The Top 10 Characteristics of the Entrepreneurial Mindset

 

In their book, The Entrepreneurial Mindset, Rita Gunther McGrath and Ian MacMillan offer insights on the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs in today's fast-paced environment. They encourage us to stop acting by the old rules and start thinking with the discipline of habitual entrepreneurs:

 

1. Action-oriented

 

2. Able to simplify

 

When you are moving fast, complexity only creates confusion and delay. A huge part of becoming an entrepreneurial leader is learning to simplify complexity so your co-workers can act rapidly and with self-confidence.

 

3. Passionately seek new opportunities

 

Their greatest impact occurs when they create entirely new business models - how revenues are made, costs are incurred, or operations are conducted.

 

4. Pursue opportunities with enormous discipline

 

Most maintain an inventory of unexploited opportunities which they revisit often.

 

5. Pursue only the very best opportunities and avoid exhausting themselves and their organizations by chasing after every option

 

6. Ruthlessly disciplined about limiting the number of projects they pursue

 

7. Focus on execution

 

They execute, that is, they get on with it instead of analyzing new ideas to death.

 

8. But it's adaptive execution

 

They are able to change directions as the real opportunity, and the best way to exploit it, evolves.

 

9. Engage the energies of everyone in their domain

 

10. Engage the energies of everyone outside their domain too

 

They create and sustain networks of relationships rather than going it alone. They make the most of the intellectual and other resources people have to offer and help those people to achieve their goals as well.

 

About the submitter:

This piece was originally submitted by Susan Dunn, M.A., Clinical Psychologist, Momentum Coaching, who can be reached at sdunn@susandunn.cc, or visited on the web at http://www.susandunn.cc   The original source is: Rita G. McGrath and Ian MacMillan, 'The Entrepreneurial Mindset.'

 

Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 by Thomas J. Leonard. May be distributed if full attribution is given and copyright notice is included.

 

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