09/07/2014
Its Time For You To Be An Entrepreneur.....In Your Workplace!
Not long after I left my job to go and set up my own business, I had an opportunity to have dinner with a young sales representative from a big European multinational company. There were three things that caught my attention, about his attitude, that has remained with me to this day:
First of all, when I told him, I would be traveling out of town that week, he suggested we meet on a Sunday evening. This was strange to me, having just come from a State Owned Enterprise, where people would not use their own personal time for company business. I hope it has changed.
Throughout our dinner he kept using expressions like, "my business", "our company"..... And finally, when he said, "as a businessman, like you, I....". I interjected, and asked him, out of curiosity, "Is this company actually owned by your family?"
"No, why?"
"because, you keep saying things like, "my" business... And now you are saying, you are also a "businessman", but it's not your company... I don't understand?"
Then he laughed, and explained to me, the following:.."BEING A BUSINESSMAN, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT YOU OWN THE BUSINESS... I CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY DO THIS JOB, IF I AM NOT A BUSINESSMAN. I AM A PROFESSIONAL BUSINESSMAN, JUST LIKE YOU."
...OUR COMPANY IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD. OUR FOUNDER DIED LONG AGO. WE ARE STILL HERE, AND GROWING, DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS, AND NEW MARKETS. THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE, WE ARE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ORGANISATION. TO SUCCEED IN OUR COMPANY, YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU ARE AN ENTREPRENEUR.
After listening to him, I realised something very important. We in Africa, tend to think that you only become a businessman, or woman, when you start your own business.
And you are only an entrepreneur, when you are running a small little business, by yourself... This is not true!
You do not have to wait until you own your own business, to become a business person. In fact if you work, for a business, and you are not business minded, and business like, right there where you are; don't imagine you will be a success, when you are on your own, one day.
Similarly, if you are not entrepreneurial, every day for the organisation, that you work: helping to create new products, and services, and finding innovative ways, to make "your" business more successful... If ever you imagine, you will do it, when you are on your own... It will be difficult.
A successful organisation is one which encourages its people to take "ownership", at all levels.
Being an entrepreneur is a "state of mind", more than a "status".
Being an entrepreneur is a "state of mind", more than a "status".
You can decide today, that you too are an entrepreneur.......Right there in your workplace.
