Why Most Leaders Are Not Disruption-Ready (And Why They Need To Be)
The term "disruption" often conjures up images of dramatic events like market crashes or technological breakthroughs, but the truth is that disruption is happening all around us, all the time. Whether it’s a new competitor, a regulatory shift, or an internal restructuring, leaders face constant, smaller disruptions that can compound over time.
The answer lies in a lack of readiness. Many leaders still operate under the assumption that their current strategy will carry them through any disruption. But the reality is that traditional approaches to leadership are no longer enough.
You need to embrace adaptive leadership that allows you to anticipate, react, and lead through change—before, during, and after disruption strikes. If you’re not proactively preparing for disruption, you’re putting yourself and your team at risk of being blindsided, reactive, or worse—stagnant.
According to a recent study by Harvard Business Review, only 15% of executives report feeling fully prepared to navigate disruption, while the vast majority are either reactive or lack the frameworks needed to respond effectively. So, what’s holding most leaders back?
Here are five key reasons why most leaders are not disruption-ready:
1. Lack of Agility in Leadership
Many leaders are accustomed to traditional, linear planning and decision-making. When disruptions occur, these rigid strategies fall short. Leaders need to cultivate agility, the ability to pivot quickly and make decisions under pressure. Without this adaptability, they risk losing control when change happens fast.
2. Overreliance on Historical Success
Leaders who rely heavily on past strategies assume that what worked before will continue to work in the future. This can be a major blind spot when the business landscape shifts. Disruptions challenge past assumptions, and those unwilling to adapt will find themselves left behind.
3. Inadequate Crisis Management Frameworks
Without clear frameworks for managing disruption, leaders can become overwhelmed when change strikes. Many leaders lack proactive crisis management plans, leaving them scrambling to adapt rather than leading confidently in real-time. A well-defined crisis response plan is essential for navigating uncertainty.
4. Insufficient Focus on Team Resilience
Leadership isn’t just about strategy—it’s about people. Many leaders overlook the importance of fostering emotional and psychological resilience within their teams. During times of disruption, employees need to be motivated and supported. Leaders who focus only on strategic shifts without addressing team morale risk losing momentum.
5. Failure to Build a Disruption Playbook
A disruption playbook is a living document designed to guide leadership through times of uncertainty. Without one, leaders have no clear roadmap for responding to change. A playbook outlines key strategies, priorities, and action steps, ensuring leaders can respond with clarity rather than panic when disruption strikes.
The best leaders understand that disruption is not something to avoid, but something to navigate with agility. They are not only prepared for the challenges but also for the opportunities that disruption creates. They foster resilience, cultivate decision-making skills under pressure, and design systems that allow their teams to thrive, no matter the external pressures. They know that the key to remaining competitive in an increasingly volatile environment is not just having a plan, but having a playbook designed specifically for disruption.
Is your leadership disruption-ready? Join our Lead Through Disruption program today and gain the tools, frameworks, and mindset shifts you need to lead through any change with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re facing external market shifts or internal organizational changes, we’ll help you build a leadership playbook that ensures you and your team stay ahead of the curve.
Sign up now for a free demo and start preparing your leadership to thrive in today’s disruptive world. Don’t wait for change to catch you off guard—equip yourself with the right strategies now.
Leadership Practice
3 Steps to Assess Your Disruption-Readiness
Start by asking yourself these questions to gauge your leadership’s disruption-readiness:
1. How agile is our current leadership strategy?
Reflect on how quickly your organization can adapt to new circumstances. Are your decision-making processes flexible? Do you have a rapid-response framework in place to act quickly in the face of unexpected change?
2. What is our team’s capacity for resilience under pressure?
Assess your team’s ability to stay focused and motivated when disruptions occur. Do they have the mental and emotional tools to stay grounded, or do they fall into reactive patterns that hinder progress?
3. How are we building our disruption playbook?
Ask yourself if your organization has a playbook specifically designed for handling disruption. Does it outline clear actions for when change occurs? Do you have strategies in place to maintain team alignment, communication, and decision-making during uncertain times?
These questions will help you identify the gaps in your disruption-readiness and take proactive steps to prepare for the future.
Author
Athena Williams, Founder and CEO of Tenacious Leadership Institute, has been supporting leaders worldwide to become more tenacious for over 20 years. She has found that tenacity is the key to sustained leadership success in today’s ever-changing world. Through her coaching and leadership development programs, she helps leaders expertly handle change, complexity and other challenges so they can quickly get better results for themselves, their teams and their organizations.
Take the first step to becoming a tenacious leader by scheduling a call with us.
