If you are an avid reader it is quite likely that you would have already come across the term “disruptive technologies.” The Harvard Business School professor, Clayton M. Christensen used the term for the first time in his 1997 best-seller “The Innovator’s Dilemma.” The term “disruptive technology” is used to indicate a differentiator product or service that diminishes an established technology into oblivion.
There is no need to be confused by the high-sounding words. Just look into the simple example. Do you remember the old means of communication, where you were writing letters and exchanging information through the surface mail? Email completely transformed the way we communicate today and it disrupted the postal industry.
The two types: The author of the best seller brought out two categories of new technologies: sustaining and disruptive. The same is applicable to your career growth as well. The most common and highly practiced form of career growth is sustenance. Here you toil hard year after year to achieve incremental career growth. You try to bring out your best performance in order to gain the “A” class increment which may be to the tune of 20% of your salary.
Sustenance: This is a standard practice in most of the industry and you end up being classified in different categories and end up with an average of 10% increment. Year after year you sustain your career till you begin to feel dissatisfied. How about disrupting your career? If I go by the literal meaning it means putting a break or ending your career. You definitely do not want it this way.
Disruption: The term “disruption” indicates that a break is required in the way you are progressing with your career. A radical change in methodology is what you need. It is something, which will transform the career growth path. In other words, you would be moving up the ladder at a faster pace and would be the blue-eyed boy of the industry. Chances are that you will be in demand by the competitors as well.
Methodology: So how do you disrupt the normal practice and catapult yourself to the high league. First of all, you have to start looking at things differently and break the monotony of only doing routine work. Challenge the way things are done into radical differentiators. You may be able to do only one big change, but that is what is required.
Here are a few examples:
- Use of 3D printers to cut down on prototype part development time
- Use of ERP and online systems to cut down on unnecessary paperwork and documentation
- Energy source change and optimization
- Use of automation and advanced robotics
Technology: Most of these are linked to use of better technology into your workplace. That is the way to disrupt the age-old practices running in the industry and bring about an improvement and transformation. That is likely to give a boost to your career. Plan the move and take the seniors and colleagues into confidence. Disruption is not easy. You have to break the ice to create a path.
Thanks for the important & valuable article.I like these types of method.
I think disruption is a way for grow a career.
A disruption is a major disturbance, something that changes your plans or interrupts some event or process.
The examples of Methodology so good.These are really helpful.
Technology is a most important part of our present life.
I have been a victim of disruptive technology and I was contemplating a job change. However, with the inputs from this article I will look for the available options within my organization.
I have seen two departments in our company getting wiped out due to disruptive technology. However, the company did not fire the people but utilized their services in the expansion projects. Some people did not find the changed responsibilities and parted ways but those who stayed have found the change very beneficial. They have risen in the company hierarchy to the levels which would have eluded them had they stayed in their regular departments. I believe that disruptive technologies are a welcome change.
I brought about a disruptive technological change in our manufacturing set up that saw the elimination of an entire sub assembly line. I drew the ire of the workers union as suddenly eight nos. of manpower became spare. However, the cut was taken on the casual manpower and the permanent associates were moved to other departments. Things have normalized again after 6 months. It has given me lot of experience in handling such situations which are likely to increase in future.
The content of the article is quite good. Today it is possible to use IT and the ongoing advances to change the way you are working. The changes are dynamic in nature and can be put to very effective use.
One has to go with the maxim that “disruption is the way to growth.” people find any change difficult to digest. Disruption just strikes like an earthquake, not giving you the time to protect yourself. That is how it is bringing the change in your careers.
This is Great information. Nowadays technology is most important part of our life. it is great way to build your career in software technology industries.
I have worked in a routine in the industry for 25 years and still continue to do so. However, I am beginning to feel a nagging discomfort with my work. The job satisfaction is not there. After I read this article I can see a possible solution to my problems. The change has to be brought by me in the way I have been working. Yes, I have to make disruptive changes to achieve something and gain satisfaction from my job.
Most people are working in the industry in a normal routine. They just want to keep on going like that till retirement. But with the disruptive technologies striking like natural calamities they must keep their fingers crossed that they do not lose their jobs. However, it is better they try to change their method of work and start working differently and take the disruptive technologies in their stride. I believe that is what the author of the article wants the people to understand.
I have been bringing about radical changes in the working of the organization. Due to my habit of reading about disruptive technologies on the net, I was able to use some of them in my work place. These changes have kept us way ahead of competition and also given me exponential career growth.
I have been sustaining my career over the years. I never thought of making a breakthrough like this. Thanks for giving me some matter to think about to bring a change in my otherwise dull routine.