Stop Playing Nice — Start Playing Real

I was listening to Shake It Up by The Cars and thinking back to a time when I was ridiculously jealous of the late lead singer Ric Ocasek — after all, he married the Czech supermodel Paulina Porizkova (whose poster, by the way, I had pinned on my wall).

But then my thoughts shifted to the actual words “Shake it up” — and how they connect to the idea of disruption.

When you hear the word disruption, what comes to mind?

For many, disruption equals chaos. Conflict. Friction.

But what if disruption — handled intentionally — could be one of the healthiest things that ever happens to your team?

What is Constructive Disruption?

If you’ve been reading my newsletters, you know by now that I’m a definition nut — so let’s start there. Constructive Disruption is the deliberate act of challenging the status quo within your team — not to tear things down, but to wake up stagnant dynamics, open up honest conversations, and spark innovation.

It’s about encouraging your team to question outdated processes, surface unspoken tensions, and rethink ‘the way we’ve always done it.’

The key word is constructive. This isn’t about creating conflict for the sake of it. It’s about creating space for courageous conversations that lead to better alignment, clearer expectations, and stronger collaboration.

Why Teams Need Disruption (Even When It Feels Uncomfortable)

Teams are living systems — and all living systems need change to grow.

Without disruption, teams can fall into groupthink, avoid difficult conversations, or stick to habits that no longer serve their purpose.

Constructive Disruption invites healthy dissent, allowing teams to sharpen their thinking and improve psychological safety by proving that it’s safe to speak up.

3 Ways to Practise Constructive Disruption

Normalise Speaking Up (Even When It’s Uncomfortable)

Create explicit permission for your team to challenge ideas — even those coming from leadership.

This works best when leaders model it first, showing that constructive feedback is welcomed, not punished.

Ask your team: "What’s one process we have that no longer serves us?"

Create Structured Space for Healthy Tension

Healthy teams debate. They disagree. And they learn to do so with respect and curiosity.

You can introduce regular ‘disruption sessions’ where the team picks one assumption, process, or habit and asks: Should this still exist? What’s another way to approach this?

Try asking: "If we were starting fresh today, would we build it this way?"

Reward Insight, Not Just Agreement

Too often, teams praise harmony — but real progress comes when someone has the courage to say ‘I see it differently.’

Celebrate those moments.

The goal isn’t consensus — it’s clarity and stronger decisions.

Next time someone challenges an idea of yours, highlight the value of their perspective — even if the final decision doesn’t change.

Thanks Ric!

If you liked this newsletter, join our academy for actionable workplace wellbeing insights and resources

Join our Workplace Wellbeing Academy for free

Explore how Dharma’s Workplace Wellbeing Academy can help your organisation meet its duty of care, protect employees’ mental health, and build a more resilient workforce.

? Join our FREE membership here: https://dharmawellbeing.com/academy/

Key features of the academy include:

• Hours of tutorials for self-paced learning
• A vast resource library with policy templates, workbooks, checklists, etc.
• 24/7 support from the Dharma Community
• Live monthly Q&As with experts
• Employee surveys and assessments