The UK media doesn't quite know how to respond to the election of Jeremy Corbyn as opposition leader. On the one hand he is an outspoken hard left politician whose views seem totally out of step with what opinion poles say are fashionable. On the other hand he has been swept in on an incredible wave of enthusiasm not seen in British politics since Tony Blair took power - starting just a few weeks ago as a 200-1 no-hoper he took 59% of the first round vote, meaning a second round wasn't needed (this is 2% better than Blair). He's also been the catalyst for a massive surge in membership of the party, particularly from young people. He is everything an ailing organisation like the Labour Party could want for - expect the establishment really don't like his ideas.
The conversation in the mainstream media is already moving to 'How long will he last?' but that actually totally misses the point. It's a reasonable question in a conventional situation, but this is not a conventional situation. Longevity of tenure will not be a measure of his impact. Corbyn's victory is an example of disruptive forces play and therefore needs a very different lens. Like early disruptive technologies he himself is unlikely to be the final solution - disruption begats disruption, as the likes of Nokia, Blackberry and then Apple showed in the mobile phone wars of the early 21st century.
Corbyn is not a steady leader for normal times. He is a disruptive leader for extraordinary times. He has already rocked the establishment to the foundations. In the same way that the early punk bands made a terrible din and quickly gave way to the new wave, so Corbyn will do the same. He has woken a new generation up to what is possible. He may not last long, but neither did The Sex Pistols - but look at what they unleashed (and how they are remembered)?
We need disruptive leadership like never before. Business people often trot out the 'form, storm, norm, perform' mantra, but are so often incapable of navigating through the 'storm' phase, because of an innate desire to retain control. New ideas though thrive on disorder.
Jeremy Corby may not last long as leader. But then neither did the Apple II, Palm Pilot, or Black Berry. A far more interesting question is what will his passion, energy and radical ideas unleash, not just in his supporters and natural allies, but in a generation who have now been woken up to the idea that change is possible?