This month at Turbine, our startups had the privilege of attending an inspiring workshop led by Manish Bundhun on the theme “How to be a Positive Disruptor.” Drawing from his extensive experience in leadership, Manish shared invaluable insights on how to challenge the status quo, drive meaningful change, and create lasting impact within industries. His talk emphasized the importance of embracing disruption with a positive mindset, empowering our entrepreneurs to turn challenges into opportunities and pioneer new paths in their respective fields.
Embracing Change
“Manish, as a Chief People Executive at ENL Rogers, you’ve likely witnessed various stages of organisational change. Can you share some strategies on how startups can effectively embrace change and turn potential disruptions into opportunities for growth and innovation?”
Embracing change in a startup environment is crucial for turning challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation. Here are some strategies I’ve found effective:
Cultivate a Growth Mindset: Adopt a growth mindset which allows one to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. This mindset fosters resilience and agility. You can read on same in the book Mindset by Carol Dweck. It allows for continuous learning as well, whereby one keeps up to date with relevant skills to stay future fit.
Foster Open Communication: Transparent communication about why the need for change and its benefits helps build trust and removes resistance. Regular updates and feedback also help to keep the team aligned.
Stay Agile in Execution: Be flexible in your approach. Quickly adapt strategies based on feedback and changing circumstances to stay ahead of the curve. Take swift decisions and take focused action i.e. focus on the 20% which makes 80% impact. This means prioritising progress over perfection to keep moving forward.
By embracing these strategies, startups can not only navigate change more effectively but also turn it into a powerful catalyst for innovation and growth.
Cultivating a Disruptive Mindset
“What are some key traits and behaviours that leaders should cultivate to become positive disruptors in their industries? How can startups instil these qualities within their teams from the early stages?
To be a positive Disruptor means to see and do things differently.
Disruptors possess the following 9 qualities drawing from the acronym DISRUPTOR:
- Drive Change: From the Future, and For the Future
- Intricately Understand the Environment
- Straight Talk as a Practice
- Responsible in Action
- Uncomfortable with the Comfortable
- Purpose-Driven
- Turn Adversity into Opportunity
- Outcome-Focused
- Resilience embodied
Leaders should model these disruptive traits, setting a benchmark for their team to follow. You can read the same in my book (DISRUPTOR – 9 Abilities of Agile Leaders).
Balancing Innovation and Stability
“In your experience, how can startups balance the need for constant innovation and disruption with the necessity of maintaining stability and reliability in their operations and customer relationships?”
Balancing innovation and stability are crucial for startups to thrive. Here are some strategies based on my experience:
1.Iterative Approach: Implement a cycle of continuous improvement where small, incremental innovations are tested and integrated without disrupting core activities. This minimises risk and allows for steady progress.
2.Customer-Centric Mindset: Keep customer needs and feedback at the forefront. Ensure that innovation enhances customer experience and maintains the reliability they expect.
3.Agile Frameworks: Adopt agile methodologies to allow flexibility and responsiveness. This helps in quickly adapting to changes while ensuring that core functions remain stable.
4.Strong Leadership and Clear Vision: Leaders should communicate a clear vision that balances innovation with stability. This provides direction and ensures that both aspects are valued and pursued simultaneously.
5.Robust Processes: Develop robust processes and systems that can withstand changes. Standard operating procedures and reliable infrastructure ensure stability even as new ideas are explored. This allows to develop a system which is sustainable rather than be dependent on champions.
By integrating these 5 elements, startups can foster an environment where innovation thrives alongside stability, ensuring long-term success and customer satisfaction.
Stay connected for our next workshops!
