"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other." - Abraham Lincoln, US-President, 1861-1865
In
order to become a fully functioning, successful individual in whichever
endeavor you choose to undertake, you must first cultivate the right
attitude and behavioral traits. No where else is this fact more true as
than when we consider the dominant characteristics needed for
entrepreneurial leadership.
There are effective executives and
directors in many fields but most leadership development programs
neither focus on increasing entrepreneurship nor do they employ
innovative training methods. However, you can acquire, develop and
robustly practice the requisite entrepreneurial leadership skills.
According to the late great management expert, Peter F. Drucker, "The
entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits
it as an opportunity. Innovation is the specific instrument of
entrepreneurship. (It's the entrepreneurial) act that endows resources
with a new capacity to create wealth."
Entrepreneur extraordinaire, Sir Richard Branson, explains why he changed his mind and became one because he originally "wanted
to be an editor or a journalist, (and) I wasn't really interested in
being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become (one) in order
to keep my magazine going. "
So in a very real sense, Sir
Richard, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and others like them already had
attributes of the leadership mind-set and they were behaving in similar
ways as leaders do too. If you hope to successfully initiate any
commercial, governmental or public service undertaking, you will have to
learn, exhibit and embrace the characteristics of entrepreneurial
leadership.
What types of character traits do entrepreneurs have?
Are those behaviors really important? In a word, these characteristics
are important because if you don't possess them, you will have lower
chances in terms of business success. The characteristics are as follows
1. Risk Assessor
- this very important aspect of entrepreneurship is probably the most
misunderstood one of all. Many organizational executives are willing to
take any risk which presents itself as a breakthrough or
never-before-tried opportunity. But without taking the time and effort
to thoroughly evaluate or explore the potential pitfalls of their new
idea, they are not very likely to succeed in their venture. In the
course of doing business, you will always encounter a number of
challenges, problems and situations demanding your prompt attention,
decision and resolution.
However, after careful evaluation there
are many risks which are worth taking, especially if their variables can
be examined and then worked out and if the majority of these
uncertainties are determined to be good for the business. At those
times, you must be willing to be a risk taker, otherwise you won't be
acting in an effective entrepreneurial leadership capacity.
2. Wise, Smart and Accepting of New Ideas
- Most people believe being smart is all there is to being a successful
executive - but wisdom, a willingness to learn new things and an
acceptance of new realities and viewpoints are also necessary traits for
winning in your entrepreneurial enterprise.
Of course, your
cleverness, keen insights, and witty interactions with others will carry
you far throughout your business dealings. Regardless of your
position, today's complex and pressure-packed situations compel you to
demonstrate mental toughness, alertness of changing circumstances and
intelligence about emerging trends. Those attributes will help you earn
the respect and trust of your clients and all your associates or
partners.
3. Executive Leadership Development - It still
surprises me to hear someone say that leadership is just a talent some
people are born with. Yes it is true that the raw ingredients and
characteristics of leadership excellence can be hard to detect or find
among any random or unorganized mass of individuals.
There are not
many people who naturally have the kind of nerve it takes to lead.
However, today's innovative training programs easily empower large
groups of ordinary people to learn, understand and adopt the proven
fundamentals of entrepreneurial leadership principles, practices and
discipline.
Your executive leadership skills will serve your
venture when your personal qualities and behaviors help you guide,
influence, manage and direct people. These abilities will enable you to
handle your business affairs with greater ease and positive emotions.
4. An Inner Passion for Your Enterprise
- One essential characteristic of successful entrepreneurs is the
amount and scope of their enthusiastic, passionate zeal they have for
their business. We have seen high levels of this emotional trait in many
public service, governmental and commercial leaders who were also
founding members of their organizations.
No executive leadership
development or innovative training programs can "teach" you how to have
an intense yearning and desire for your venture. You alone must have,
maintain and increase your enthusiasm for and uncompromising interest in
your business pursuits. When your drive, determination and passion
reaches a fever pitch, you will be well on your way towards successfully
operating and growing your business.
5. Honesty, Integrity, Trustworthy
- Every organization is built and depends upon positive relationships.
Some management experts say entrepreneurial leadership means dedicating
and investing eighty percent (80%) of one's time into developing,
organizing and strengthening relations with associates, customers and
other stakeholders.
As cinema director, Neil LaBute, observes, "In a relationship you have to open yourself up."
Every manager knows this is true because without being forthright,
dealing sincerely with and providing access to your clients, the
business will not go very far. Your honesty, integrity and trustworthy
nature will enable you to earn the loyalty, custom and good will of your
community, buyers and sponsors and your colleagues.
Obviously,
there are other characteristic and behavioral traits needed to ensure
success in your entrepreneurial leadership activities. The five
attributes listed above will help you handle most of your organizational
responsibilities, duties and obligations.
These traits also form
the basis for successful careers in any industry or profession. If,
however, you can equip yourself with the means to improve your
performance, some additional time spent in innovative training courses
will put you over the top.
If you plan on using an executive
leadership development program to sharpen your competence in these
characteristics, all you'll need to do is study market trends carefully,
think of a few strategic options for your venture, provide the capital
and you'll be ready to take entrepreneurial leadership action.
"The
real issue is not talent as an independent element, but talent in
relationship to will, desire, and persistence. Talent without these
things vanishes and even modest talent with those characteristics
grows." - Milton Glaser
Copyright © 2008, Mustard Seed Investments, Inc. All rights reserved.
