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Crossing the Chasm, Building the Disruptive Business
The status quo is meant to be broken Today organisations have countless opportunities to disrupt the status quo and carve out new industries but with no journey plan or methodologies to follow most initiatives fail, this is called "Crossing the Chasm".
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'Crossing the Chasm, Building the Disruptive Business', 311 Institute, 4 May. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/crossing-the-chasm-building-the-disruptive-business/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
The status quo is meant to be broken
Today organisations have countless opportunities to disrupt the status quo and carve out new industries but with no journey plan or methodologies to follow most initiatives fail, this is called "Crossing the Chasm". In a world first and on the back of our 2016 Griffin Emerging Technology Review we've built a methodology that organisations can follow to become serial disruptors.
What this means for your organisation
Opportunity is not the constraint.
Organisations have countless chances to break the status quo and carve out new industries, yet most initiatives still fail. The shortage is in method, not in openings. Boards should examine why their own initiatives stall rather than hunt for more ideas.
A journey plan beats a single bet.
Without a route to follow, teams improvise and lose their way. A documented path lets the same organisation attempt disruption more than once. Strategy teams should write down the steps they would repeat.
Disrupting once is not enough.
The aim described is a serial disruptor, an organisation that can do this again and again. That is an operating capability rather than a one off project. Leaders should decide whether they want a single success or a standing capability.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Why do our own change initiatives stall before they land?
- Have we written down a route others could follow?
- Do we want one success or a standing capability?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
The status quo is meant to be broken Today organisations have countless opportunities to disrupt the status quo and carve out new industries but with no journey plan or methodologies to follow most initiatives fail, this is called "Crossing the Chasm".
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 4 May 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). Crossing the Chasm, Building the Disruptive Business. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/crossing-the-chasm-building-the-disruptive-business/
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