The disruptive business revolution is here. The world is flat and getting flatter by the day.
I couldn’t be happier. I am all about being disruptive when it comes to being different than everyone else and creating a product or service experience that is radically different than the competition. Leading businesses get that and they are reaping the rewards of it.
Disruption comes in all forms. Disruptive organizations are re-thinking value to customers by pushing the boundaries of innovation, efficiency, quality or customer connections. They are re-inventing distribution channels by providing an experience online, as an example, that is superior to traditional business to consumer in-store buying.
The revolutionaries are shifting thinking and execution. Strategies are now swinging to create cultures and organizations that don’t think in terms of “Business-to-Business” or “Consumer to Consumer” anymore. Winning businesses and star leaders are thinking in terms of “Human-to-Human” – or as I prefer, “Heart-to-Heart.” People are buying from people not companies.
Being disruptive and revolutionary is all about creating every aspect of your culture and business to serve people in ways that they want to be served. When they want it. How they want it. And where too.
Today’s leader needs to understand that customers are being bombarded with information and choices. You need to deeply understand that every person on the planet is showered with 5,000 messages per day. That is one new piece of information every 17 seconds (Or 11.5 seconds for the hours that we are awake during the day). When we are inundated with that much data, we tune out all the superfluous noise resulting in most messages not even being registered. Yet, most organizations still think that they need to “Spray and Pray” that their messages are being received. What a waste.
When we are able to unlock the code of what is important to potential and existing customers, we are able to design winning messages, products, services, delivery options, etc. and… emotional connections are formed. In other words, when we as leaders start to think in terms of Human-to-Human (H2H), we will see an explosion in success and long-term customer loyalty.
As a leader, we need to understand that B2B is dead. B2C is dead. Traditional thinking is dead. Complicated strategies will never ever work (And I don’t think they ever did). Top down commend and control management is totally last century.
Here’s the tough message that some of you won’t like… Business Schools with leading MBA programs, don’t get it. They don’t teach for the H2H world we are now in. You are going to have to figure this new way of doing business by yourself. And, you need to figure it out real fast or you will be left behind. Practical Intelligence – the kind of revolutionary thinking that drives disruptive, revolutionary thinking – should be part of every business school’s curriculum. H2H is here. Embrace it. Lead it.
