I think I’ve reached the stage in my life and career where a tendency to occasionally be a bit curmudgeonly has become more pronounced. As I consciously work on my emotional intelligence every day, I recognise this trait and try to control it. However, there’s one word I see bandied about on LinkedIn that triggers me every time: Disrupter.
Where has this come from? I see it proudly announced in people’s biographies: “Proudly disrupting the telecommunications sector for 12 years!”. By doing what, exactly? Tearing up satellite masts? Putting superglue in people’s charging ports on their mobile phone?
In school if a child is disruptive, they are removed from the class. If a business has a disruptive employee (assuming that giving them clear objective feedback and coaching hasn’t worked) they are taken down a disciplinary route by HR. Why then do some people believe that this moniker gives them some sense of ‘edginess’ or danger?
If I’m looking to engage with a supplier or collaborate on a project with someone else, I’d much prefer to be working with a pioneer, a creative thinker and a person who positively challenges the status quo.
Or am I being disruptive?!