Is It Good To Be Bad In Business?

Sir Richard Branson wants companies to hire more independently minded, rule-breaking, stubborn people

21:22 26 July 2015

More and more companies are now looking for disruptive talents who can bring great ideas and positive changes in the work environment.

 

Martyn Sakol, managing partner of OE Cam, said: "I would define disruptive talent as individuals who think and act differently, innovate, challenge conventional wisdom, spot trends, see commercial opportunities, and tenaciously find ways to achieve success.”

 

Sir Richard Branson, one of the UK’s best known and wealthiest entrepreneurs, agree. He said that if he were a employee of another business, his line manager would have to "accept that I might not do things exactly as he'd like me to do them.” "If you don't deal with me well, I'm going to go off and set up my own business and I'll end up competing with you. Look after me, respect me, and accept that I'm a square peg in a round hole."

 

Meanwhile, Mr Sakol stressed that disruptive talents must be robustly managed.

 

"Disruptive talent can derail, you need to make sure employees are properly supported, both when they're working individually, and as part of a team."

 

A UK company, AB Agri (ABA) has signed up to the new disruptive talent mantra in the country.

Chief executive David Yiend, said: "We stress that we're looking for candidates who will be provocative, unbending, and relentless in their pursuit of the goal.”

"They have to be prepared to argue and debate, not just accept the norm."