Necessities of Disruptive Leadership to Drive Disruptive Innovation

In a world where everyone is eager to win, what ceases a line between winners and non-losers? Books, epics, novels, movies, mythology, history – pick up anything, and if you are observant enough you will find your answer. Those that are based on the saga of winning and losing, always depict how strategies and leadership play an astonishing character in their race. Those who have acknowledged that and proceeded in accordance are the ones who brought the revolution and disruption in their age.

Moving on to disruption in today's world, the paradigm hasn't changed completely yet. Currently, new-age technologies are hustling across the world, baiting the key industry players to become winners rather than being a consistent, non-loser participant. In order to become successful in the race to win technological supremacy, today also, strategy and leadership are quintessential ingredients for any organization.

To drive disruptive innovation, disruptive leadership is a must who can frame an appropriate strategy for the organization and lead towards better prospects. John Mattone, a well-known author in his article 'Why Success Depends on Embracing Disruptive Leadership' noted that, disruptive leadership is indispensable today. Leaders who tend to take risks and reward disruptive innovation are the ones that bring more to the digital future.

He quoted that, "leaders embrace disruption by ensuring that all fundamental business processes happen while at the same time demonstrating that they value disruption. Suppliers still have to be paid, and employees still need to be able to do things like schedule vacation time. All these basic business processes still have to take place. But at the same time, businesses must be open to changing how those things are done, taking advantage of technology and understanding how attitudes and markets are constantly evolving."

Organizations should not hesitate to employ people who possess the ability, capability, and willingness to disrupt things. The disruptive leaders should exemplify behaviors like commitment, continuous learning, willingness to change, looking for answers and talent in unexpected places. They should always replace "No." with "How?"

Such leaders encourage variety in ideas and are open-minded to newness be it in products, processes or services, that will help disrupt the market and gain benefits for the organization. Breaking the barriers and leading the way towards thoughts and ideas, they can embed innovation into business processes at a greater level.
Leading innovation is not a cakewalk, it requires sensibility and courage to tackle technological developments, competitive moves, customer comments, economic and political shifts, and other unpredictable events which make market situations unpredictable. However, such uncertainties and challenges do provide a progressive pitch for leaders to experiment with their new ideas.

To attain disruptive innovations, disruptive leadership needs to promote a culture of game-changing innovation. They need to provide a framework to develop new ideas and execute their solutions.

However, the throne of leadership also comes with the responsibility to keep its people motivated and engaged while driving an immense level of creativity and excellence. The leader who can balance all the aspects of driving disruptive innovation in an organization possess the necessary attributes for being a disruptive leadership.