Disruptive Leadership

 The Difference Between Leaders and Managers

Managers need to manage chaos and minimize changes, whereas leaders create momentum that causes changes and chaos! Writer and speaker Peter de Jager said, "sometimes being pushed to the wall gives you the momentum necessary to get over it!"

Disruptive Leadership

It is a positive force for the leader. It stirs up stagnancy and stops inertia. "Inertia" is a physic principle that says objects that are in motion will stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force. What stops momentum? Force. The more established people's habbits are, the less they are motivated to consider alternative choices. They will keep traveling in the same direction until your disruptive leadership steps in and redirects their momentum. 

Disruptive leadership creates momentum.

Whenever you start moving in a new direction, you have to kick hard against what is already there; but when you do that, it is particularly important that you keep the vision in your mind, focus intently and persevere. 

How can you start to think and lead disruptively?

Start by exploring the least obvious. Be aware that everything that you do adds to the atmosphere of your church. Church is a creative atmosphere. Do people want to touch your church? People feel connected to something that is easily touched. What are the least obvious areas that could become powerful ways of touching people? Do you care about people that sit at the back of your church? Perhaps you can give them candy as a way of saying, "we see you and we care about you"?

Disruptive leaders will look for small areas of tension.

What are those things that are not big enough to be considered major problems? Those just might be the small cogs in the wheel of innovation. If you can identify and address those, you can create a freer flow of ideas and, ultimately, greater momentum. If something looks unsolveable, try approaching it from a different perspective. That could mean asking someone else's perspective or maybe redefining the situation from a different angle. 

Disruptive leaders are creative

Do you spend your time imagining? Albert Einstein, arguably one of the most brilliant problem solvers, said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Many companies and churches that are innovating and seeing great momentum have teams of people devoted to imagining. Are you doing something to prepare the next generation to be the movers?

Disruptive leaders don't copy, they create!

Similar churches employing similar people with like educational backgrounds and ideas produce identical results with the same frustrations and intentions to change. Do something a little different! Don't copy--create! If you see a new idea that you really like, grab it and make it yours.

Take a risk. Do something different. 

Take a risk. Do something different. Vision leadership does not just repeat the things that worked in the past and hope the momentum results are the same. Vision leaders discern the direction needed to create momentum and understand the components of the new, the improved, and the necessary steps to get there. 

These are writing of Frank Damazio, as a part of his book Strategic Vision: Embracing God's Future For Your Church.