Becoming a Successful Disruptor [Podcast S1E12]

Many innovators share a common ambition of becoming a disruptor. Since disruption is a spectacular event with a clear winner, many covet this goal. This final episode of the season on disruption is all about becoming a successful disruptor.

Innovator or disruptor?

Do you want to be an innovator or a disruptor? Most companies succeed at innovation without ever disrupting a market. Consider Zipcar as a success where a disruption was not involved. EMI’s invention of CT scanners did not result in dislocations in the x-ray market. And then there are many innovations where disruption is not even the goal. When Apple launches a new iPhone every year, its aim is not disruption of Samsung.

But innovations can often lead to displacement of incumbents too. Such changes provide a sense of finality in the success. iPhone and Android phones ruled the roost when they disrupted Blackberry and Symbian phones. Netflix had the entire market for itself when it disrupted Blockbuster. But the touchpad bar in MacBook Pro doesn’t have that sense of finality even if it is successful. A sense of clear victory makes disruption a coveted goal.

Is there a method to disruption?

Ae there likely paths to disruption? If there are such paths, then innovators can follow those proven methods for success. This episode shares such a framework to pursue disruption. It shows you four paths that lead to disruption in a market.

Is Disruption Guaranteed?

In spite of four paths to disruption, no firm can ever guarantee to displace incumbents. This episode also talks about why disruption is never guaranteed. Although there are no guarantees, this framework helps you create conditions for a disruption in a market.

Becoming a Successful Disruptor

This episode also explains that innovation is not enough for achieving disruption in a market. You also need to be a strategist to be a successful disruptor. It explains why you need these two skills to become a successful disruptor.

Season Finale

This season took you through many critical concepts in disruption domain. It also helped you learn about dozens of examples of disruption and disruptive forces. This last episode of the seasons opens a door for the next season. That season will be all about being a strategist.

Key Take Aways

This episode will provide you with the following key takeaways:

1. There are four paths to disruption
2. These four tracks make for four different types of innovators
3. Being a successful innovator does not make your a successful disruptor
4. Your competitors have to make some critical mistakes for your success as a disruptor
5. Three key ways of making sure your competitors make the needed missteps for your success.
6. Powerful disruptors are not just great innovators but also excellent strategists

How to listen?

Go to the The Disruption Management audio course to listen to the entire series of audio lessons on Disruption.