Entrepreneurialism and an employment career,
do the two go together
can the two go together
can employees and employers both benefit for employees pursuing their own entrepreneurial interests
should employers encourage entrepeneurialism among employees
So many questions.
This blog explores some thoughts in this area and invites readers to further the conversation with their thoughts.
Let’s begin with looking at entrepreneurialism and thinking about what it is.
Cited with permission of dictionary.com
Dictionary.com, “entrepreneurialism,” in Dictionary.com Unabridged. Source location: Random House, Inc.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/entrepreneurialism. Available: http://dictionary.reference.com. Accessed: May 21, 2014.
That’s the dictionary definition,
a person
who
organizes
and
manages
any
enterprise, especially a business
usually with
considerable initiative
and
risk
Let’s now think about some of the core attributes which large companies encourage employees to develop
and look for in future leaders:
Organisers
Managers
Initiative
[Understanding of] Risk
We can see there are parallels between the core principles of entrepreneurialism and the core attributes companies
look for in developing future leaders.
Next let’s look at the other core attributes of entrepreneurialism,
enterprise, especially a business
What is enterprise ?
Cited with permission of dictionary.com
enterprise. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition.
Retrieved May 23, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/enterprise
That’s the dictionary definition of enterprise:
1, a project or undertaking, especially one that requires boldness or effort
2, participation in such projects
3, readiness to embark on new ventures; boldness and energy
4, initiative in business
Again, we see parallels between the core principles of enterprise and skills and experience which companies
look for in developing future leaders.
And, what is an enterprise, an enterprise can be any activity, from a face book page to draw attention to a non-profit organisation,
to trying to start the next Amazon.
And hence, these thoughts bring me to wonder, what would happen if large companies initiated programs encouraging
entrepreneurialism from employees ?
One of basically two things would happen,
failure
or
success
Failure:
As has been debated previously on SCN failure is a science of its own and has many benefits.
This phenomenon is not only debated on the SCN, just do a search for failure on Amazon and see how many books exist on
the subject, do a search on good and see what the most successful people are reading.
Recently Gilles Atlan, wrote a very interesting article, on Early Failure, or, Failing Early.
Where are we going here, what’s the point in failure ?
We can see, there is enough evidence, that failure is opportunity, and brings good, and therefore, individuals who have
failed can become stronger from it, thus using the lessons to improve the future.
These lessons could be applied in the individual’s work and life.
And, Success:
Success speaks for itself and needs no introduction, and the benefits which success in an enterprise could bring to an
individual to be applied in their work and life go without saying.
Which leads me to conclude, it could very interesting and beneficial to all, if large organisations were to
encourage entrepreneurialism from their employees.
What do you think ?
Andy.
Large organisations especially in the service sector are willing to invest in new things only when they are sure about returns or at least they are sure that present growth of the company is not disturbed. Hence to move on to inventions I think they should encourage entrepreneurialism
Hi Syam,
to clarify, I am not thinking of the employer organisations investing or running incubator’s I simply mean a corporate culture of encouraging entrepreneurialism and enterprise among employees in the free time using their own resources.
It could be starting an under 10’s cricket club, starting anything, it doesn’t have to be an enterprise requiring significant investment with a goal of becoming a marketable product.
The thoughts are mainly around, the action of doing, or the practice of entrepreneurialism could bring the individual new skills which could make them more successful in their careers.
Hence should employers positively encourage this and what would the results be?
Best regards and nice weekend,
Andy.
Employer should encourage entrepreneurialism. It shall produce successful employees. In fact I am from an organization where people are given environment to follow their passion like movie making, modeling, technology , public speaking, sports of various kinds etc. I have seen some people who becomes successful in their passion. They in turn contribute to brand . People should love to come to their workplace.