Disrupt to Connect: Why Changing the Script Can Transform Leadership Conversations

When you hear the word “disruption” in business, it often comes with images of big innovations, industry shake-ups or dramatic strategy shifts. But there is another kind of disruption that is far quieter and often far more useful in leadership.

This type is about disrupting expectations. Not with grand gestures or high drama, but with small, deliberate changes in how you show up.

In leadership, people get used to your patterns. You might start meetings in the same way every time, wrap them up with the same routine, or use a familiar tone when you speak. Patterns can be reassuring. They create stability. But they can also create a loop where you get the same responses over and over again.

When conversations run on autopilot, so do the ideas that come out of them. That is fine for predictable updates, but if the aim is to inspire fresh thinking, encourage collaboration or tackle tricky cultural challenges, that loop can hold you back.

Why disrupting patterns can help

Many leaders in L&D, HR or senior roles have had moments when conversations feel flat. People give short, safe answers. The energy in the room dips. It can be hard to know how to bring things back to life.

Changing the pattern, even in a small way, can shift the energy. When the tone or structure is different, people often pause, pay more attention and engage in a new way.

For example, if you usually start meetings by asking for updates in turn, you could try beginning with a thought-provoking question connected to the topic. If you normally end with a neat list of action points, you could finish with a reflective question instead. If you are known for jumping in with solutions, you might hold back for a while and let others explore ideas first.

These changes can be subtle. The aim is not to throw away what works, but to open the door to a different type of exchange.

Starting points

One way to find an opportunity for disruption is to notice your own quiet frustrations. Perhaps you have left a meeting thinking:

• “That was fine, but nothing new came out of it.”

• “I wish more people had spoken up.”

• “I am still missing the insight I needed.”

Those thoughts are clues. They show you the gap between what happened and what you had hoped for. Once you spot the gap, it can be interesting to ask yourself, “What could I do differently that might invite a different response?”

The answer might be as simple as changing your opening question, adjusting the order of speakers, or using a story instead of a report to spark discussion.

Keeping it safe and useful

Disruption does not need to be dramatic or risky. It is not about creating uncertainty for the sake of it. It works best when it is intentional and has a clear purpose, such as encouraging more voices in the room or helping people think from a fresh angle.

In L&D contexts, this kind of shift can be powerful. When you are leading a development programme, running a workshop or trying to secure executive buy-in, a fresh approach can cut through the routine of corporate meetings. It can also model the adaptability you are encouraging others to develop.

A few ways to try it out

If you would like to experiment, you could:

• Change the first question you ask in a regular meeting to one that encourages reflection or creativity.

• Share a short, relevant story to open a discussion instead of starting with data or slides.

• Switch the order of contributions so that different voices are heard first.

• Invite a guest to start the conversation with their perspective.

These ideas are not about replacing what already works. They are about adding variety and seeing what emerges.

What you might notice

Making a small shift can sometimes lead to surprising results. You may find that people who are usually quiet contribute more. You might hear new ideas. You may see more energy in the discussion or a stronger sense of shared ownership.

Leadership is often about guiding the direction of a conversation. Sometimes, the most effective way to do that is to gently change the starting point.

By experimenting with small disruptions, you open the door to fresh thinking, stronger engagement and deeper connection. And in the end, that is what keeps conversations moving forward in a way that feels alive and valuable for everyone involved.