According to the Oxford dictionary the definition of Disruption is: “Disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity, or process”
So, in my mind “disruption” was a bad thing (at least that is what my third grade teacher told me when I was talking during class).
Some time ago, I even wanted to change our company’s Quality Policy, replacing the words “zero defects” by “zero disruptions” to include other events that affect the customers, such as late deliveries, packaging issues, etc. that are not directly product defects.
Disruption is a bad thing, right?
Well, in 1995 Clayton Christensen, a Harvard professor, started using the term to explain a kind of innovation that displaces existing markets, industry or technology.
Now, being a “disruptor” became a good thing (unless you are the industry being displaced).
The world praises Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk…
In 2013 Forbes Magazine started publishing “The Most Disruptive Names in Business”.
It is inspiring to think that one person with one idea can cause such an impact. What is the next Uber, Amazon or Netflix?
As I am writing this my brain is going through history looking for disruptors, and even if the use of the word is new, the concept is not. For example, the automobile was a great innovation, but it was too expansive and the production was too limited to be a disruption until Henry Ford made it affordable.
I continue this journey of rewinding history in my mind looking for disruptors, thinking of big inventions, or philosophical ideas or concepts that radically displaced the existing model…
Until suddenly I am thinking of Jesus Christ.
Probably his photo should be next to the word disruptor in the dictionary. I don’t think the calendar will be changed to use any of the other disruptors birth date as reference.
One man, and a small bunch of followers turned the world upside down.
There were many other teachers and philosophers at His time, but none of them was the Son of God. None of them died and resurrected.
None of them changed so many lives. None of them can give an eternal relationship with God.
Do you want an inspiring concept for these closing days of 2016? Look no further than Christmas.
Disruption can be a very good thing!
