Let me start by saying I am saddened by the events in London, and having lived in London during earlier riots and violent periods, I feel for those there that are affected. There are obviously deeper things going on in Britain, and have been over many decades, than many of us have to experience.

What struck me, perversely most likely, was how the changed models of behaviour, and the responses required, mirrored in many ways what is happening across markets, communities and business around the world.

No not in violent fashion, don’t be absurd. But the effects on industry have been violent.

There are three obvious sides involved, those disrupters that are carrying out the rioting and looting, those that live within those communities who are caught up whether they like it or not, and the Police / government whose job it is to enforce the way it is, and bring order to the chaos.

Historically when riots have occurred, they have tended to have resulted from mass demonstrations that became heated, and then exploded. In many cases they were one large mob that were being monitored and surrounded by a large Police contingent trying to guide them but not create conflict.

Like any explosion they have a high energy period where much of the damage is caused then they die out. Resulting fires and damage is handled and managed but in a contained location or area.

The demonstrations are organised and coordinate by a group or organisation and the participants follow are more normal gathering pattern. They want to have a voice but before the events occur they didn’t have direct intent for harm.

In these riots, however, a very different model is occurring. It probably explains why the Police have struggled to contain it quickly.

The rioters are operating from a model of their own, and not one that necessarily has a clear set of rules or guidelines.
What are the characteristics of the rioters? They

Are agile, Decentralised, have a strong intent for what they are doing and communicate quickly via their own social networks of choice.
There is no set location, no publicised agenda, and consequently they have the upper hand. They move fast, carry out their intent and move on to additional locations or disband.

Others have taken up on the actions through a shared understanding or agreement in what is happening. (Note I don’t suggest there is some deeper purpose to this merely the observation of what has occurred).

Presently while many small groups have formed and taken action, it differs from the protest movements throughout the Middle East and surrounding areas of the last 12 months, in that it hasn’t become a movement. Maybe that speaks to a lack of a unified deep cause, maybe it is yet to come.

When small movements join and become a part of something bigger than the whole dimension of it changes.

Think about this in terms of your industry, your marketplace, your business, or those you participate in.

Think how disrupters have influenced music sales, book sales, newspapers and other obvious industries. Look around your industry, are they relatively new or unknown players that seem to be creating disruption and causing threats to your business? Have they been around a while and been ignored.

Did you or your management pass them off as a small thing that won’t last, that has no steam or is just a fringe element of clueless individuals who don’t understand the way things really are?

Are they still around? Are they agile, focused, and able to communicate and adapt quickly to always have you on the back foot? Are they opportunistic? Do they jump in when they see something they can attack and execute on that in a way you could only imagine doing, and move on with the spoils before you have even had time to report back?

These disrupters are showing up everywhere. It isn’t about Social Media or web 2.0, it is about new paradigms of interaction, it is because new ways are actually possible, inexpensively and can be executed quickly in contrast to times gone by where they weren’t.

They operate outside traditional market guidelines. They operate from cars, garages, co-work space, they do it for free for social good, and they do it because they believe in it. Have you noticed these disrupters in your industry or are they lurking in the back streets waiting for their oportunity?

What about the response?

What about the Police and Politicians.

What is blatantly obvious is the big wheels of decision making were slow in turning. The age old methods of handling big demonstrations just didn’t work. What was clearly a problem is that their visibility, their presence on the streets was limited.

Getting enough numbers to counteract such events didn’t / maybe couldn’t happen quickly. There was a touch of ‘deer in the headlights’ or ‘head in the sand’ about it all. It is easy to criticise from outside looking in. Most commentators can hardly balance their cheque book or get to work on time, let alone run a huge city or organisation so such numbers.

In many ways though, it is similar to many industries or businesses and how they have responded to new technology, the web and now social media. They have tried to play ball with traditional batons – television and print advertising, mass communications and push messages, cold calling and mud slinging on the wall approaches. That has been slow and wide of the mark. It’s like having all your police suiting up in the police station hundreds of miles away. Yes you have the man power but it isn’t visible, it isn’t out on the front lines where it needs to be. The community isn’t seeing it, they aren’t sure either, things are changing fast and they need a degree of security and knowledge about how they get looked after.

Do they change and support the new events, do they hide from it, or do they come out and support the old?

Over the last few days you can see the realisation sink in that the methods needed to be different. Old ways of thinking don’t fit any more.

How do they become responsive and agile? How do they change tack as quickly as the disrupters? How do they create the perception that things are under control/ How do they communicate amongst themselves?

They started by getting the resources in place. Making the hard calls, like cancelling leave, kitting out the riot gear and getting huge numbers on the street.

Like a business that decides it needs to respond to its own threats, resourcing is a key starting point, and importantly rather than trying to work out through debate the key strategy that will solve everything, there is a need in this day and age, to learn by trial and error. The need to get police out into the community was obvious, so they did, and as tactics worked share that information amongst themselves and where they didn’t also share it, means they will be more likely to succeed in their endeavours. I am sure the communication of such tactics was still too slow and hierarchical for the good of the front line officers, but the patterns can’t all change at once.

It doesn’t mean they will win all the battles. As we see on the TV some front lines are there to watch and stop progress, not always winnable. Many of yours won’t be either.

By committing to change and involvement they have a chance of halting the movement, and if that won’t happen, controlling the damage in such a way that they can participate in the new ways without completely destroying everything around them.

Earlier I mentioned that the rioters haven’t created a movement yet. They aren’t galvanised into one movement that could spread and grow, an “idea virus” or a cause.

Equally the other element yet untouched on the side of the police or the community is engaging the communities in helping to defend their territory themselves. Elements of it have been shown in the clean up where people have banded together to clean up suburbs.

Imagine though if the Police, the Mayor, were so in touch with their communities that not only were they able to help stop the problems using their officers, but they were able to engage and activate the communities on their side.

Imagine the power of deputised citizens, or communication networks working to assist them. Rather than hiding from it, what if the communities themselves put an end to the rioting? How? That’s not possible?

Already social media has become active, with “Catch a Looter” sites and information sharing to assist in identifying those perpetrators, groups and support for the Met which provide encouragement for those in the front line.

When disruption occurs there are opportunities for both sides to create support or a movement. Neither side has been really able to totally activate that support, but in business you have that opportunity.

You can activate and encourage your supporters, or your silent users. You can give them voice and the ability to take action. Maybe you just need to ask, or communicate better with them.

Maybe if you don’t soon there will be a riot in your business neighbourhood and your business advantage will be looted. There are always things to learn from what we see around us.

How will you respond? The undercurrents are everywhere, don’t let something blind side you, start taking action to become more agile, more responsive, less rigid, more in touch with your community and their needs. Hear their voice; adapt your business and what it is you offer!

The disrupters live in your neighbourhood too.

Well that’s what ireckon anyway!