In today’s complex, dynamic world, having a disruptive mindset is imperative, both for starting a new business venture, growing a business, or protecting existing market dominance. In the current state of disruptive innovation, you either position yourself to disrupt or be disrupted. Every human venture starts from the mind; our thinking faculty and capability. The starting point for all disruptive innovation springs from a single line of thought, and that ‘thought’ transforms into a promising idea that is viable to change the trajectory of an industry

Think Differently
If you think the way everybody is thinking, you will likely get the same results everyone gets. But if you dare think differently, you are almost certain to experience a different result. If you look back over the years of great minds that led a disruptive entry into an existing or created a new market, you will notice their thinking pattern is quite different from their peers. Walt Disney revolutionized the entertainment industry by creating a different stream of entertainment, including films, theme parks, and comics.

Think Possibility
If you think it is possible, then you are right. If you also think it is impossible, you are also right. You cannot exceed the bandwidth of your thought process and belief. The first time the Wright brothers came up with a business plan to invent the first successful aircraft with unique controls that made the fixed-wing powered flight possible, most people saw impossibility. But the brothers were convinced that this is possible, and the time is ripe. As they thought of a possibility, they made their dream possible.

Think New
The challenge for disruptors is that you always have to come up with something new. The way to do this is by thinking new, new ways, new features, new processes, new products, new deals, new partnerships, new markets, new possibilities. Apple revolutionized the world with iPod but has created new products over the years to become the most valued company of all time. Imagine if Apple stopped at iPod because it was one of the successful new devices in the market. Over the years, we have seen new products from Apple like MacBook, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and AirPod.

Think Better
There is always the opportunity to make something better. It takes a person with a disruptive mindset to think of making something better. Blackberry was in the smartphone business before Apple and Samsung and were crushing the market globally, but Apple and Samsung displaced them. They make significant sales by creating better smartphones than the incumbent. For your product or service offering, think of better ways to improve them before someone else takes your market share and position

Think Ahead
Are you stuck in your current game? A good coach does not think only of the current game but as the next line of games and adjust strategy and player roster where required. The leading disrupting companies of the 21st century, also known as the Exponential Organizations (ExO), are not only thinking about the current state of disruption but the future. The future always favored those who are prepared. Elon Musk is thinking ahead of the culture by infusing AI with the human through Neuralink. Ube is yet to achieve mainstream autonomous service, but the company is already thinking about flying taxi service.

Think About Others
There are many businesses out there, who for the goal of profit, eschew all manners of decency, ethics, and humanity. Think about others, think about what negative change you may be introducing to those around you. Think about our planet; we are all stakeholders of mother earth. Think about not only yourself but what you can do for others, your industry, your country, and the world. Let us be ethically and socially responsible.

Think Always
The pace of disruptive change places enormous demands to continue to think. Thinking always is a lifestyle for disruptors. It would help if you thought continually think along a different continuum; strategically and tactically, locally and globally, and micro and macro. By thinking always, you can inspire innovation and culture change that will propel in attaining new and sustainable growth. Do not stop thinking; make it a lifestyle. Create the time and the right environment that allows you to think productively.

Written by: Abraham King, 2021