WRITTEN BY BOOM SAN AGUSTIN
Turnover, lackluster productivity and apathy are just some of the challenges that corporate executives face with their present manpower. Many managers have tried many different techniques to motivate their team; yet most of these techniques are temporary, at best. Perhaps, it’s time for a change. Perhaps, it’s time for your employees to adapt an “entrepreneurial mindset”!
Surprised? Don’t be. There is growing evidence that espousing an “entrepreneurial mindset” in your employees actually supports growth in sales and employment, increases corporate performance, and unleashes employee potential. This may all seem a little hard to accept right now, especially since most HR Professionals have been taught otherwise; but just think about it for a minute.
The famous philosopher, Aristotle, once wrote, "Man’s life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals"; and this is the basis of an “entrepreneurial mindset”. Employees with this type of mindset are driven more by results rather than by routine. This means that both the company and the individual reap immediate rewards in profit, performance, and sense of purpose. If your employees are motivated by “their own goals” and if they see your company as a means of reaching them, they are, in turn, encouraged and taught to use their ingenuity, invest themselves in their work, and reach for their goals by helping your company achieve its goals.
Employees who are taught to think like entrepreneurs or businessmen are less likely to complain about work conditions, since they view your company as an important vehicle for reaching their goals rather than being the goal itself. And because your company is no longer the employees' "end all", they are also less likely to go on "strike".
Strange, you say? Not really. Your company, like all other companies, is not immune to the effects of a bad economy. Faced with a company crisis, your employees are usually filled with fear; and may resort to "desperate" measures, like a strike or a protest. Since their whole hope for a "better future" is anchored on the company itself, the thought of losing their jobs becomes, simply, unbearable. However, if your employees' goals were outside your company, then a strike or protest actions would only be a waste of time for them. They would rather exert effort in either looking for another "vehicle" (company), fast-tracking their goals, or helping the company solve its problem so that they don't have to change "vehicles". In any case, you don't have to worry about protest actions.
An "entrepreneurial mindset" may actually benefit some company positions more than others; which would eventually benefit your company. Sales people, for instance, would probably be more receptive to the idea of entrepreneurship. And why not? They stand to benefit from it. "Sales" is all about motivation... and motivation is all about owning your personal goals! This is why an "entrepreneurial mindset" can probably improve the performance of your sales people more than any "sales training" workshop can. Sales training focuses more on "honing the skills" of the learner; whereas entrepreneurship focuses on their own personal "reason" for selling. Without a reason to sell, no amount of "skill training" will be enough; however, if your "reason for selling" is strong, then even a lack of skill cannot stop you from selling.
I know that it'll take some getting used to; but we cannot deny that this will probably be the focus of Training and Organizational development in the near future. If this is the case, wouldn't it be best for your company to get the ball rolling now?
Copyright © 2010 by BizWiz Resources
www.BizWizResources.com
Turnover, lackluster productivity and apathy are just some of the challenges that corporate executives face with their present manpower. Many managers have tried many different techniques to motivate their team; yet most of these techniques are temporary, at best. Perhaps, it’s time for a change. Perhaps, it’s time for your employees to adapt an “entrepreneurial mindset”!
Surprised? Don’t be. There is growing evidence that espousing an “entrepreneurial mindset” in your employees actually supports growth in sales and employment, increases corporate performance, and unleashes employee potential. This may all seem a little hard to accept right now, especially since most HR Professionals have been taught otherwise; but just think about it for a minute.
The famous philosopher, Aristotle, once wrote, "Man’s life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals"; and this is the basis of an “entrepreneurial mindset”. Employees with this type of mindset are driven more by results rather than by routine. This means that both the company and the individual reap immediate rewards in profit, performance, and sense of purpose. If your employees are motivated by “their own goals” and if they see your company as a means of reaching them, they are, in turn, encouraged and taught to use their ingenuity, invest themselves in their work, and reach for their goals by helping your company achieve its goals.
Employees who are taught to think like entrepreneurs or businessmen are less likely to complain about work conditions, since they view your company as an important vehicle for reaching their goals rather than being the goal itself. And because your company is no longer the employees' "end all", they are also less likely to go on "strike".
Strange, you say? Not really. Your company, like all other companies, is not immune to the effects of a bad economy. Faced with a company crisis, your employees are usually filled with fear; and may resort to "desperate" measures, like a strike or a protest. Since their whole hope for a "better future" is anchored on the company itself, the thought of losing their jobs becomes, simply, unbearable. However, if your employees' goals were outside your company, then a strike or protest actions would only be a waste of time for them. They would rather exert effort in either looking for another "vehicle" (company), fast-tracking their goals, or helping the company solve its problem so that they don't have to change "vehicles". In any case, you don't have to worry about protest actions.
An "entrepreneurial mindset" may actually benefit some company positions more than others; which would eventually benefit your company. Sales people, for instance, would probably be more receptive to the idea of entrepreneurship. And why not? They stand to benefit from it. "Sales" is all about motivation... and motivation is all about owning your personal goals! This is why an "entrepreneurial mindset" can probably improve the performance of your sales people more than any "sales training" workshop can. Sales training focuses more on "honing the skills" of the learner; whereas entrepreneurship focuses on their own personal "reason" for selling. Without a reason to sell, no amount of "skill training" will be enough; however, if your "reason for selling" is strong, then even a lack of skill cannot stop you from selling.
I know that it'll take some getting used to; but we cannot deny that this will probably be the focus of Training and Organizational development in the near future. If this is the case, wouldn't it be best for your company to get the ball rolling now?
Copyright © 2010 by BizWiz Resources
www.BizWizResources.com
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