Turning Workplace Disruption Into Opportunity for Progress

Disruption used to feel like an occasional challenge. Today, it’s constant. New technologies emerge before we’ve mastered the last ones. Teams reorganize overnight. Strategies shift because customers, competitors, or entire industries shift. And sometimes the disruption is personal: a health scare, a family change, or an unexpected conversation that stops you in your tracks.

Leadership expert Patrick Leddin believes disruption doesn’t have to derail us. In fact, it can become the starting point for progress if we learn to approach it differently.

Rethink What Disruption Really Means

The most common view of disruption is as something big and dramatic, but it can be anything that forces you to pause. It might be a new insight, a change in leadership, a competitor’s move, or simply a moment when you realize the path you’re on isn’t working anymore. What matters is how you respond.

Most of us instinctively see disruption as negative, something that breaks routines and creates uncertainty. But Patrick encourages managers to recognize disruption as “fertile ground,” a moment where old patterns loosen just enough to make room for something better.

This mindset shift doesn’t dismiss the difficulty of disruption. Instead, it invites managers to look for purpose within the chaos. Change is inevitable. Our capacity to adapt is real. And our time is too valuable to spend just “hanging in there.”

Choose the Right Role for the Moment

When disruption hits, the first impulse is often to fix the problem immediately. But Patrick recommends pausing before you act. Take a moment to acknowledge how you feel. Frustrated? Anxious? Cautiously optimistic? Those emotions will drive your behavior whether you recognize them or not.

Giving yourself space to process helps you think clearly, rather than react out of habit or fear. You can then consciously choose which of the five roles Patrick identified in his research fits this particular disruptive moment.

Sometimes you need to be a trailblazer and investigate something on your own. Other times, you need to lead a group through change, steady the team when everything feels shaky, or pause briefly to gather information before moving forward. Patrick notes that these roles are not personality types; they’re choices based on what the situation needs.

The important skill is discernment: knowing which role the moment requires, rather than defaulting to your comfort zone. Sometimes pushing for rapid change is helpful. Sometimes, reinforcing stability is the smartest move.

Helping Your Team Navigate Disruption

Managers have a powerful influence on how their teams respond to change. Patrick reminds us that the most helpful thing you can offer is clarity about what’s happening, what matters most right now, and what decisions people are empowered to make.

You don’t need all the answers. But you do need to be honest about what you know and what you’re still figuring out. This transparency builds trust and encourages people to step forward rather than wait passively.

Patrick goes on to explain that teams also need space to think, collaborate, process, and plan. If people feel rushed from one urgent task to the next, they won’t have the capacity to adapt creatively.

And when someone makes progress, even in small ways, celebrate it. Reinforcement fuels confidence.

Become a Positive Disruptor

Patrick defines a positive disruptor as someone who uses disruption to create momentum, not by stirring up conflict, but by aligning with purpose.

This can mean challenging assumptions, questioning outdated processes, or making a decision others are reluctant to make. Often, the barrier isn’t resistance; it’s comfort. Managers can get stuck in “good enough,” even when they know something better is possible.

Being a positive disruptor doesn’t require dramatic gestures. It may simply mean initiating a conversation you’ve avoided, redirecting your team’s focus, or stepping back to remind everyone why the work matters.

Moving Forward With Intention

Disruption isn’t going away. But managers can decide how they meet it. With curiosity instead of fear. With clarity instead of avoidance. And with a willingness to use disruption not just as something to survive but as a catalyst for progress.

Leadership in uncertain times shows up as we take intentional steps, make one choice at a time, and ultimately move toward something better.

Listen to the entire episode HERE to learn more about taking advantage of disruption.

Keep up with Patrick Leddin

- Follow him on LinkedIn here 

- Visit his website here

Guest Bonus: 2 Book Giveaway!

Patrick is giving away two copies of his new book, Disrupt Everything and Win: Take Control of Your Future. Every day, we are confronted with sudden pivots at our workplace and in the job market, with changing technology such as artificial intelligence, unexpected crises, and a culture of chaos, and with that sinking feeling that we are losing control of our lives. This book is about taking back control. It's easy to follow and easy to turn into lifelong habits. It has been thoroughly researched and examined. 

You must enter the drawing by January 9, 2026.

Get this guest bonus and many other member benefits when you join The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

---------------------

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.

Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!