Why constructive disruptors earn more attention than most business leaders.

Josiah Wedgwood (1730–1795), the OG Constructive Disruptor.

By far, the biggest determinant of how much media attention an individual will get is potential impact on a media title’s audience.

This is not great news for earlier-stage founders. They may have great ideas that the world should hear - but it’s traction, rather than vision that really counts in they eyes of the media.

Those who do both… well.

Josiah Wedgwood is perhaps the most celebrated in history. As well as being was an industrialist known for revolutionizing the pottery industry in England, he was also an abolitionist actively supporting the abolition of slavery. By introducing ethical labour practices he demonstrated that a successful business could also be socially responsible and humane.

Of course, Wedgwood is remembered because his business was not only transformational but incredibly successful - that point about impact again.

But on the journey to success, it is by far it is ‘constructive disruptors’ who punch most above their weight in terms of media coverage.

A modern Constructive Disruptor is a particular breed of business leader.

👁  they have a vision to solve a human problem

🤖  they are building a scalable machine

🤝  they want to build a tribe

⚔️  they are different

🌳  they have some validation and traction

Could this be you?

👁 You have a social vision, and you want to create a business as a vehicle to deliver that vision.

An authentic, emotive human problem drives the business. Products are to offer a solution to a problem. These have more traction than products built as a solution looking for a problem. There are already too many resources wasted on things people don’t want, and don’t need.

🤖 You are building a product, a scalable machine.
Valuable, large businesses that have impact and power, can change people's lives for the better. Technology-products businesses have more scope to grow and create wealth than human-services businesses. Creating labour, and paying people for a good day's work is important. But investing in capital is the way to get there.

🤝 Improving a community drives you. You want to build a tribe, a coalition of the willing.
Ideas get delivered faster when others come with us, and we find a way to collaborate. This doesn’t mean we shouldn't be ruthlessly competitive, this is nature's way. But democratic leadership - earning a following - is better than authoritarian leadership built on exploiting power.

⚔️ You have bold ideas that are different. You instinctively zig when others zag.

The definition of leadership is doing something different, everyone else is just following someone else. Regardless of the clothes people wear or the words people say, it’s the actions and choices people make that really matter, and earns trust and respect. 

🌳  You have some validation, and some traction.

There’s a fine line between the visionary genius and the lunatic that shouts at passing cars. Leaders need some validation for their idea, some proof points. Leaders with a track record attract more attention, and go further and faster with less, than those starting from scratch.

If any of the above rings true, my advice would be to put it front and centre of your communications. You’ll find it far easier to find the allies who can get you there faster.