Getty ImagesDisorganized? It's a trait many entrepreneurs share.
Successful
entrepreneurs share many common traits, but they also share the absence
of certain traits. And the latter spells opportunity for those who want
to get ahead of the competition.
That’s because if you knew that you and your competitors were equally lacking at certain basic skills, you could consciously work to upgrade or delegate those abilities to leave the competition well behind.
Personal-assessment expert Bill J. Bonnstetter of Arizona-based TTI Performance Systems Ltd. has been studying entrepreneurs for years. In a recent article for the HBR Blog Network run by the Harvard Business Review, Bonnstetter identified four common traits serial entrepreneurs lack. See if you recognize any of these deficiencies in yourself:
Empathy Entrepreneurs often build products and companies to help people meet needs or deal with problems, but their commitment is on an intellectual or market basis — not on a personal level, Bonnstetter says. “They do this in hopes of a return on investment,” not to make friends or improve their personal relationships. But empathy is a key attribute for effective leaders and coaches. If your business depends on teamwork and individual effort, consider how a little more personal warmth and caring might help you reach your goals faster.
Self-management “Entrepreneurial-minded people are not proficient in managing themselves and their time,” Bonnstetter notes. “Often they need assistance managing everyday tasks and should hire or delegate them to someone who has mastered this skill.”
That’s because if you knew that you and your competitors were equally lacking at certain basic skills, you could consciously work to upgrade or delegate those abilities to leave the competition well behind.
Personal-assessment expert Bill J. Bonnstetter of Arizona-based TTI Performance Systems Ltd. has been studying entrepreneurs for years. In a recent article for the HBR Blog Network run by the Harvard Business Review, Bonnstetter identified four common traits serial entrepreneurs lack. See if you recognize any of these deficiencies in yourself:
Empathy Entrepreneurs often build products and companies to help people meet needs or deal with problems, but their commitment is on an intellectual or market basis — not on a personal level, Bonnstetter says. “They do this in hopes of a return on investment,” not to make friends or improve their personal relationships. But empathy is a key attribute for effective leaders and coaches. If your business depends on teamwork and individual effort, consider how a little more personal warmth and caring might help you reach your goals faster.
Self-management “Entrepreneurial-minded people are not proficient in managing themselves and their time,” Bonnstetter notes. “Often they need assistance managing everyday tasks and should hire or delegate them to someone who has mastered this skill.”
Planning and organizing
It’s not that entrepreneurs are more impulsive than anyone else; they
are so task-oriented that if they ever spent time planning every task or
meeting on their to-do list, they would never get anything done. Once
again, consider downloading this job on a dependable aide. Hiring
someone to manage your calendar, organize meetings, keep you on schedule
and de-clutter your office can help you overcome these weaknesses and
achieve greater efficiency, Bonnstetter says.
Analytical problem-solving Entrepreneurs believe in
action and fast decisions. “By nature they do not have time to collect
and analyze the data,” Bonnstetter says. “They see numbers as getting in
their way, and they should — everyone who has told them an idea
wouldn’t pan out has used data and logic to illustrate that point.” He
suggests entrepreneurs focus on creating and promoting their vision and
mission, and hire people to create an executable strategy and follow
through on the details.
Bonnstetter’s firms came to these conclusions by comparing the attributes of a group of serial entrepreneurs to a control group of 17,000 people. The group was assessed on its mastery of 23 important job-related skills.
Of course, Bonnstetter notes that the serial entrepreneurs in his study display several key strengths, too. In a previous article for HBR Blog Network, he noted that the entrepreneurs scored well above average in four key skills: persuasion; leadership; personal accountability; and goal orientation. These skills obviously represent key advantages to entrepreneurial types, so you might want to work on upgrading these skills as well.
Anything your competitors can do, you need to do better.
Bonnstetter’s firms came to these conclusions by comparing the attributes of a group of serial entrepreneurs to a control group of 17,000 people. The group was assessed on its mastery of 23 important job-related skills.
Of course, Bonnstetter notes that the serial entrepreneurs in his study display several key strengths, too. In a previous article for HBR Blog Network, he noted that the entrepreneurs scored well above average in four key skills: persuasion; leadership; personal accountability; and goal orientation. These skills obviously represent key advantages to entrepreneurial types, so you might want to work on upgrading these skills as well.
Anything your competitors can do, you need to do better.
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