"Mean-time between disruptions" is an important concept to understand for anyone responsible for, well, anything that can be disrupted.

 

It refers to the average time between unexpected events that force us to react at a time when we're not prepared to act.
 
Companies can be disrupted.  Think of what Microsoft did to IBM, or what Netscape narrowly missed doing in turn to Microsoft, or what Google did to all search engine companies.
 
And strategic projects can be disrupted too through events like constantly changing requirements (sometimes illogically), team members leaving without notice or even a recession!
 
But something bigger is going on with these disruptions...they are happening at an ever-quickening pace.
 
Think about this simple example.  IBM incorporated in 1911 and wasn't disrupted until Microsoft launched its first version of Windows in 1983 (a 72-year ride!).  And Microsoft was initially disrupted by Netscape in 1996 (about a 13-year ride), followed by Google in even quicker fashion (about 6 years, depending on your perspective)...and on multiple fronts!
 
And Google began experiencing disruptions almost immediately, but not by competitors...they're disruptions are by foreign governments and trading bodies like the EU.
 
And as companies face ever-increasing disruptions, internal strategic projects are facing similar, rapid-fire interruptions.
 
CEOs and Project Managers alike are looking every direction, wondering what's coming next that could disrupt their current path.
 
For companies to have any chance of seeing these disruptions coming, they need to change their approach to strategic business planning and execution, and to project planning and execution.
 
Gone are the days of creating an annual strategic plan, pushing it into motion and letting it ride.

 

Strategic plans must now be re-visited and adjusted regularly...creating a rolling strategic plan to keep you in front of costly, disruptive events.
 
And also gone are the days where a traditional project approach is the only way to deliver, well, anything that needs to be delivered.

 

The greater the potential for disruption, the more unknowns there are, the more risky a traditional project approach will be to your efforts in these rapidly disruptive times.
 
In addition to rolling strategic plans, Agile and Scrum provide a powerful approach to both strategic business leadership and project leadership that can reduce the risk and cost of unforeseen disruptions.
 
And companies that lead with an agile mindset are more likely to be the disruptor, versus the disrupted!
 
Read more in the section below...The Value of Agile and Scrum.
 
I hope I didn't say anything that was, well, too disruptive to you!