We almost missed this HBR article on “What Disruptive Innovators Do Differently,” and we sure would have regretted that! The author wrote Epic Disruptions, and in the HBR article he wrote about one ‘epic disruptor,’ Julia Child, who is featured in the book. Yes, that Julia Child! He described her as a disruptor because of her efforts to reformat cookbooks. The format continues to this day.
What are your thoughts on the safety and wellness disruptors in our perspective fields? What disruptive ideas do you have that are worth trying out?
In the early 2000s a group of wellness “disruptors” got together on conference calls and available audiovisual conferencing at the time to discuss taking wellness in a new direction – ‘The Next Generation’. We didn’t consider ourselves disruptors, but we were!
At the same time, Dimensions was also involved in incorporating all elements of safety within our services and fostering psychological safety and leader qualities to cultivate a culture of well-being. We looked beyond physical safety and compliance. For us, this sparked the realization of the convergence of the safety and wellness fields. The two are interconnected, and both are essential in creating a safe and sound culture. It was a disruptive turning point in our trajectory.
The author summarizes five behaviors of disruptive innovators using Julia Child as the example. Applying the behaviors to your occupational health, safety, and wellness programs serve as the springboard for successful disruption.
- Customer Obsession:
- Always look at your world through the eyes of your customers. Be willing to change your lens based on the customers you serve. Who are your customers?
- Executives?
- Managers?
- Groups of employees?
- Individual stakeholders?
- What are their preferences?
- Always look at your world through the eyes of your customers. Be willing to change your lens based on the customers you serve. Who are your customers?
- Curiosity:
- Be flexible and adaptable. We often hear, “I’ve tried that, and it doesn’t work,” or “the culture here won’t permit xxx.” But be willing to brainstorm and consider other ways to enhance safety and well-being.
- Question the status quo. AND also question your own ways of doing things. Frequently ask,
- ‘Why is it done this way?’
- Why do I think this is the best or only way to do something?’
- Consider other possibilities and gather data. Surveys are often conducted and provide valuable information, but also,
- Be observant
- Have frequent conversations
- Interview stakeholders
- Facilitate focus groups
- Seek stakeholders with different perspectives
- Network with others in your field and innovators outside your field
- Research the literature
- The possibilities are endless and the benefits transformative for your safety and wellness programs!
- Be flexible and adaptable. We often hear, “I’ve tried that, and it doesn’t work,” or “the culture here won’t permit xxx.” But be willing to brainstorm and consider other ways to enhance safety and well-being.
- Collaboration:
- Innovation and disruption do not occur in a bubble. The author emphasizes, “Going to the intersections can be as simple as picking up magazines from different fields or asking AI to take on a different persona. It’s a simple way to make magic happen.”
- Just start! Keep the lens of collaboration focused since we never know when the magic will happen – like reading this article that we didn’t think had relevance for our safety and wellness services! Or knowing that Julia Child was a disruptor, not acting in a bubble, but pushing the edge!
- Innovation and disruption do not occur in a bubble. The author emphasizes, “Going to the intersections can be as simple as picking up magazines from different fields or asking AI to take on a different persona. It’s a simple way to make magic happen.”
- Willingness to Experiment.
- Break out of your rut! Many leaders, including safety and wellness managers, tell us there is too much to do and too many fires to put out. That’s when we know it’s time to experiment.
- Try something new including a different way of being in the situation. The key is that there are no failures when experimenting. We are merely trying things and have no way of knowing what will work or not. BUT, of course we won’t know unless we experiment!
- Break out of your rut! Many leaders, including safety and wellness managers, tell us there is too much to do and too many fires to put out. That’s when we know it’s time to experiment.
- Persistence.
- Sure, there will be set backs, obstacles, and struggles, but persist! Anything worth doing is worth persistence. Not trying to do the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different outcome but instead, trying it differently.
- Have a growth mindset. The author noted that Carol Dweck from Stanford, described “setbacks as neither permanent nor as things that revealed personal limitations. Rather, she viewed them as steppingstones on the path to success.”
- Sure, there will be set backs, obstacles, and struggles, but persist! Anything worth doing is worth persistence. Not trying to do the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different outcome but instead, trying it differently.
This is a good time to contemplate disruptive innovations as you plan goals and initiatives for 2026. Take the risk! Be a disruptive innovator!
- Schedule time to consider possibilities
- Ask questions
- View your workplace through the eyes of your customers
- Experiment and persist
We welcome a discussion to consider the possibilities for the next disruptive ideas for the health, safety, and wellness professions!
What Disruptive Innovators Do Differently
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