You’ve Got the Mind of An Entrepreneur Whether You Like It or Not

Tara,
In your post you mention something I can't but agree with - "An enterpreneurial -minded comes with ' creative
avenues' to generate income(let us assume to create something positive)." In this context let us elaborate a bit on what is creativity? Creativity can find expression in a variety of ways.The discovery of new knowledge,new trends, or new products and services and how to market them is one of the many existing expressions of creativity.The manifestations of human creativity that span the spectrum of the human experience from technical, economical, ecological, social, emotional, to the spiritual. The Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner has developed a theory of multiple intelligences that people have within themselves.They include the following abilities: -Logical mathematical; Verbal; Spatial ;Musical; Bodily -
kinesthetic; Interpersonal -within others; Intrapersonal -with oneself.
These forms of intelligence translate to the following possible forms of creativity and excellence in various domains of teaching, research, poetry, mathematics, music, technical, verbal expression, acting, body movement, social behavior, psychology, as well as others.
The attributes of creative people,summarized over the years of studies, characterize people who display creative behavior:
-Have a strong capacity of abstract thinking;
-Can assimilate opposites;
-Respect facts and and attempt to give them interpretation and meaning in a larger context;
-Tolerate uncertainty, ambiguity, and conflict;
-Like adventures;
-Enjoy the surprise of the unplanned;
-Are confident in themselves and in what they are doing, whatever the outcome;
-Like to see the results of their efforts;
Finally for creative people, optimism and errors are are actual strategies.
-These attributes are central to the creative process tha involves homo-spatial thinking, which calls for
holding opposites in the same space or frame long enough to permit the possible emergence of new frames, new ideas, or new creative sparks. This juxtaposition of opposites, such as negative and positive, right and wrong, good and bad, rest and motion, wave and particle, and so on , is part of the creative process that includes oscillations between extremes of spectrum s: the state of chaos and order, diffused broad panoramas, and sharply focused fields, the whole and its consistent elements, the abstract and the concrete, to see the familiar as strange and the strange as familiar.
Finally, speaking of mindsets that will generate income, by utilizing creative avenues both individually and organizationally, we can identify for the time being at least 13, precepts of the" Minding organization."
1)From a conventional leader in a rigid hierarchy of organizational charts we begin to operate on the edge of chaos in a flexible, evolving, ever-renewing network of relationships internal to the organization and external to it, with customers, suppliers ,competitors,and allies.
2) to tap creativity, innovation, and achieve successful business solutions, plan some activities and permit the rest to evolve. Aim for a target of 50/50; 50 percent planned and 50 percent unplanned. Learn to work with chaos to order.
3)Commit to relentless improvement through ongoing cycles of chaos to order, balancing revolution with evolution.
4)Learn to think backwards: kniht.
5)Cultivate people, the only resource that can find meaning in purpose, and use commitment, judgment, and intuition to transform an organization into an organism, a minding organization.
6)Embrace uncertainty; neither fight it or try to impose order in on it.Adapt to it. Co evolve with the forces of the environment.
7)Pay attention to every customer. By necessity ignore some of the customers some of the time.
8)permit networks to evolve within and outside the organization.
9)Distribute decision making to where the future unfolds. Give workers the knowledge and skills they need to do their job. Vest people with authority to be wrong coupled with a commitment to share purpose that becomes the attractor, that gives meaning to choices and actions at the local level.
10)Bring the future into the present.Whenever possible visit the future.
11)Balance the quantitative data, facts, and logic with human qualitative judgments, intuition, and fertile imagination.
12)Use optimism, diversity, and errors as strategies.
13)Cultivate mutual trust and respect. Only trust can release the full potential of creativity and innovation, and permit the human spirit to soar.

Fantastic, Mike! It is so interesting to hear 1. the characteristics
of creativity and 2. how those characteristics can effectively
interact with an income-generating mindset to create a sustainable,
values-driven, money generating enterprise. Thank you for sharing
this. I can already see an article being shaped out of it.

Tara,
I ran into a quote , dealing with leadership, that according
to the best of my knowledge corresponds with the philosophy and personal development understandings that are so popular in our favorite blog.So here it is for everyone to wind their watch, following the new emerging requirements:
“I don’t think there’s some magic trick here. I think I’ve got a good nose for talent, so I hire really good people. And I’ve got a pretty healthy ego, so I’m not scared of hiring the smartest people, even when they’re smarter than me. And I have a low tolerance of nonsense and turf battles and game-playing, and I send that message very clearly. And so over time, I think, people start trusting each other, and they stay focused on mission, as opposed to personal ambition or grievance. If you’ve got really smart people who are all focused on the same mission, then usually you can get some things done.”
Barack Obama on leadership.

Hi Tara,

I was just chatting with gulliver this morning about the Innerpreneur/Entrepreneur division. Are we just Innerpreneurs because we don't like to market ourselves? Are we just Innerpreneurs because we're not very good at blowing our own trumpet? We've found this comfortable label that we can shelter under that makes us feel OK about being a bit of an Introvert, a bit soft and sensitive, but basically we're just Entrepreneurs by any other name, right? So I'm buzzed that you're writing about this today too.

But, if we don't learn to put ourselves about, so to speak, we're going to vanish into the background, because I think Business is catching up with our values and ideas. And those cheeky Extrovert-types are going to get all the good stuff, and all the glory (ok, so it's not a competition -- there's plenty for everyone, but do you remember that feeling from school, when you knew you had a great idea but you didn't like to put your hand up or show your work, and some other kid, who didn't have quite such a great idea/answer/project got all the teacher's praise and attention? play and repeat that scenario, ad infinitum).

It's a question of what we want and what we need to get there. Can we be honest and admit that we'd like a bigger slice of the pie? At least recognition for our work and ideas. Because I think the Innerpreneurs that I've come across truly rock at what they do. We just need to reach out across the divide. Take a few steps out of our comfort zone. Like you said before, if we all hold hands, maybe we can do it together.

Hi Sam,

Oh, there is so much good stuff in your comment. Let me see if I can address it all...

"Are we just Innerpreneurs because we don't like to market ourselves?"

Certainly not. I have encountered many Innerpreneurs who are extroverted and more than comfortable tooting their own horn. I've also encountered introverts (like us) who are also more than comfortable tooting their own horn. Perhaps I am lying to my Self but I have no trouble with marketing. Certain forms of marketing I object to but I have come to understand that I only need to employ those techniques that work for me. There are no rules with marketing, except that it should be authentic.

"But, if we don't learn to put ourselves about, so to speak, we're going to vanish into the background, because I think Business is catching up with our values and ideas. And those cheeky Extrovert-types are going to get all the good stuff, and all the glory."

The only difference I see with being introverted vs. extroverted is the means by which you may toot your horn. For example, an introvert might be more inclined to form close, personal relationships with colleagues and clients as a means to market themselves. There is no one right way to toot your horn, you just need to find what feels right for you and that connects with your clients.

I really don't see this as an issue of introversion vs. extroversion, I see it more that there are lots of different types of people going into business for themselves, some have business skills, and some don't. Some start their business to make money above all else, some go into business to create value in the world above all else, some to express themselves, and some are pursue all three or some other idea. Whatever the case, you are bringing your skill set to the table, and that doesn't necessarily include biz skills and the knowledge that 1/3 of your job is marketing. You're a writer (your business), you're an entrepreneur (running the business), and you're a marketer (growing the business). The sooner that idea is disseminated (that you have multiple roles as a self-employed professional) to those who don't have a traditional business background, the sooner those amazing businesses and the talent behind them will grow and prosper.

Sam, I honestly believe, above all else, that if you do your work really, really well, focus on it, give it all you have and don't run from your fears (i.e., tooting your horn), you'll find your success, in whatever form that takes for you.

"It's a question of what we want and what we need to get there."

Absolutely. This is the only question. When I started Elastic Mind that was the only question I focused on. I didn't know what I would do, I just knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go, and the rest is being filled in as I go. But to really answer this question, one needs to look inwards, as the answers aren't external to us. So to help my Self, every day I work to understand my truth, my desires, my fears and identify what is holding me back from getting what I need to get where I want to go.