Now more than ever, we need to be innovative, energetic and ready and willing to adopt change – to have the entrepreneurial spirit.

This quote by Charles Darwin is so very relevant:

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.”

The saying, “business as usual”, is a misnomer.  If you are doing “business as usual” then you will be going backwards.  Why?  Because the environment in which you operate is changing at an incredible pace.  If you are not responsive to change then you will become obsolete.  In order to have a successful and sustainable business, I suggest that you need to be anticipating change, pre-empting what you need to do to accommodate future trends, being ahead of the game.

This is what our renowned entrepreneurs did and continue to do.  Much is written about what sets them aside, what they do differently, how they see the world?

What they have is what I like to call… an entrepreneurial spirit.  I have listed below ten of the characteristics often demonstrated by those with this spirit…

1. Committed to business success – and they know what success means to them

2. Innovators – bringing fresh ideas to the market

3. Implementers – great at following through or engaging and empowering others to so

4. Team builders – able to align the team to their vision

5. Understand value exchange

6. Live in positive expectancy

7. Passionate about making a difference

8. Great at managing results over time

9. Understand brand, marketing and selling – or the power of these

10. Eager to learn and improve.

Take a moment to consider these traits and rate yourself out of 10 for each.

What areas provide an opportunity for improvement – how can you be even more successful?

Which trait did you rate the highest?  Why do you think that was?

Which did you rate the lowest?  Why?  What is one action you could take to upgrade your rating in this area?

Our LEADERSHIP by DESIGN and INNOVATION by DESIGN workshops look closely at what it is that sets aside leaders who most successfully create change.

Question your processes, your policies, your strategies… are they as relevant as they could be given the direction your market or your sector is headed?  Never fall for the trap of business as usual.  Be innovative, inquisitive and future focussed.  Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit?