IntraPRENEUR LIBERATING LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
BOOST
ENCOURAGING THE INTERNAL ENTREPRENEUR:
YOUR
KAIHAN KRIPPENDORFF
CAREER
+
MEET
ANNE
ARNEBY
ARE YOU AN
INTRAPRENEUR?
Human Helium PROGRAM
CREATES INTRAPRENEURS THAT HELP ORGANIZATIONS TO SOAR
Did You Know...
There are some very compelling reasons to place emphasis on intrepreneurialism in the workplace. The term intrapreneurialism is about demonstrating the qualities of an entrepreneur - inside an organization. A number of studies have shown that:
One Intrapreneurial employee is worth more than multiple engaged employees in terms of the VALUE they bring through innovation and creativity
Interpreneurs proactively pursue opportunities for improving business systems and business models from the inside out
Bringing an intrapreneurial mind-set to day-to-day workplace activity, can help individuals, teams and organisations achieve their strategic goals and unleash potential.
Intrapreneurialism is a relatively new concept so there is a skills gap in this area. This program addresses that gap.
“I love effective processes! So I love the structure that Dr. Irena Yashin-Shaw provides in this program for influencing and implementing innovation and change through intrapreneurialism.” - W. Boulton, Manager, HPW. “The outcomes for the business were fantastic. We had a wide range of projects. The estimated value of the work delivered by the program participants was calculated to be over $1,000,000.” - B. Baker, 3M L & D Manager, Aust & NZ
Using a masterful blend of integrated channels and experiences, the Human Helium Program unleashes intrapreneaurial talent to create proactive opportunity-finders and problem solvers.
THIS PROGRAM IS IDEAL FOR
Leaders Emerging leaders Aspiring leaders Project managers Influencers High-potentials
Team leaders and supervisors Anyone who wants to create value and make a positive contribution to their workplace and the clients/ customers/ citizens they serve.
HOW WILL YOUR WORKPLACE BENEFIT Proactive thinkers and problem- solvers who are ahead of the curve Proactive (rather than reactive) decision-making People tapping into their talent to become high-performers Entrepreneurial employees who have incrementally developed their skills AND applied them in a real context
People who are opportunity finders for positive change and innovation Strategic thinkers who see the big picture in order to create a future ready organization Tangible measurable outcomes from a high value project Reskill your workforce for the fourth industrial revolution
Dr. Irena Yashin-Shaw can work with your organization and your people to create an energised, future-ready workplace and workforce. Contact her about the Human Helium Program on + 61 411330301 or irena@drirenayashinshaw.com |22| intrapreneur.com
CONTENTS Kaihan Krippendorff: Encouraging The Internal Entrepreneur Being Featured In INTRAPRENEUR MAGAZINE Can Be Life Changing!
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Are You An Intrapreneur?
15
Anne Arneby: Intrapreneurship’s Role In Corporate Legacy
18
LIBERATING LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
22
The Rise Of The Intrapreneur
25
The Entreprenuer Inside By Agustin’ Arieu
28
Jim Link: Keeping Pace With The Changing Needs Of Recruitment
34
Why Hiring Intrapreneurs Is Good For Business
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: READ PUBLISHING PUBLISHED BY: READ PUBLISHING DISTRIBUTED BY: READ PUBLISHING DESIGNED BY: READ PUBLISHING
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The New Career Path
How Becoming An Intrapreneur Can Boost Your Career
IntraPRENEUR
08
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by READ PUBLISHING. Links outside of this publication are provided for user convenience and do not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by READ PUBLISHING. The publisher or any of the editors, writers or contributors will not accept responsibility or liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owners risk and while every care will be taken the publisher does not accept liability for loss or damage. No person, organisation or party can copy or re-produce the content on this site and or magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the editors’ panel and the author of the content, as applicable. The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work.
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Jim Link is Randstad’s Chief Human Resources Officer for North America. As such he has his finger of the pulse of the trends shaping the world of work and how organisations can prepare and redesign their workforce for them. His opinions on workplace issues are frequently sought out by national and local media, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fast Company and HR Magazine. Jim is a strong advocate for intrapreneurship believing that in today’s quickening pace of change it is central to companies’ ability to stay relevant. Jim is a great advocate for intrapreneurialism. He believes HR needs to own their organisation’s strategy around intrapreneurialism, building an architecture and culture that nurtures it. linkedin.com/in/jim-link-a9221215/
Agustín Arieu
Jim Link
CONTRIBUTORS
Bachelor of Industrial Organization (UTN). Bachelor of Economics (UNS). Diploma of Advanced Studies in Economics and Business (URV) Master of Business Administration (IAE Business School), Agustín Arieu has performed his professional and academic activity in Argentina, Spain, Mexico and Chile. As a university professor of different levels, he worked at the Universidad Tecnologica Nacional, UADE, UCES, Rovira i Virgili and Universidad Nacional del Sur in the fields of Economics and Business. He has been a consultant for the United Nations and has held management positions in national and international companies. Asgustin has exhibited at business events on topics of Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and is currently Dean of the Management and Entrepreneurship Centre at Flores University (UFLO) in Argentina. linkedin.com/in/agustinarieu/
Currently CEO of Nordic Morning Group, Anne has been driving change since 2017. The customer-centric development made the group go from a holding company structure of 12 companies to three business areas with clear offerings: Nordic Morning focuses on data-driven marketing and service design, Edita Prima creates automated processes for customer communication services and Edita Publishing develops smart learning and information solutions. Born in Sweden and lives in Stockholm with her husband. linkedin.com/in/annearneby/
Kaihan Krippendorff
Anne Arneby
Driven leader with an entrepreneurial mindset and over 20 years of documented business and leadership experience in leading positions from the international arena. Known for driving change and innovation within several industries as well as the public sector. Have worked with international brands like H&M, IKEA, Bisnode, Scania and Telenor as well as several Nordic and Swedish brands. She has also branded Stockholm as “The Capital of Scandinavia�.
Kaihan Krippendorff has made a commitment to helping organisations and individuals thrive in today’s era of fast-paced disruptive technological change. He began his career with McKinsey & Company before founding the growth strategy and innovation consulting firm Outthinker. He is a best-selling author of five books, most recently the Edison Award nominated, Driving Innovation From Within: A Guide for Internal Entrepreneurs. Kaihan is a member of the prestigious Thinkers50 radar group of the top 30 management thinkers to follow, as well as one of the top 8 most influential innovation thought leaders in the world (Thinkers50). Amidst his dizzying schedule of keynote speeches, consulting projects, ongoing research and writing, Kaihan still finds time to teach at business schools throughout the US and internationally, write for major business media outlets, and play an active role on the advisory boards of a growing roster of national and international companies. linkedin.com/in/kaihankrippendorff/
EDITOR IN-CHIEF
Dr Irena Yashin-shaw
Welcome to the first edition of Intrapreneur Magazine for 2020. We have entered a new decade and a new age which is being referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The world of work over the next 10 years is going to go through some major shifts as artificial intelligence, robotics and automation disrupt every industry. Only those progressive organisations that can effectively harness the intrapreneurial power of their employees will thrive. This issue is dedicated to looking into the future of work and specifically at recruitment and career development. We’re shining a light on the crucial role that intrapreneurs play in the success of organisations. As such, this new breed of employee is going to be very much in demand – to the extent that being an intrapreneur will become a key differentiator for job seekers in a crowded marketplace. I hope you enjoy the wide variety of articles in this issue and the different perspectives our wonderful contributors bring to this topic. As always – let us know what you think.
ENCOURAGING THE INTERNAL ENTREPRENEUR KAIHAN KRIPPENDORFF:
When we think of the word ‘innovator’, perhaps we envisage the lone wolf, sitting alone in a spectacularly modern apartment on their Fitball, or laptop and notes spread out on a table at the local café. Perhaps we think of a spectacle-adorned academic type from an old sepia image. What we seldom think about, however, is the employee who routinely wakes to their alarm, heads to work, and creates goods and services for someone else’s company. |08| intrapreneur.com
While the entrepreneur is usually the subject of our innovation stories, it is, in fact, the intrapreneur, or internal entrepreneur, who is responsible for a staggering 70 per cent of society’s most transformative innovations, according to Strategy, Growth and Transformation expert, Kaihan Krippendorff. Kaihan is a celebrated keynote speaker in business strategy and author of five books aimed at helping businesses thrive in the competitive, fast-paced digital age.
“Almost all the stories we tell of innovation are of the entrepreneur. And the reason that we tell those stories is not that it’s the truth, but because it’s an easier story to tell; it’s more engaging, it fits the hero’s journey story,” he said. But it’s time to tell the stories of those unsung heroes and celebrate the weird, strange and crazy ideas that we eventually can’t live without. In a business setting, this is essential to encouraging internal entrepreneurs to step up and share their thoughts. By talking about ideas with curiosity and respect, no matter their surface value, we create a safe environment for future-thinking individuals to flourish. “I think that when we don’t tell stories of the weird, we remove some of the possibility and the naturalness of it…It always feels better to go to the past than the future. One key to getting someone to embrace the future is to make the future look like the past,” said Kaihan. “The stories we tell inform us of what’s possible, and we very much live into the stories we’ve heard…so if people feel they are fulfilling a story that they heard before, it becomes self-reinforcing.”
tethered to the wall. Without internal innovators having the freedom and confidence to pursue their ideas, ultimately, society suffers.
By sharing stories of the workplace innovator, the employee who sees things differently and comes up with seemingly wild and wacky solutions, we empower others to similarly think outside the box and join the intrapreneur revolution.
So, how can organisations encourage innovation? Kaihan notes that there are three key factors, each of which falls under the control of leadership. An open, flexible and willing leadership will have the insights to tweak the processes to create an overarching supportive environment for internal entrepreneurs.
As Kaihan notes, without employees flexing their creative muscle, we would not have companies such as Google, Salesforce or Alibaba. We would not have the internet as it stands at all, and our phones would still be
Firstly, there is the talent – a company looking to future-proof through innovation and encouraging new ideas needs to hire the right people. These are the CV’s that scream ‘entrepreneur’ but with a few key differences.
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“They look like entrepreneurs in that they’re innovative, they understand the market and are proactive, but beyond that, they also enjoy the politics, they get intrinsic value from innovating and are less driven by the money,” Kaihan said. This talent will also make it clear not only what projects they have worked on, but the impact of the outcomes. Did they create a new product that made lives easier? Did they contribute to higher workplace morale, or did their new idea enhance productivity in a positive environment? The second factor to encouraging internal entrepreneurs is the structures within the business, including resources. For a new idea to fly, the innovator needs time, space and usually some funding to make it happen. Can the team work across multiple sections of the organisation? Is there flexibility within their role? Is the organisation prepared to take a risk? Structural constraints lead into the third factor - culture. If you have the right people in place and the structures to support them, you also need a culture of understanding, open-mindedness and awareness to bring forth the best possible outcomes. Once these factors are taken into consideration, there is one more roadblock that internal entrepreneurs often face – company strategy. Kaihan has found from his research that it is company strategy that often prevents innovations from becoming successful within an organisation, regardless of all other factors being equal. He explains it this way; if the customer does not embrace a new product, the savvy business would listen to the customer and find out why the product missed the mark. However, an |10| intrapreneur.com
innovator will often blame the their company if their idea or product is rejected. “What I found is that these internal innovators take the same kind of customer-centric approach to their company. It’s like their company is another customer, and they have that internal sensibility to know what they want.” Understanding your company’s business model is extremely helpful in knowing what is needed, as otherwise, the innovator runs the risk of encountering ‘value blockers’. “By finding out where the points of conflict are with your current company’s business model, and then just going back and re-engineering the idea a little bit, you can remove this conflict and really leverage the unique aspects of your current company through the innovation.” “It is all about encouraging innovative thinking, allowing for risk-taking, encouraging productivity and a strong customer market awareness… and it is not just knowing what to do, it’s being willing to make the changes.”
BEING FEATURED IN
INTRAPRENEUR MAGAZINE CAN BE LIFE CHANGING!
Kathryn Dyble was one of our 2019 contributors in Issue 2. We caught up with her nearly a year down the track to ask how her journey into intrapreneurialism has evolved. This is what she told us.
Being featured in INTRAPRENEUR MAGAZINE last year about my role as an Intrapreneur in the public sector had two unexpected outcomes. The first was in relation to my professional reputation and visibility. There was a notable spike on my LinkedIn profile as well as receiving a number of speaking invitations for various events. The second was a deeper and more transformative shift. I might even call it ‘an awakening’ that disrupted my thinking in both my professional and personal life. As an intrapreneurial leader my personal methodology focuses on empowering my team to solve business challenges, rather than dictating the solution. Empowerment is a word that gets used a lot, but true empowerment is about two things. 1. Understanding that the team is both individual and group and that our differences are our collective strength. 2. Fostering productive individuality by encouraging the belief that thinking differently is a powerful asset. Our culture is now one where anyone can offer an idea, feedback, and the understanding that no problem should ever be approached with the phrase “it’s too hard”.
“Deepening my commitment to intrapreneurialism has been transformative for me.”
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THE NEW
CAREER PATH
Over the next decade the world of work will be radically transformed. We’ve all heard the statistics about job losses due to automation over the next decade. It is predicted that by 2030 between 30% and 40% of current jobs will be lost to technology in various forms. Even white-collar jobs that were once considered ‘unautomatable’, such as lawyering, stockbroking, radiology and doctoring, are now able to be done by AI – and in most cases with much greater levels of efficiency and accuracy.
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How can people future-proof their careers in this new world of work? The answer is to gain a reputation as an INTRAPRENEUR. Intrapreneurs are that special breed of employee who think and act like entrepreneurs but while still working inside an organisation or business. These are the people who use their curiosity, creativity, initiative and passion to solve problems which advance the organisation’s goals and
impact, evolve business models, serve customers, bring in new technology, find new revenue streams and generally create value. The Financial Times describes intrapreneurs as “the next big trend” and a “vital component” of successful workplaces of the future. Writer George Crane famously said, ‘There is no future in any job. The future lies in the person who holds the job.’ Employees who take a passive approach to their professional development and rely entirely on their workplace to provide for their ongoing learning could find themselves losing ground to more proactive, lifelong learners who actively and independently seek out opportunities to extend themselves – both within their workplaces and beyond.
Today we live in a disrupted and innovation hungry world. Most employers feel the pressure to innovate. They are aware that the future belongs to those businesses and organisations who can successfully adapt, stay relevant and be future-ready. They want employees who are going to be able to help them with that mission and actively (and pro-actively) contribute to the organisation’s evolution and success. Workers who can do that will be rewarded with unprecedented opportunities. Many large companies these days are calling on their employees to be intrapreneurial. They are even explicitly writing it into their vision and value statements. For example, IBM says “We ask our employees to behave in an INTRAPRENEURIAL, non-bureaucratic and productive manner”; Union Bank of Switzerland declares, “We think, decide and intrapreneur.com |13|
behave in an INTRAPRENEURIAL way”; Daimler Chrysler articulates it thus, “We want a management philosophy which is based on INTRAPRENEURIAL thought and behaviour.” These examples from well-known global companies reflect the new call to intrapreneurialism within progressive organisations. If you are an active user of LinkedIn you’ll notice an interesting trend where people are increasingly describing themselves as intrapreneurs. The term is starting to appear in job titles such as Vice President for Intrapreneurial Culture. Check out our previous issue of Intrapreneur Magazine for our article about Louise Kyhl Triolo, VP of Intrapreneurial Culture at Airbus (a global aerospace corporation with a 135,000 strong workforce). Have a look at Intrapreneur Magazine for lots of stories of people who are developing their careers, skills and opportunities through intrapreneurialism.
These are all SIGNALS from the EMERGING FUTURE. Bottom line – in a world where careers are evolving in very non-traditional, fluid ways, being an intrapreneur will enhance your career opportunities, long-term earning potential and professional satisfaction.
It is the new career path for the 2020s. Give yourself a day to learn about this emerging trend. Join us at the Australian Intrapreneurs Summit on the 19th of March at the Brisbane Convention Centre. It will be a day of transformative learning, wonderful networking, active participation and also a lot of fun. AustralianIntrapreneursSummit.com.au |14| intrapreneur.com
ARE YOU AN
INTRAPRENEUR? Bruce Wayne is an excellent entrepreneur - sacrificing his sleep, and his personal and social life in order to keep up with his start-up of ‘Justice In Gotham’ city. Taking risks, allocating wealth to support his cause, Wayne’s invention of Batman is an innovative disruptor of the crime world.
Any entrepreneur, corporation or organisation, needs a stable core team – or otherwise known as a group of “Intrapreneurs.” These are the people who come up with answers to problems, the ones that make out of box thinking a reality, the ones who enable Bruce Wayne to rise up to the occasion and do his Batman thing. So how do you know if YOU are different from a regular employee?
You are fully invested You have faith and confidence in your team and in their abilities and you become successful by helping others succeed. An Intrapreneur will always be emotionally connected to the people and the product. You feel sorrow in bad times and are a part of the joy when milestones are conquered. Your team is your extended family, and loyalty is important to you.
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A problem-identifier-come-solutionprovider You often save the day, fix things or find a way ahead. You make decisions on your own, when your team is stuck, becoming the torch bearer to lead the way out of the cave. If a plant doesn’t bloom, you focus on fixing the environment in which it grows, instead of focusing on the plant.
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Self-starter Intrapreneurs are innovative. You are a passionate self-starter who is ambitious enough to further your career without the help of others. Not strictly money-motivated Another trait of an intrapreneur is that they’re not typically money-motivated. You might appreciate a monetary bonus, but it’s not what drives you to succeed.
You believe in the idea You have faith in the growth potential of the idea. Believing in the idea encourages you to contribute to the organisation in a way that makes you an essential part of the team.
to open a door in a corporate culture and when it does you are prepared and ready to run very quickly.
You are ready to pivot Being adaptable is another sign of an intrapreneur. You know when you have an awesome idea and are willing and able to
Thirsty for knowledge An intrapreneur is a life-long learner and always thirsty for knowledge. Learning new skills means you are able to come up with innovative ideas for the organisation and then take the next step to nurture that innovative idea.An intrapreneur doesn’t just
change course if you discover that that idea needs a different strategy to bring it to life. You take risks with your career choices.
come up with an innovative idea and leave it at that; you put in the time and effort to nurture that idea through to completion.
Intrapreneurs often forego well paid or secure jobs for the chance to work in roles that promise personal and professional growth. They are excited by the exhilaration of a steep learning curve.
You’re comfortable working with many bosses You are comfortable with many bosses and stakeholders. If you have a worthwhile idea, you will be presenting it over and over to each stakeholder. You may have convinced one person that your idea is amazing but there will be a whole line of folks all acting as gatekeepers.
You take a long haul approach An intrapreneur moves at a patient and consistent pace, much like a distance athlete. And like a distance athlete, you are equally good at reading the climate and knowing when to accelerate. It can take time
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ANNE ARNEBY:
ROLE INTRAPRENEURSHIP’S
IN CORPORATE LEGACY
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As business big and small races to keep up with the way digital transformation is creeping into every facet of operations, the demand for intrapreneurship has never been higher. Yet intrapreneurs are still often treated as the underdogs in the business world, or at least as the lesser-known cousin of the entrepreneur. However, what organisations need to remember is that it is no longer purely the role of the entrepreneurs to enact change and create more efficient, more productive and increasingly lucrative ways of working; what is desperately needed is for these leaders to walk beside forward-thinking, committed members of their workforce and embrace the inevitable storm before the calm.
hand-in-hand, we will be able to create a better world ahead.” Anne has a background in business and economics, specialising in strategy and organisation through her Masters degree at Linköping University in Sweden. This combination of study areas satisfied her curiosity for technology, human behavior and business that had driven her towards her career goals from her teen years.
Anne Arneby is CEO of Nordic Morning Group in Sweden and Finland and a leader in intrapreneurial change. She argues that without intrapreneurship, business cannot survive. “We are in the fourth industrial revolution, the digital revolution, and the largest one to date. Our societies are changing at an exponential rate and it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate the physical from the digital, or even the biological. This change is disrupting every industry in every country, and it is already changing some of our most fundamental systems, such as production, learning, and trade,” she said. “In that context, I strongly believe that the demand for intrapreneurship speak for itself. We don´t have the luxury of starting everything all over again. But we do have the possibility to re-invent, re-shape and re-do big parts of our societies. By having entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship intrapreneur.com |19|
“When you feed your inner drive you also tend to meet others who are interested in the same things and that´s how I have come to work with entrepreneurs, tech people, creative people, change agents and other curious minds from an early age,” she said. While at university, Anne worked at an advertising agency that was exceptionally innovative and forward-thinking. This further sparked her passion for intrapreneurship and as she progressed through her next few jobs, she realised she was drawn to businesses in urgent need of change. Anne now focuses her attention on organisations that require assistance in updating their ways of working to meet the rapidly changing technological landscape. While this work is often challenging and sometimes near-impossible, it is also extremely rewarding. “You develop yourself all the time in this work, plus, it offers life-long learning for both the company and the employees.” When taking on a new assignment, Anne begins by working closely with the customers to identify their pain points, while at the same time identifying the cultural aspects the corporate legacy consists of. “Corporate legacy is an extension of corporate culture, and it shapes attitudes and behavior among individual employees as well as on a broader, organisation-wide scale,” Anne explained. Another important part of the transformational work is connected to the
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legacy system, or legacy platform. This refers to the systems within an organisation which have become obsolete which is often related to technology, but it can extend far beyond. It may be a way of working that is no longer supported by vendors or needs to be reimagined due to changing business requirements or clientele.
Be customer-centric and be clear about what you want your corporate legacy to be. For this you have to consider a number of factors e.g. what are the possibilities and threats; will it be possible to drive a change journey; can you simultaneously create value for customers as well as for the owners.
Intrapreneurs in all types of business can use these principles to untangle the need for change within their organisation and help map out a progressive future direction. It can help to ask questions such as; • Where we are going to play? • How are we going to win and differentiate? • What capabilities need to be in place to execute? • What are the cultural imperatives to enable differentiation and execution? ”Intrapreneurs want to disrupt, but their starting point is from within the company. They excel at challenging and rethinking what is already there. They are drawn to unreleased potential, to great ideas that got stuck or stopped evolving. Their psychology is to look at legacy from a new angle,” Anne said in her article, Ode to the Intrapreneur. Anne urges those with the intrapreneurial drive to stand tall, respect your talents and passions and find employers who will do the same. Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo; big business or small, intrapreneurship is what will pull legacy into the future. ”You’re not choosing a career. You’re choosing a life. So choose jobs where you can soar, where your speed and drive for change is appreciated, and where there are status quos for you to challenge. The rest will sort itself out.”
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USE YOUR
INTRAPRENEURIAL SKILLS TO BOOST YOUR CAREER
You are an innovative thinker who applies the principles of entrepreneurship to your own career. This means you use the power of risk tolerance and problem solving to resolve business challenges in your jobs.
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Unleashing your intrapreneurial skills to their full potential can make a real difference at work, and open your leadership team’s eyes to the value that you – and you alone – can bring to your company. Ideally, everyone would spend their days at the office feeling challenged and motivated to go the extra mile for their company, To avoid feeling complacent about your job, try challenging yourself to remove self-imposed limits on your potential. Not all companies have formal intrapreneurship programs, and the leaders within your company (managers, executives and the CEO) may not see it as part of their role to support people who tread their own path. Perhaps you want to bring your company on board or approach another to unlock for full potential. Here are some ways to show your worth. It’s a win-win for your employer The biggest benefit of intrapreneurship is everyone wins. Your employer wins because they have an employee who is focused on innovation, has motivation to help the company grow and create new opportunities. All companies need people who will take initiative and use their entrepreneurial spirit to drive innovation and sharpen the company’s competitive edge. You understand their organisation. As an intrapreneur, you understand your organisation’s challenges and your employer can benefit from your ability to recognise and categorise pain points within your department, as well as the larger company. This helps them to see why they should
support your ideas and let you streamline improvements. Learning from your past experiences, while offering constructive feedback and potential solutions to recurring problems, is an invaluable skill set to an employer. Invaluable problem solving. One of the best ways to get recognition within your organisation is to come up with a creative solution to an existing problem. By looking at the issues and bottlenecks that affect productivity and cause headaches for other people, especially your boss, mean you are far more likely to get you the go-ahead on your other ideas. You help evolve the organisation from the inside out. While an entrepreneur’s focus is on their business, an intrapreneur’s critical skills and passion are used for the benefit of his or her organisation. By building your knowledge, relationships and resources, you can add tremendous value to your organisation and help it to grow. You also create new opportunities at your company by scaling new initiatives across the organisation that can benefit all employees. You identify the gaps. A powerful attribute of both entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs is their ability to identify gaps within a given plan or structure. Whether you require marketing advice, or you just need to expand your network, find the missing elements of your place, as well as the available resources that will help you reach your business objectives and improve the company overall. Their passion is your passion. An intrapreneur is fueled not by money, but a passion for the idea or the company itself. Having someone working in the best interests of the company, with an honest intrapreneur.com |23|
desire to be a part of its success, and genuine desire to learn and improve from setbacks, is invaluable to an organisation. The Benefits For You As an employee, you win because you’ll embody the traits and characteristics companies look for in top performers. You’ll show the ambition they want in future leaders. Being innovative will open the door for new opportunities internally and externally. It will build your resume and help you establish yourself as a top talent in your industry. You’ll have stability and access to resources. Do you think you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Have visions of owning a business? Being an intrapreneur provides you with the opportunity to see if entrepreneurship is the right fit for you, without any of the risks of leaving your job, investing your own money, and starting from the ground up. You can test the waters with |24| intrapreneur.com
a safety net while having access to more resources and a larger platform. You can find your individual motivation. Taking on a more dynamic role and looking for new and creative ways to get more out of your current role can help you find your personal motivation. You can identify what drives you to succeed, and also what doesn’t. It can help you shape your career direction. Create career opportunities. You can have a great impact on the success of an organisation, while creating a win-win scenario for you. Think about how you can be more creative and innovative. It could change your current role and your career path. Intrapreneurs are some of the most valuable employees to an organisation, which in turn, strengthens your job security and earning potential. So, what are you waiting for?
THE
RISE
OF THE
INTRAPRENEUR
BY EDITOR IN CHIEF, DR IRENA YASHIN-SHAW
The world of business has changed. Companies can no longer simply rely on ‘employees’ for their business to succeed. In the super competitive, fast paced, technologically rapid world that we live in quite literally “you snooze you loose”. Companies are increasingly relying on a new era of workers, a pool of people referred to as intrapreneurs, to help their business to keep up with the times and stay ahead of the rest.
Quite simply put an intrapreneur is an employee who thinks, acts and performs like an entrepreneur but rather than doing it for themselves they are doing it for their employer. Intrapreneurs are like little business gems that pop up within a company structure showing initiative, implementing creative change, suggesting ideas and embracing innovation. They are the force that keeps pushing a business forward.
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As the commercial world has been thrown into a new stratosphere of technology and innovation, companies are increasingly identifying and embracing the role that intrapreneurs play within their business structure. They are realising that they simply cannot afford not to have intrapreneurs within their ranks. In an article he wrote for Entrepreneur Magazine, Sir Richard Branson
work force full of new ideas and a desire to succeed within a corporate framework. We are seeing the rise of the intrapreneur, as millennials are keen to make a real impact with their careers. Start-ups have an astounding 90% failure rate meaning that more and more people with an entrepreneurial spirit are looking to use their talents within the infrastructure that already exists for them taking out the worry and stress of funding their own venture and possible failure. For every entrepreneur there are dozens of talented individuals who want to drive change, make a significant impact and push forward innovation but within the corporate environment that they are already in. The rises of the intrapreneur is a lifeline to business owners wanting to move with the times and continue to grow, develop and seek innovation within their business. To succeed in today’s fast paced marketplace it is essential that companies embrace and actively encourage the intrapreneurial spirit.
recognised the important role that intrapreneurs play within companies when he stated: “Virgin could never have grown into more than 200 companies that it is now, were it not for a steady stream of intrapreneurs who looked for and developed opportunities, often leading efforts that went against the grain.” Luckily for business owners the intrapreneurial mindset seems to be on the rise as the millennial generation enter the |26| intrapreneur.com
Companies can no longer afford to sit back on their laurels and depend on past performances or products. The business world is simply too competitive now. All companies need workers who are driven, who have initiative and a willingness to push traditional boundaries to give their organisation an edge amongst the competitions. This is exactly the reason why intrapreneurs are becoming the most valuable asset that any organisation can have. Companies that continue along the path of doing things ‘the way they have always been done’ and who refuse to listen to their employees’ ideas have little chance of surviving in the new era of innovation.
Investing in intrapreneurs within their company structure is key to a company’s longevity and success. Company leaders need to take notice of what this new breed of workers brings to the corporate table and embrace, encourage and facilitate their success. Their individual success essentially equates to your business success. Investing in intrapreneurs is about giving them permission, opportunity and support, its about breeding the next
generation of leaders within your organisation. Intrapreneurs have the ability to progress business forward and by doing so they naturally rise to the top regardless of the pecking order. More often than not the true leaders in an organisation are in fact the leaders by nature and not by job title. Intrapreneurs are the way of the future - the force that is going to help your business not just survive, but thrive.
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THE ENTREPRENEUR
INSIDE BY AGUSTÍN ARIEU
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formative years, are exposed to and educated in the concepts of entrepreneurship, they are more likely to show a greater interest in the idea of running new Projects or starting businesses. It is during those early years when our internal ‘scripts’ that guide our beliefs, decisión making and behaviour, are formed. Fortunately, these ‘scripts’ can be modified. Strengthening young peoples’confidence and developing their self-efficacy (a sense of personal empowerment and the belief that one can make a difference) can help them to become more entrepreneurial. The same occurs with employees.
The world needs entrepreneurs! They create value, transform paradigms, generate employment and drive new technologies. Let me clarify that by entrepreneur I don´t mean a person who aspires to become rich and powerful, rather, it is a person who feels passionate about creating value for others. ENTREPRENEURS can also exist INSIDE an organisation. They are called INTRAPRENEURS. What entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs have in common is that they BOTH drive value creation. That’s the end product – but where does it start? It starts with imagination, seeing things from different or alternative perspectives, and engaging in possibility thinking. Our education system needs to start teaching this from an early age. Research suggests that, if youngsters in their
Companies that encourage growth and development in their people are more likely to tap into the intrapreneurial talent within their ranks. They are developing the entrepreneur INSIDE. People are hungry for satisfaction, autonomy and opportunity in their work. When they are provided with the space and permission to run meaningful projects they are likely to expend additional or discretionary effort in order to see their vision come to fruition. Over time they will build their self-confidence, learn how to overcome barriers and persist in persuing their goals. Intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs are strong in three key traits. 1. The orientation towards learning, 2. Good social skills 3. The desire of transformation. Lets deal with each in turn.
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People who are lifelong learners, adapt more easily to changing circumstances. They use their own mistakes as a basis to understand their behavior, recognise their limitations and subsequently look for ways of addressing them. People with good social skills and high levels of emotional intelligence are more likely to engage in effective interactions that lead to the construction of productive human relationships. Given that most projects require collaboration with others, it stands to reason that good social skills will facilitate good outcomes. Finally, the desire for transformation exists when people see the gap between what is and what could be. Social intrapreneurs |30| intrapreneur.com
and entrepreneurs in particular have a keen sense of justice and welfare for others. They are driven by the desire to make things better. Do you look for and find problems worth solving? When you start new challenges do you have the confidence to face them? Despite difficulties, are you able to stay motivated? If so, there may be an entrepreneur inside you. And progressive companies will want you to be part of their future. They know it´s important to attract and retain individuals like you in a fast changing world. More than ever, companies need the entrepreneur INSIDE – they need the INTRAPRENEUR.
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Calling All Intrapreneurs Does this sound like you? Are you an: Opportunity finder who see possibilities and envisions the future Resourceful problem-solver who get results and breaks through barriers to progress Agile learner who learns what you need to when you need to Iconoclast who challenges the status quo and out-dated thinking and practices Risk taker who repurposes failure and becomes stronger through challenges Creative thinker who looks at the world with fresh eyes and curiosity
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The world needs to be FULL of successful Intrapreneurs. That’s precisely why we have kept the investment to join our Institute as low as possible. We are offering Foundation member access only at these prices. Next year the price will go up. Just think. These affordable prices translate into an investment of less than $1 a day—probably what you pay EXTRA for a special cup of coffee! Here’s a wrap-up of everything you will get:
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JIM LINK:
KEEPING PACE WITH THE CHANGING NEEDS OF RECRUITMENT Recruitment in the modern age is no longer about hiring based on past credentials and a well-thought-out resume, but the willingness of an applicant to commit to lifelong learning and agility within their role. Hiring staff that can look ahead, taking in information and upskilling at every opportunity is critical for the longevity of a business, no matter the niche or number of staff. What organisations need to recruit, in that case, are intrapreneurs – and they need to hang on to them. “Intrapreneurs have one thing in common, and that is they will be the first ones to identify disruption. Their ability to at least see the indicators of disruption is really what intrapreneurialism is all about, and that’s why being able to find those people is so critically important to the lifespan of a currently existing organisation,” said Randstad’s Chief Human Resources Officer for North America, Jim Link. |34| intrapreneur.com
“I would encourage organisations that are really looking for intrapreneurially-minded people to first look at learning agility and that lifelong learner status to determine if they have the core requirements for intrapreneurialism within an organisation,” said Jim. Jim’s research has shown that many organisations are opening up to the idea of upskilling, re-skilling and new-skilling employees to match the organisation’s needs and foster a more flexible, tailor-made team. Many appear to be struggling to find talent with the specific skills they require, which is, in turn, providing challenges down the line. “With the capability that exists out there today, especially in the form of technical or scientific talent, needs are just not being met for employers. Employees currently have a willingness and a desire to be up skilled, new skilled and re skilled, and as a result of that, many employers now are looking both internally and at third party organisations to provide that to their employees,” he said. “And that, of course, has an impact on who you recruit and to the organisation and what opportunities you provide to them.” Intrapreneurs are ahead of the game in this regard. They already have what Jim describes as ‘learning agility’ and a thirst for information. They consume data willingly, attend courses voluntarily and are curious about the world around them. With this comes confidence in who they are and what they want to be known for. “Intrapreneurs read a lot, they look for patterns and clues and they’re curious by nature. Those are the types of factors I try to draw out in interviews,” said Jim.
“And we don’t really care about the methodology one uses to learn; we are interested in the fact that they like to learn.” Another key piece of information Jim aims to glean from his interviews is finding out what idea the prospect has had previously and how they helped bring that to fruition. This idea may not be something of monetary value, but changing the culture within a workplace or implementing strategies for greater morale or productivity are just as important. “Being able to demonstrate how they took something from ideation to completion, no matter what the topic, is a good indicator of intrapreneurialism. As an interviewer, I’m going to be listening for that very, very closely,” he said. When it comes to nurturing intrapreneurs once the recruitment phase is complete, innovation (or idea) labs are becoming increasingly popular to help move organisations ahead with the fast-paced evolution of the business world. Innovation labs provide safe spaces where employees can voice their ideas, throw around solutions to current problems and work together to make the organisation run more effectively. “The cost of that is basically zero, and the employer has everything to gain from a new idea lab or a new idea group... it doesn’t have to cost the company any money, it doesn’t have to cost any time. It’s only facilitating the idea that that can occur in a current organisation.” “[An idea lab] also engages employees. Even those who aren’t intrapreneurially-minded, it will engage those to see the forwardthinking, almost future-proofing role that intrapreneur.com |35|
their organisation is undertaking by enabling the desires of like-minded employees to do that type of work.” By enabling a free-thinking structure within an organisation, ideas will abound that can bring the entire team up a level and ensure the longevity of the organisation. The saying goes, ‘from little things, big things grow’, and by recruiting the right talent and allowing that space for open discussion, massive forward momentum can ensue. “Idea generation is as at the heart and soul of intrapreneurial behaviour. And for those individuals who can bring that mindset into an organisation, it’s transformative,” Jim said. |36| intrapreneur.com
“A lot of organisations today are very comfortable just doing what they do very well. But the history books are littered with those organisations that did not adapt fast enough. If you have these types of individuals in your organisations, they bring that transformative mindset to work every day with them. If they also have the right environment for culture and grow it, then that is a massive benefit to the employer too.”
linkedin.com/in/jim-link-a9221215/
WHY HIRING
INTRAPRENEURS IS GOOD FOR
BUSINESS
To first understand why hiring intrapreneurs could be good for your business you first have to have a precise idea as to what exactly is an intrapraneur? Everyone has heard of entrepreneurs – those people who get out there with a creative idea and develop a business venture. So what is an intrapreneur then?
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Personal Branding expert, William Arruda in his book Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand first used the term Intrapreneur. Arruda identifies an intrapreneur as someone that demonstrates all the creative talent, innovation, gusto and drive of an entrepreneur but within the parameters of a company structure. An intrapreneur is an individual with the insight and self-belief to implement transformation within a business. In a nutshell an intrapreneur is someone with all the qualities of an entrepreneur but who is working within an organisation not starting
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one up. Intrapreneurs have the same creative mindset as entrepreneurs and are not afraid of change or calculated risk. The only difference really is that entrepreneurs act as individuals whereas intrapreneurs work on behalf of their employer.
So this brings us to the point of exactly why hiring intrapreneurs can be good for your business?
Innovation: Having a good product or service simply does not cut it anymore. In this increasingly competitive business world companies need to be regularly changing and coming up with new ideas and concepts and this is where the intrapreneur comes in – you need people within your business who are continuously bringing forward creative ideas. Take eBay employee Healey Cypher for example. Cypher realised that 75% of consumer purchases happen within 25 kilometres of a physical store. Cypher used this information to help transform the retail experience for eBay customers. He set up a team and came up with a solution and this was quickly integrated into many leading retail chains such as TOMS, Sony and Toys “R” Us. This opened up the online retail door for eBay and without this idea from Cypher the company would have never explored this huge opportunity. Innovation is key to the continued growth and development of businesses and intrapreneurs have the ability to constantly come up with new ideas and concepts, helping to drive businesses forward into the future. They help companies to stay one step ahead of the competition. Passion: One of the key qualities of a successful entrepreneur is passion and an intrapreneur is no different. Despite not being the founder of the business, intrapreneurs possess a deep passion and commitment for what it is that they do. They are heavily emotionally invested in their job – they are simply not clocking in and clocking off. Intrapreneurs tend to put their heart and soul into their job and take serious pride and satisfaction in their performance. All businesses, big or small, benefit from having employees who are passionate about their work.
Have a ‘Big Picture’ outlook: Because of their creative mindset and business brain, intrapreneurs are able to see the ‘big picture’ within a workplace environment. They don’t get caught up in the pedantry of the small stuff as they can see how certain processes might simply be a means to an end of achieving a greater goal. Intrapreneurs are able to see the ‘big picture’ within their relative domain and this allows them to push forward and facilitate continuous growth within the business preventing stagnation and complacency. Easily adapt to change: One of the most valuable qualities of an intrapreneur is their ability to easily adapt to change. Being naturally open to new ideas means that intrapreneurs do not get stuck on a particular method or way of doing things. Intrapreneurs are some of the most agile team members because they are constantly looking for ways of improving and for better solutions to problems. Intrapreneurs are constantly one step ahead of the rest, already thinking of the solution before the problem has presented and ready to switch gears and approach when necessary. The ability to adapt makes intrapreneurs an integral part of any growing company. Traditional business models have changed and as such so too has the role of employees. Businesses can no longer survive with simply ‘workers’, they need team players who are willing to think outside of the box, go the extra mile, infuse passion into their project and find solutions when they encounter roadblocks -businesses today need intrapreneurs.
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