The Pain of Change: Paying the Price for Creating a Disruptive Innovation

Arthur Schopenhauer, "All truth passes through three stages.  First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."

This article is the second in a series of articles for change agents written for my column in "The Grand Rapids Times." Each article can stand alone.

This article is part of a series of articles I’m writing for change agents. My goal is to provide a therapeutic “place” for us to vent – a catharsis process per say. The opening quote summarizes what change agents experience on a regular basis. We pay a high price to advance society – to revolutionize industries and help mankind. In my last article, I discussed how people, including myself, usually react to change. Although individuals may not like change, General Eric Shinseki, Retired Army Chief of Staff, said it perfectly, "If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less.” Can I get an amen from Blockbuster courtesy of Netflix – who introduced them to a disruptive innovation and got escorted to the door! First, let’s define disruptive innovation before we discuss the price one must pay for being an agent of change.

 According to the Christensen Institute, “The theory of disruptive innovation was first coined by Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen in his research on the disk-drive industry and later popularized by his book The Innovator’s Dilemma, published in 1997. The theory explains the phenomenon by which an innovation transforms an existing market or sector by introducing simplicity, convenience, accessibility, and affordability where complication and high cost are the status quo. Initially, a disruptive innovation is formed in a niche market that may appear unattractive or inconsequential to industry incumbents, but eventually the new product or idea completely redefines the industry.” Thomas Edison created a disruptive innovation when he created the lightbulb. He disrupted the lighting industry. Henry Ford created a disruptive innovation when he created his version of the car. He disrupted the transportation industry. The list goes on. These individuals paid a high price for helping society advance.

Innovation is not easy – not REAL innovation that is totally unsettling in its onset. People adjusted to the light bulb, even the candlemakers, but that was a process. Individuals adjusted to the car, but that also was a process. The candlemakers and the lantern-makers were not like “Thomas, we’re behind you 100-percent! You have our full cooperation! By god man take us to the next level!” As the opening quote denotes…Mr. Edison was ridiculed and violently opposed early in the process. Here’s the dilemma Mr. Edison, either seek support and consensus from the candlemakers and the lantern-makers, or file their reactions under, “You’ll be alright! Invest or get out of my way because I’m coming through!” The car birthed all sort of opportunities for auxiliary industries – the steel industry, gasoline industry, rubber/tire industry. Here’s the dilemma Mr. Ford, either seek support and consensus from the horse traders and carriage makers, or file their reactions under, “You’ll be alright! Invest or get out of my way because I’m coming through!” Victor Hugo put it like this, “There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that’s an idea whose time has come!” So, Ms. Freeman…what’s this PAIN you are talking about in relation to being a change agent? I’m glad you asked!

Being a change agent, entrusted to birth a disruptive innovation, comes with a high price. It requires sacrificing a great deal of your play and rest time. Meaning, you live vicariously through other people’s lives, “I see you enjoying weekends…I don’t have those.” It means investing in your own work because investors don’t see the need or the market for your work initially, “The car…who ever heard of such a thing Mr. Ford!” Frederick Smith received a C grade on his business plan for Federal Express from his professor at the university. He was told he wrote the business plan well, but the business concept was not feasible. The pain of being a change agent includes having to walk alone at times, investing in your own work, sacrificing play and rest time, being ridiculed, being violently opposed, and at times getting behind in personal bills because you spent your money perfecting the prototype. In addition, add the pain of rejection, failure, starting over, presenting the concept over and over and over again, and the pain of watching grossly less effective concepts receive funding! Come on now!

Finally, let’s talk about the phase in the process when a few enlightened, but lacking in integrity, people begin seeing the potential and start thinking win/lose – them winning at your expense. Meaning, they see you won’t stop developing the innovation, and they have started quantifying the loss of market share but instead of investing, they decide to try to repackage your concept as their own! May I take a moment to let sweat-equity say, “NO, NO, NO!” They are usually NOT successful at those attempts because they don’t understand the blueprint. The blueprint is hardwired into the innovator’s DNA by the force that entrusted that concept with the developer. The innovators were entrusted because they were also equipped with the inward fortitude to walk the process down! Another strategy fearful, greedy people try to use is the “contain the change” trick! Meaning, they try to get the rights to the concept so they can control or contain the release. It would be akin to the candlemakers getting the rights to the lightbulb so it could only be used in their factory to help them make candles! May I pause again to let sweat-equity say, “NO! NO! NO! NO!”

What’s my point in this article? To say to change agents, entrusted with disruptive innovations, keep working. Ask for wisdom as to how to have some type of normality in your life – work, rest, play – the equation will look different than most people, but you need a formula. File other people reactions in the, “They’ll thank me later” file! To my fellow change agents, I say, “Thank you for your unselfish acts of service to society!”

Copyright ? 2017 Anneshia Freeman – All Rights Reserved
Anneshia Freeman MBA, MSW, CADC-M, is a Program Developer, Trainer, 
Therapist, Consultant, Life Coach, Author, President and CEO of 
Anneshia Freeman and Associates Consulting Services, LLC, and 
founder of “The Lies That Bind?” Program.