Lessons for a father - Professional Disruptor

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If we were to ask that all-knowing keeper and searcher of information, both relevant and otherwise, we will realize that disruption is nothing but "disturbance or problems that interrupt an event, activity, or process".

Personally, I like that definition. It is objective in stating, as a fact, that an event, an activity or a process has been disturbed. It does not say whether disruption is good or bad.

But, wait a minute! 

When can disruption ever be a good thing? That does not make any sense! If processes and people are working as expected and they have, over a period of time, learned a way that works, why would we want to create any disruption? Doesn't that one golden rule suggest that we shouldn't try and fix something that is not necessarily broken?

I like to follow another rule as well. Let us call it the "break everything rule"!

Break Everything Rule!

This requires a major shift in our mindset, but what if we actually started believing in the fact that everything can be improved? Not just say it, believe it. 

Let us all play the role of a professional disruptor where our sole responsibility would be to question status quo with the intention to make things better.

Here is how I propose we can start (an incomplete list of course)

1. Ask the why, what, how, when and by whom. Most importantly, how is the process or activity currently done?
2. Ask if the person already has a way of improving it (make them a disruptor too!).
3. Whatever be the answer to #2, the new and improved process should not let go of the human element - at the end, a process or an activity is as good as the people that commit themselves to it.
4. And the most important bit - surround yourself with people that you can trust (as diverse as possible) and keep asking them how you can improve what you are doing. Create an incredible and honest feedback mechanism.
5. Never shy away from having an idea or an opinion. Wars and peace both are dependent on someone coming up with an idea and speaking up.

While being a son, husband, father, friend and as leaders, let us improve things around us. And all that starts with a simple question - how do we leave things better than we found them? The answer will not be hard to find.