'Disruptive Technologies', Are you blind?

 'Disruptive Technologies', I don't think that I had read or heard the term until a couple of years ago and now when you do a Google search almost five million results are returned in a second."

"A disruptive innovation is an innovation that creates a new market and value network and eventually disrupts an existing market and value network, displacing established market leaders and alliances. The term was defined and phenomenon analyzed by Clayton M. Christensen beginning in 1995."

It's funny, most disruptive changes come from outside the primary industry. Think, Kodak did not go into digital photography yet it was the name in photography and surely they had known about digital camera technology before most people. 

• Blockbuster did not buy Netflix for $50 million in 2000 when they had the chance and now it's gone.  
• Borders did not go online before Amazon ate its lunch. Bye Bye Borders.
• Uber did not come out of the Taxi and Limousine industry. It came about from two guys, customers, complaining about how hard it was to get a cab when you had to lug around suitcases. Instead of stopping at the complaining part, they came up with a solution. 
• Airbnb did not come out of the hotel industry. It was also a couple of guys trying to solve a problem. The problem was they couldn't afford their rent in their San Francisco loft so they turned their living room into a bed and breakfast. 

People in these industries have blinders on and are prejudiced about how their industry works, so they can’t see massive change that is possible. Most Nobel Prize winners, win for ideas they came up with while they were young and still question everything. You would think people at these companies are smart, intelligent thoughtful business people and know a ton about their industry and how it works. It doesn't make sense that they believe it's their way or the highway. Why can't they see it? Why do they have the blind spots?I think it's because you need to continuously ask questions and challenge yourself; never get comfortable. You need to always experiment.

What questions would you ask yourself about your industry? Assume anything and everything can change. I'll make these suggestions:  

• What problem can be solved?
• What can be improved?
• How does the customer see this product or service? 
• What is the most common complaint you hear from a new customer and a loyal customer? 
• What cost reductions can be created?  
• What can be simplified?  
• Where can you achieve time savings?
• What new developments or techniques have occurred in other industries that could be used in yours?
• What would your business look like, if you were to start all over today? 

That's what the 'Disruptors' are thinking. They are looking at something, a product or a service, and wishing it was better. They have no preconceived ideas about how things have to be. They are free thinkers unencumbered by the trial and errors that you have from your experiences and learned behavior. If they are going to build a better mousetrap, they are going to start all over today with their knowledge base, skill set and perceptions, not yours. That can be a disadvantage to most but for a Disruptor it is THE advantage.

What will the next disruptive technology be? Is it one we see coming? There are so many out there.  What problem will it solve? What improvement will it make? Who will benefit the most? Who will be disrupted? What are your biggest complaints about your daily lives? Maybe that will provide you with the spark for the idea that will be the next big thing!

Blinders Off Please!