Building an entrepreneurial organization team is much easier said than done. Only 13% of Americans say they feel engaged and passionate about their jobs. While you might want your team to be entrepreneurial, it’s about more than just well wishes. It’s developing systems, practices, and a culture that makes everyone feel as invested as the founder.
Try adopting these techniques to create a more entrepreneurial organization.
Let Teammates “Try-On” Different Hats
When you’re building an organization that fosters entrepreneurship, encourage your team to explore their passions and skills. It’s important you have teammates that pursue new avenues of thought.
Don’t be afraid to let your teammates “try-on” different hats across the organization. While they might have been hired for one role, don’t ignore them when they express interest in another role or project. This might mean letting someone working sales try out a few marketing pieces, or encouraging an accounts manager to try out coding for a day or two when they express interest.
This is important because it allows your team to visualize themselves in new roles, growing with the company, and understanding that their roles can and should change. When you create an environment where employees are encouraged to try new things, you’re tending to its culture of entrepreneurship.
Grow With Intention
Having variety in a team is essential to an entrepreneurial atmosphere. You need many skillsets to build a successful company–that means hiring people who have different skillsets and experiences than you. A range of thought, experience, and background in each team member will translate into diverse ideas, making problem-solving and growth a breeze.
As a leader or CEO for your organization, don’t leave diversity up to chance. It’s not just a “nice to have.” That means being mindful of each hire you bring on–will their experiences and mindsets simply reflect yours? Or can their background and skill set help you expand your understanding?
Studies show that the more diverse a company, the more revenue they’re likely to rake in. A study from the Boston Consulting Group revealed that “companies with more diverse management teams will have 19% higher revenue due to innovation.”
Find Passionate Teammates
Entrepreneurship needs invested employees to grow, so find and hire teammates who are equally as excited about the cause as you. They can have a passion for their day to day work, but it’s just as important that they have a life outside the 9-5.
Feeling joy for something has cascading positive effects in the office. Studies show that having an interest in an outside hobby leads to a better performance inside of the office–whether that be knitting or kite surfing. Additionally, being excited about that hobby brings a larger sense of autonomy to the office.
Autonomy means more ideas, more excitement, and more commitment to work. Not only that, but the combination of autonomy, passion, and excitement sounds suspiciously similar to entrepreneurship, doesn’t it?
Encourage Community
When you work with a team that’s excited and willing to share what they’re working, you create more opportunities for collaboration and the cross-pollination of ideas. Instead of siloing teams or positions, make sure there’s space (and time in the calendar) for everyone to share what they’re working on.
Allowing everyone a full view of company plans creates a space for teammates to take initiative amongst each other. It begins training everyone to be their own entrepreneur. This could mean monthly all-hand meetings, as well as channels of communication like Slack or Teams where everyone is empowered to make suggestions and add feedback.
Beyond community in the workplace, help your organization find a place to learn and grow outside the cubicle. Aspire360 has the coaching tools to help entrepreneurs discover their strengths, and network with a trusted group to help accelerate and grow a business.
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