By MG John Gronski (USA, Ret.)
Do you have an entrepreneurial mindset?
A friend of mine who is working on his Ph.D. recently asked if he could conduct an interview with me as a requirement for his program of study. He is involved in a project that focuses on the history of entrepreneurship, and he wanted to interview me in my role as an entrepreneur.
It got me thinking about the qualities an entrepreneur must have and three of those qualities readily came to mind. An entrepreneur must breathe that rarified AIR. By that I mean an entrepreneur must be accountable, imaginative, and embrace risk.
The Attributes of An Entrepreneur
Accountable – An entrepreneur must be accountable to those he or she provides products or services to and must also be accountable to those they bring in as employees. This implies that good entrepreneurs must have high core values they are willing to stand by in thick and thin. Effective entrepreneurs place their customers and employees first. They do this by providing a product or service that customers value and employees are proud to provide.
Imagination – Entrepreneurs must be imaginative and creative. They must be driven to find solutions. They need to focus on providing a product or service in a way that is unique. They must place their own stamp on it. Successful entrepreneurs do not copy. They innovate. They find ways to make things better.
Risk – Entrepreneurs must be willing to accept that they will operate in an environment fraught with risk. Being an entrepreneur, itself is risky. There is no guarantee of success. However, entrepreneurs must also be adept at managing risk whether that be by mitigating, transferring, or avoiding the risk.
These attributes of accountability, imagination, and having the ability to work in a risky environment are important for anyone to strive for, whether you own your own business or not. Most successful people, whether working for a small or large business, non-profit, military, or government organization, possess an entrepreneurial mindset. Being accountable, finding imaginative solutions to problems, and having the ability to negotiate a risky environment by understanding how to manage those risks will set anyone on a path to success.
Which of these entrepreneurial attributes do you possess?
About John Gronski
Major General John L. Gronski (U.S. Army Retired) is the founder and CEO of Leader Grove LLC, a leadership consulting firm. John is the author of two books, “Iron-Sharpened Leadership” and “The Ride of Our Lives” and he is an international and Fortune 500 speaker.
A decorated combat Veteran, infantryman, and Ranger School graduate, John is a transformational leader and has significant experience in business as a management consultant, where he led teams implementing large, complex projects. He now serves as an executive coach, leadership consultant, and trainer.
Learn more about John Gronski at https://johngronski.com/
