And, the further along I go, the more I realize the self-avowed, proud disruptors can often be the biggest roadblocks to accomplishing more. There’s nothing worse than a disruptive personality walking in, acting like they are qualified to take charge because something isn’t being done to their liking, and then confusing the daylights out of a competent, capable team. Disruptors: push for change with minimal understanding of how the entire business ecosystem works currently, and watch everyone work against you, even if there’s a possible opportunity tucked somewhere within the chaos that ensues. Simply put, no one wants to have their day to day structure completely collapsed by someone else who bulldozes others without much consideration for the potential ramifications.
Why are disruptors a potential roadblock to progress? Because they don’t know how to get people to cooperate, and fuel tension within an organization.
If you want to change things, the first step is to understand the entire chain of events leading to the point you aren’t satisfied with, and then opening up a collaborative dialog with everyone on that path, so you can understand what’s going on and identify opportunities. It’s not about railroading people, or using some kind of elevated status within a company to pull rank and push people around. It’s about valuing those who put the time in, and understanding that the goal needs to benefit everyone in order to be truly worth implementing. Sure, you can’t please the entire group most of the time, and there may always be someone who pushes back and resents the change. But, if the work put in up-front later creates a better work experience, efficiency or better ROI, it’s worth cracking a few eggs to make an omelet. But what isn’t worth it, is creating chaos.