Investing like an entrepreneur: 7 lessons from the Global Entrepreneur Report 2020
Between low interest rates and volatility in the equity market, the financial environment is...
Earlier this month, the People’sLab4Good was at Web2Day, the Nantes-based festival dedicated to the start-up and digital ecosystems. It was the perfect occasion to take stock of agile project creation as an intrapreneur with Thierry Croix, who gave a speech as UX designer expert.
How do you win hearts and minds when you're launching an impact project in-house? We interviewed him to find out.
This whole environment is an opportunity, which is something intrapreneurs don't always see, because many of them perceive the situation from an employee's point of view – at least initially. I understand this isn't easy, but when you decide to go down the route of changing the rules and working in agile mode, then you need to adopt a switcher's mindset. What I think is too little addressed, is that intrapreneurs have to give themselves permission to create their own rules.
Yes, absolutely. What I mean is that some people think that just because they’re joining an intrapreneurship programme, they'll learn new project management skills. You have to be able to get away from that.
Yes, and we have to stop making excuses. We can't spend two years thanking the gatekeeper for opening the door for us! We're lucky to be part of a bank that's prepared to address the subject of positive impact business directly. You need to seize the opportunity with both hands, and go for it!
There's no difference. An idea is an idea, and the way you put your project together doesn't change. The end goal is different, but the method is the same. In terms of structure, finances and resources, it's the same story for everyone, and you have to demonstrate your value proposition if you want to convince people. What's different are the stakes, and the values you put into your project.
The same lessons an entrepreneur takes: you have to go back to basics. Especially when you're developing an impact project. Working on 4Good projects means working for people. And people don't care about managerial processes, agility, digital methods, and so on. You need to accept that and go back to basics. Get your hands dirty, and see life from ground level. You also need to remember to keep taking a step back, and regularly ask yourself whether you're still fulfilling a need. Also, instead of thinking, “Each solution brings a new problem”, the mindset you need is, “There's a solution to each problem”.
Then you need to dive in, and stop questioning yourself. You have to move forward, fall down, pick yourself up and repeat the process.If the time comes when you think your idea has more potential and impact than your job, then you need to go for it and fight to make more time available. That's generally the hallmark of a company with a real desire to make an impact.
The movement is still in its infancy, but intrapreneurs also have the responsibility to show their companies that intrapreneurship isn't a sprint but a marathon. It takes time to create real value. If that time is made available, there'll be an impact, but in the long term. The rules of the game have changed... deal with it!
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