One of the most recurring subjects in recent years is the familiar topic of talent management. Organisations devise strategies and even set up platforms with specific modules dedicated to this field and, yet, we often forget the most important thing: What type of talent or skill is differential for my company?
Europe is an SME market and in our country, this characteristic is probably much more notable.
One of the most powerful personal qualities is, undoubtedly, an entrepreneurial nature. We often see professionals who have been acclaimed in multinationals fail once they reach small and medium-sized organisations. They miss the resources, the processes… in other words, the structure and routines of a large company. On the other hand, an entrepreneurial person will often feel suffocated by bureaucracy, never-ending hierarchy and slow decision-making by senior management. Entrepreneurs are the new rock stars of the 21st Century.
So, what exactly are the characteristics of this type of professional?
- They innovate. That is, they find business opportunities easily, they suggest new ways of doing things, they think laterally, and they usually have a knack for visualising different scenarios.
- They are a breeding ground for ideas and proposals, and always make it easier for initiatives to blossom, whether they are their own or someone else’s. Their colleagues will find them to be good mentors who will support and empower them.
- They are more strategic than tactical, so they focus on the middle-long term. They always keep in the mind the next steps to be taken, which gives them perspective, and they will not get bogged down by difficulties that come up along the way. They take on the inherent risks of innovation and change with ease.
- The value they place on ideas and personal initiative makes them honest professionals with integrity, who are usually considerably humble. They like to be acknowledged. Although money is important, it is not the only thing that motivates them.
- They tend to be born leaders and, consequently, good at managing the essential, although not necessarily gifted at managing detail.
When an organisation detects any of these patterns in any of their employees or collaborators, they should realise that the success of their company depends rather more on this type of professional than it might seem.
Their professional growth should be encouraged, as this will also benefit the company’s growth. It is important to implement organisational strategies which will allow these individuals to have carte blanche. They may well move on to another company eventually, or leave to start up their own business, but they will have left their mark behind which will, undoubtedly, make up for the problem of their absence.
References:
- Intrapreneurship Conference 2014
- Forbes: Why companies want you to become an intrepreneur
- The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
- Lean Innovation – Claus Sehested & Henrik Sonnenberg
