On Thu, 6 Jun 1996 11:50 Michael Erickson wrote -
> I've noticed that if one takes advantage of opportunity-that person
> is called an entrepreneur. In my company there is a lot of talk about
> what is is to be "world class" and "systems thinking", but most are
> content to talk about it, and I'm called a "creative thinker" because I
> just do what the system says it wants us to do. I consider this to be
> particularly weird because I feel I'm not doing anything except what what
> my upper management has asked of us. But the DOING seems to be something
> special.
>
> Why? I don't know. But I wonder if there is a barrier to the DOING
> that I just don't see, or worry about. Is it "innovative" to take a new
> freedom and run with it? or is it reckless?
>
> I've figured out that my career development is in MY hands, not my
> managements hands. So if I'm given an opportunity to explore that my
> potential is, then I need to do it.
>snip
> So I wonder if the real question is, What stifles entrepreneurship?
The answer is misused authority. We are all entrepreneurs at birth because
we know what we want to do and when we want to do it. We are full of DO at
that point. Persons in authority then attempt to get us to DO what they
want us to DO - parents, peers, teachers, churches, the media, government
and finally bosses. Along the way most of us become closer to being
conformists or DOing what everyone else is DOing than being an
entrepreneur.
You are an entrepreneur because you are more concerned with DOing what you
want to DO than what others seem to DO which is not to take risks by
conforming. The essence of empowerment is to regain control of oneself, to
start listening to ourselves and DOing what we think is best rather than
trying to conform to what everyone else is DOing.
This is the heart and soul of being innovative. As to whether it is
reckless, you must decide. If you DO things, you have much to be proud of,
but undoubtedly will offend someone. That someone may have enough power to
hurt you in some way. If you DO nothing, no one will ever be offended, but
you won't have anything to be proud of. There are many other pros and
cons, but I am sure you can figure them out. Then you and only YOU can
make a choice for yourself.
Regards, Joan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joan Pomo The Finest Tools for Managing People
Simonton Associates Based on the book
jpomo@gate.net "How to Unleash the Power of People"
--"jpomo@gate.net" <jpomo@gate.net>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>