The Entrepreneur Inside By Agustín Arieu

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 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.

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 selfconfidence, 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.

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 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.