Certain aspects of work and life just cannot be taught. Everyone has unique personality traits that evolve over time and make us who we are, and the entrepreneurial spirit is a special characteristic. Entrepreneurs build things from the ground up, possess immense determination, and are not afraid to fail before succeeding. Thus, the entrepreneurial spirit is a quality that leaders want to surround themselves with.
Every successful business in every industry can harness the entrepreneurial and use it to their advantage. Creative people are necessary for all sectors so that businesses can compete in the marketplace and remain relevant. How can a company use the unique characteristics of entrepreneurs to improve the business?
First, hire the right people. Besides finding a “good fit” recruiters have to avoid bias while also considering what each individual will bring to the table. It’s a no-brainer that a prospective hire has to have the necessary skills and be qualified, but more than that they should bring something special to the company. Businesses need people willing to rock the boat and provide new ideas and perspectives.
There is much more to entrepreneurship than the startup that comes to mind when we consider the occupation. The most important aspect of entrepreneurship is collaboration. In a startup, all team members are valued and included in the decision-making process. The term “sleep business” stems from problems at Fortune500 companies. These businesses, while successful, often have issues with employee retention, engagement, and overall satisfaction. When the engineers never communicate with the marketing professionals or the customer service representatives never communicate with the tech team there are sure to be issues. Communication and collaboration are essential.
If leaders want to truly harness the entrepreneurial spirit they must promote innovation. Use emails in place of unnecessary meetings to avoid burnout. Create sessions for brainstorming and hold meetings for such every week. Leaders should take advantage of great hires and pick their brains, not just use them to fill a specific role. Allow different departments to get together and work and encourage everyone to share their ideas and speak their mind.
Many people move through life unaware that they possess the entrepreneurial spirit, however many of the most successful businesses are founded by entrepreneurs. If you find yourself questioning everything and pondering how to improve processes, taking risks, and following passion, congratulations, you have the spirit!
Originally published on Matt Walker Kansas’ website.