In 1997, Harvard professor Clayton Christensen made the term “disruptive innovation” the defining phrase for the digital age. For 20 years, the American economy has been defined by companies either taking advantage of, or being crushed by, the tides of disruption.

For a long time, Washington seemed to be mostly immune from these tides. Our systems of politics and influence were so well established that they seemed eternal. We lobbyists—the Kabuki actors in Washington’s intricate, time-worn morality plays—have often worked to keep these norms in place. After all, if you make a living as a native guide, then you really don’t want the landscape to change.

But 2017 put an end to all of that. The traditional ways of Washington are now held in high disregard by many in power. Add the effects of hyperpartisanship and rapidly changing communications channels, and it’s clear that disruption has found its way to the shores of the Potomac.

Trade associations and other advocates are being affected by the deep transformations in their members, too. Change can hit hard when organizations have spent decades representing companies and points of view that don’t exist anymore. As in business, some associations will dissolve or merge while others will launch. But all of us will need to embrace constant internal and external change if we hope to keep pace with the industries we represent.

I represent the newspaper business. There may be industries that have suffered more disruption, but it’s a short list. Above all else, the experience has taught us to continually look forward, since the past can be as much a trap as a guide.

How does an advocacy organization stay relevant and effective? If we look at peers who have been successful, some broad themes emerge:

Embrace new and challenging industry players. Upstarts and disruptors are tomorrow’s incumbents. Even if they aren’t immediately popular, it’s almost always better to have new players inside the tent. The challenge, then, is to focus on common enemies and make it easy for everyone to listen and learn.

Choose new, relevant fights. If an organization becomes defined by old battles that have been fought to a stalemate, then irrelevance is near. There is an energizing effect to taking on new fights that speak to new challenges. You can always return to the old battles with new relevance and tactics. 

Lead the conversation about change rather than waiting for harmony. American business lives with discomfort every day, and their policy advocates need to as well. The central obligation of any advocate in Washington today is a willingness to look around corners and be honest about the need for change, even if everyone doesn’t agree on what that change should be. Washington is riddled with failed advocates who moved too slowly and let issues get ahead of them because they were waiting for universal consensus.

Understand when Washington is not the problem or the answer. Some of the most successful advocacy organizations don’t limit themselves to challenges presented by federal law and regulation. They go where their industries need them and take on commercial and policy challenges wherever and however they present themselves. This could mean suing other businesses, organizing self-regulation, or making a case in the European Union. In every circumstance, it’s about adapting to address new problems rather than staying in historically defined roles.

If you look at the broader economy, it’s clear that disruption is not always fun. People and organizations do lose. But it is also vibrant, energizing, and creative, and it provides the opportunity for unprecedented leaps forward. As stated in those old Apple ads, it’s time for us all to “think different.” It is, after all, the way the businesses and professions that associations represent already think.