Leaving the cult of entrepreneurship: Intrapreneurs are the true drivers of innovation.
Entrepreneurship, once hailed as the ultimate innovation engine, is being reevaluated. The spotlight is shifting towards intrapreneurs, the unsung heroes within organizations, who are now recognized as the real catalysts for groundbreaking change and progress.
We are obsessed with the icon of the entrepreneur
In the U.S., Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Jack Dorsey have been deified alongside the likes of generals and Jesus
- Their message translates into a gospel of entrepreneurship, one that proclaims starting a business to be the way, the truth, and the good life.
- While many desire to become entrepreneurs, many shouldn’t. There is a middle path that can lead to a rewarding career.
Intrapreneurial slack at Kodak
Tradeoffs: intrapreneurs may have to sacrifice their off hours to work on pet projects or put their reputation on the line within the organization.
- They also have to sell their ideas, a big ask at organizations where higher-ups suffer from frozen thinking.
Fostering intrapreneurs in house
Today’s employees seek prosocial, meaningful, and innovative careers with a sense of autonomy
- If organizations want to tap into this wellspring of talent, they need to provide opportunities for their people to build their capabilities within a culture of immersive learning
Intrapreneurs and the entrepreneurial spirit
The word intrapreneur was coined in the late 70s to describe employees who act like an entrepreneur within an established organization
- Develop original solutions, processes, or products
- Sell their ideas to the higher-ups, use those innovations to motivate for change, and even transform entire industries
- Their position within an organization offsets the risks of starting a new business
Big Think+
Why Entrepreneurial Side Ventures Benefit Employees and Their Employers
- What it Takes to be a Recognized Subject Matter Expert
- Reinventing Your Brand
- Being a Better Colleague
- Join marketing strategy consultant Dorie Clark as she teaches lessons on entrepreneurship and why it benefits employees and their employers.
Pushing the boundaries
Ken Kutaragi, the father of the Sony PlayStation and the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, represents a single link in a chain of intrapreneurs that built the modern video games industry
- The video game industry is worth billions of dollars, and in North America, it has surpassed the film and music industries combined in revenue
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