Some people simply stir the pot. Great leaders, in contrast, are intentional disruptors—they see things that can and should change and feel compelled to act.

Intentional disruptors seem to have uncontrollable passion—they are hungry for more, better, or different—and that is why they disrupt.

Innovation would not take place without intentional disruptors.

Unfortunately, there are not enough intentional disruptors to go around. That is why the term status-quo continues to persist.

While there are many closet disruptors—those who see possibilities, but lack the courage to step forward. Mostly they are inhibited by fear or a lack of confidence. Either way, they see what needs to change, but keep it to themselves. It’s unfortunate.

My fourth grade teacher saw signs early and called me out for being a disruptor. At the time it was less intentional and therefor perceived as a negative attribute because of how some of my behaviors disrupted her day [and the rest of the class]. 

I am pleased to report that I have since learned how to be an intentional disruptor and gained confidence to speak out at more appropriate times. Now, as a business/executive coach and consultant people ask me to help them disrupt their current situations in pursuit of better outcomes.

In one such situation I was asked to spend time observing in a client’s Quick Lane Auto Center. They had been experiencing a fair amount of customer dissatisfaction and wanted to get insights into what could and should be done to improve the customer experience and related CSI scores.

After a mere 30 minutes of observation I was feeling sensory overload. There was so much that needed to change. So much right there in plain sight. Yet, day after day, the auto center kept doing things the same way to the chagrin of customers. For example it was not uncommon for the wait for an oil change to be more than three hours, which can be a significant issue when customers are expecting a “quick lane.”

It’s impossible that I was the only one with the ability to see it. There were lots of others that could and should have seen the issues and the many areas of opportunity. The managers of the auto center are good and intelligent people. Then why didn’t they disrupt a system that was causing so much pain for customers, while limiting future growth opportunities?

The answer is actually quite simple and fairly common for many organizations—the managers are too busy and lack hunger. They can’t handle their current volume of customers, hence the long wait, so why would they improve things to attract more [and make things worse]?

And there is the difference between disruptors and others:

• Intentional disruptors have uncontainable passion, while others have lost their hunger.
• Intentional disruptors can see what could be, and it energizes them, while others only see what is, and it stresses them. 
• Intentional disruptors feel a responsibility to act when things are not right, while others are able to somehow block out the cries for help.
• Intentional disruptors have courage to challenge the status-quo, while others don’t want to cause waves. 

Want to become a better leader? Learn to become an intentional disruptor!

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.