Entrepreneurs Need Intrapreneurs to Succeed

By Louis Gump Andersen Alumnus, President Cambian Solutions and Author of The Inside Innovator: A Practical Guide to Intrapreneurship

During a discussion with a group of CEOs earlier this year, I became even clearer about how much entrepreneurs need intrapreneurs to succeed. They quickly illustrated how important intrapreneurship is to their organizations’ growth and identified ways to improve inside innovation on their teams.

Entrepreneurs can achieve a lot, but they can’t do it all- even if they want to! The most effective entrepreneurs know when to delegate- and how to create a culture of empowerment. Doing this well fundamentally affects the results of growth and innovation opportunities.

When a skilled intrapreneur works with an enlightened entrepreneur, the team has critical ingredients for shared success- and fulfillment. On the other hand, if a great intrapreneur is working with a less adept entrepreneur (for example, who micromanages or creates an atmosphere of fear and disempowerment), then the team will often have a very challenging road, with unnecessary setbacks, delays and frustration.

Successful intrapreneurs magnify success. They can tackle projects large and small with high autonomy while driving growth. Even if the entrepreneur would excel at a project, they often don’t have the time to do it while meeting other needs.

So, entrepreneurs, please remember that you set the tone for the organization to grow. It isn’t just about having the right people to innovate; it’s also about fostering an environment that enables them to succeed. That’s on you. Organizations tend to take on the characteristics of their most senior leaders. You create that environment.

Entrepreneurs can select people to lead major initiatives through an intrapreneurial lens. They can look for characteristics of the most successful intrapreneurs like curiosity, action orientation, ability to build bridges, risk tolerance and grounded optimism. You can find your stars and help them to shine brighter through intrapreneurship. You can also find people who maybe aren’t yet living up to their full potential and give them a chance to shine. Who knows, you may discover some extraordinary talents while also advancing new growth initiatives, thereby further developing the next generation.

Many intrapreneurs work with entrepreneurs so they can contribute at their highest levels. The most effective entrepreneurs know how to identify, guide and motivate them. Entrepreneurs need intrapreneurs to succeed as well. The most innovative organizations elevate both for a truly symbiotic relationship that benefits customers and team members over time.

The Inside Innovator is designed to enable people to achieve more, build stronger relationships and increase personal fulfillment through intrapreneurship. To learn more, please see my website at https://www.louisgump.com. To order the book, here’s a direct link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1639080945?