Intrapreneurs Thinking Process

by: Susan Foley - April 22nd, 2013   Filed under: Intrapreneurs, Intrapreneurship, Leadership Skills, Social Intrapreneurs Add Comment

SmartA key distinguishing attribute of Intrapreneurs is that they think differently.  So what does that really mean?

Keep in mind that our traditional thinking methods have not changed for centuries.  For over 2000 years we have used logic, reason and argument as a basis for thinking.  Yet argument lacks creativity.  It is based on the premise that there is a winner and loser, “I am right you are wrong.”

Intrapreneurs understand the limitations of logic, reasoning and argument.  They use different techniques to focus their thinking, be more creative, and collaborative.

Intrapreneurs see the world through a different lens.

Intrapreneurs are independent thinkers.  They rely on their own observations and experience to guide them rather than depend on the word of others.  They proactively challenge and question the status quo.  They believe that there is different and better way to get things done.  They are confident in their abilities. Read More

Do You Have an Entrepreneurial Orientation?

by: Susan Foley - March 21st, 2013   Filed under: 3M, Corporate Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurial Leaders, Hewlett-Packard, Intrapreneurs, millennial, Social Intrapreneurs, Uncategorized 2 Comments

Time For ActionIf you are fortunate enough to be working for an entrepreneurial oriented company then you know what it means to be entrepreneurial – you think and act like an entrepreneur.  It’s as simple as that.

The problem is that a lot of people think they are entrepreneurial when in fact they are not.

It is not as simple as saying you are entrepreneurial, it is showing others that you are entrepreneurial.  Your thinking and actions must be in alignment.

Like those who started their careers during the high tech era, I was fortunate to work for two of the most entrepreneurial companies at the time 3M and Hewlett-Packard.  They both left an entrepreneurial imprint that stayed with me throughout my career.  They taught me how to be entrepreneurial.

Today, all the rhetoric about intrapreneurs, social intrapreneurs, corporate entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial leaders makes everyone think they need to self identify with one of these labels.  They may be doing an injustice to themselves and their organizations by adopting a label that does not fit.

One executive recruiter told me that a lot of individuals are putting intrapreneur, corporate entrepreneur, or entrepreneurial leader on their resume.  It has clouded the situation and raised questions about the true entrepreneurial capabilities of candidates. Read More

A New Era Begins – Intrapreneurship

by: Susan Foley - December 18th, 2012   Filed under: Business Growth, Corporate Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Intrapreneurs, Intrapreneurship, Social Intrapreneurs, Uncategorized 1 Comment

As the Mayan calendar comes to an end we are reminded that each ending brings a new beginning. Despite the claims that the world will end, a more popular belief is that we are at the beginning of a new era.

An era that is full of opportunity, hope and new challenges. The old ways are no longer working.  We’ve reached a point of diminishing returns.  It is not only society that is facing massive problems, our governments, and our businesses as well.

After teaching a semester on Social Change at Suffolk University I realized that the world is changing at an accelerated pace and that most individuals and organizations are not keeping pace with that change.  Most of us resist and fear change, we are threatened by it.

We look for answers outside of us, when in fact the answers lie within us. We are responsible for the problems that exist and for finding the solutions that will fix them.

Many organizations are struggling to grow in the current economic climate.  The issue is that for far too long organizations have relied on exploiting the core business.  They have failed to fully embrace the value of exploring new ones.  They have let the past guide them to a point that is no longer productive, sustainable or profitable.  They have become trapped by their own success.

Intrapreneurship is now seen as an answer to this situation. Organizations that are instituting Intrapreneurship are taking advantage of the opportunity to change their business model and set out in a new direction. They are putting the words of Peter Drucker into action, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Intrapreneurship (corporate entrepreneurship) is the key to unlocking the huge potential that still exists in large organizations.  It requires a new type of person, new processes and systems and a culture that is conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship.  It requires new thinking, new behaviors and a different approach to decision making.  It requires looking at the world through a new lens.

As the Mayan calendar ends we see the beginning of a new era in business.  An era where large organizations act more like start-ups, engage their employees in exploration and find new and innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Organizations will find themselves going back to their roots.  To the entrepreneurial infrastructure and mindset that was the foundation for their growth

In doing this these organizations will renew themselves and re-energize their employees to achieve things that seemed beyond their reach.  Employees will find new meaning and purpose in work. They will be creating a new era of business for the next generation to follow.