Disrupt Yourself

Change is the only constant they say. So why does the eventuality of a change scare us, drive us into a frenzy and make us loose our sleep?

Because while humans are highly adaptable, we are drawing comfort from the known, finding cosyness in the routine and grounding ourselves in the familiar. Similarity is what gives us a sense of belonging. Knowledge of what’s coming next lends us confidence of being in control. So when plunged into the unknown, how soon do you find your footing and start calling it home?

Awareness of the need for change is the first step. Hurray, afterall the first step is the most significant one, without which there would be none of the further ones! It’s more than a superficial scratching the surface or tick off the checklist, it’s way more deeper than that. Awareness awakens the intellect to be cognizant of the VUCA world. It throws light to striving for relevance via going through uncomfortable decisions and taking bold measures.

Desire to participate and support the change. Now that there is acute understanding of the disruption knocking at your door, build up your appetite for it. Both in your spirit and skills. Taking a stock of current state and what this change entails is where the devil lies; exactly in the details. So keep gnawing at the future state to build a rough sketch of the collaboration that would be required to make this change successful.

Knowledge on how to change. Once you are aware and locked in, now is the time to train. Get out in the arena and sharpen your axe. Haggle and learn to handle the ammunition you never had but is needed now – this maybe negotiation skills, operating with a new tool or speaking a new language. Nothing beats being informed via a secondary search so put in all your efforts at this stage.

Ability to implement desired skills and behaviour. Developing capabilty needs patience, calls for consistency and requires relentless efforts. Now that you have clarity on the skills and behaviour required, time to get onto the training zone and upskill self and other recruiters. Afterall it does take a village to bring a change so get your army ready for combating the new terrain.

Reinforcement to sustain the change is critical like the nail in the coffin. Without it all the efforts from the previous steps may be under threat. Afterall a change is only as great as is it’s acceptance. So it is our onus to repeat, reiterate and reinforce the value addition of the disruption. Overselling is far better than under selling so go shameless and keep playing your trumpet on loop until the change becomes the new normal for all stakeholders.

There you are, armed with the strategic and tactical know how of creating positive disruption. If you don’t welcome disruption, it would find a way in anyways. Hence fore- warned is fore-armed when it comes to living in an ever changing world.