Seems everywhere you turn, you hear that you’ll have to be more entrepreneurial to even have a job in the near future. And if you want to get ahead right now, it’s the same story.
Which leads to some smart ass like me saying, well … if you’re going to act like an entrepreneur, why not just be one? I’ll lay off of that for a bit, because I’m pretty sure you’re aware of how I feel about it.
Startup your job
Over at Fast Company, we find the latest advice on how to be more entrepreneurial on the job, which is technically called intrapreneurship. Sharfi Farhana, director of talent at the conglomerate IAC, says she looks for entrepreneurial traits when she’s hunting to fill a big leadership role in one of IAC’s many portfolio companies.
One obvious trait would be the ability to tackle challenges on your own initiative, without direction or even permission. That’s what entrepreneurs do, and unless your corporate culture is mired in the proverbial Palaeolithic Period, those are the kind of people that thrive in an organization.
Another trait is referred to as unlearning, or not allowing the “way things are done” keep you from seeing a better path. Again, many an entrepreneur has had a light bulb moment from encountering a broken process from an outsider’s perspective.
Embrace the role of underdog
My favorite of the five traits Farhana shares is to always act like the underdog. This strikes a chord with me, because as a serial bootstrapping entrepreneur, I’m constantly stacking the odds against myself — and I love playing that role.
Having fewer resources and long odds motivates me to bring my best. More importantly, the constraints force me to find creative solutions that might be missed if I could simply throw money at the problem.
If you find yourself loving the role of the underdog, you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur in my opinion. And if you have what it takes, why not just … never mind, you feel me.
5 ways to boost your performance by acting like an entrepreneur (Fast Company)
