Leverage Disruption – How To Leverage Disruption To Your Advantage

There are many business experts that debate on the best way of using disruption to your advantage. You see, some believe that there is only one tactic to win a new client or customer, and that is through the brute-force approach. Others feel that there are several ways to do so depending on the business environment and objectives. The truth is that the right tactic depends heavily on the circumstances. However, there are many common ways that leverage disruption can benefit a business.

Be Prepared

Just as it is in battle, you must have your weapons at your disposal to be successful in business. Whether this means you have a few employees to disrupt an assembly line, or you have to take out the entire infrastructure to gain control of a market, you must have a contingency plan. Be prepared to shut down or take offline certain functions while concentrating on other equally important aspects of your business. For example, in a large retail chain, if the sales manager lost his nerve and got on the microphone to address the crowd, the rest of the store would stop, and the flow of traffic would be rerouted. This is an example of how to leverage disruption to your advantage. However, sometimes this approach does not work out as planned.

Control the Message

How you communicate your expectations to your team members will say a lot about how you conduct yourself in business. In this case, you have to decide whether you are willing to be flexible and listen to your employees’ feedback or if you want to stick to your guns. It is easier to stick to your guns in many cases because you are so close to achieving the desired results. The key is to determine when you are willing to change your tactics. Some disruptors will simply try to overload you with information and demand changes in your methods. If you are determined to win the battle, this approach may work for you.

Defuse the Dispute

You must never lose your cool and use restraint whenever dealing with the disruptions in your business. There are times when you will simply have to say no. If a prospect approaches you for a solution to a problem, you do not have to go on a tirade against them. You simply have to say no and walk away.

Control Yourself

One of the most important aspects of how to leverage disruption to your advantage is learning how to control how you react to the employees’ complaints. You shouldn’t take sides or offer an opinion when they raise complaints. You should instead suggest solutions to resolve the matter. You must also ensure that you do not lose your temper when someone makes criticisms. If you lose your cool, you will end up losing control over the situation.