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What is Entrepreneurial Culture?

“An entrepreneurial culture consists of a group of individuals who have suppressed individual interests in an effort to achieve group success because group success will advance their individual interests.”

An Entrepreneurial Organizational Culture (EOC) is a system of shared values, beliefs, and norms of members of an organization, including valuing creativity and tolerance of creative people, believing that innovating and seizing market opportunities are appropriate behaviors to deal with problems of survival and prosperity, environmental uncertainty and competitors’ threats and expecting organizational members to behave accordingly.

The different definitions clearly show culture to be always a collective phenomenon. Culture is learned consciously and unconsciously. It should therefore be distinguished from human nature, on the one hand, and from the individual personality, on the other.

Cultural features are passed on in socialization processes. That is why culture cannot be changed in the short term: it has a long-term character. Cultural features influence attitudes towards start-ups and vice versa.

Entrepreneurial culture can be described as an environment where someone is motivated to innovate, create, and take risks. In a business, an entrepreneurial culture means that employees are encouraged to brainstorm new ideas or products. When work time is dedicated to these activities, it is called entrepreneurship.

Elements of Entrepreneurial Culture

These are the elements of entrepreneurial culture explained below:

1. People and Empowerment-Focused
2. Value Creation Through Innovation and Change
3. Attention at Basics
4. Hand-on-Management
5. Doing Right Thing

People and Empowerment-Focused

Entrepreneur cultures are groups of individuals who have made and worked for the development of the group. They are focused on the building of power and empowerment of the members of the group. Because an organization, society, or country develops when entrepreneurs develop.

Value Creation Through Innovation and Change

The new generation demands and wants new requirements. The entrepreneurial culture works towards value creation through innovation and change. Innovative changes and creations are important for the new generation.

Attention at Basics

Entrepreneurial culture works for the development of individuals, with the development of the group. It is necessary for them to keep their full concentration on the basics in the world of business. Because it is said that an organization develops only when its basics are strong.

Hand-on-Management

A good entrepreneur should have great managerial skills to run a successful organization. An organization is going to develop only when all the departments of the organization are managed properly. It is important for the entrepreneurial culture should aim toward having managers who are good and management and can make quick decisions.

Doing Right Thing

A good entrepreneur culture is achieved if there are proper ethical practices. An entrepreneurial culture should not only aim towards the development of their entrepreneurs, but they should always encourage the entrepreneurs to do the right thing.

Steps to Change Entrepreneurial Culture

These are the steps to change entrepreneurial culture:

1. Hire Aspiring Entrepreneurs
2. Make Employees Feel Like Partners
3. Empower and Encourage Employees
4. Be Open to Micro-Failures
5. Give Incentives to Employees
6. Lead by Example
7. Give Employees a Voice
8. Make It Safe to Share Ideas
9. Give Employees Ownership
10. Ask Them for Their Recommendation
11. Create a Startup Culture
12. Make Hires Draw an Owl

Hire Aspiring Entrepreneurs

It’s no coincidence that aspiring entrepreneurs are attracted to the startup environment. These types are eager to gain experience and tend to see opportunities in markets or the industry where others don’t. Bring them in, and empower them to flex their entrepreneurial muscles within your organization.

Make Employees Feel Like Partners

Give everyone in your company equity, and motivate them to view your company as their company. You really need to believe that everyone at your company is your partner and treat them that way.

Empower and Encourage Employees

Empower your employees with more responsibilities, and encourage them to make decisions on their own. Encourage creativity, reward your employees when they make good business decisions, and use their mistakes as learning opportunities.

Be Open to Micro-Failures

I try to create an environment in which employees know that I am open to micro-failures in the macro-pursuit of success. If people are afraid to take risks, then we aren’t going to grow as quickly or smartly as possible.

But people don’t always believe that making mistakes is OK. I strive to give them proof that it is, so they can let go of any fears and try new ways of getting the job done.

Give Incentives to Employees

What’s in it for them? If they’re proactive, go the extra mile, and really impact your company positively what do they get out of it? Incentives can include raises, bonuses (time off, a paid holiday, etc.), stock options, promotions, and even public recognition of one’s efforts.

Lead by Example

You need to lead by example, take a few risks, and then let those ideas materialize. In some cases, your risks will fail; you need to show your team that failure is OK. They should embrace it, fail fast, and get back on it.

The only way your employees will feel like taking risks is if they know that failing will not be looked at in a bad light. Just make sure each failure only happens once.

Give Employees a Voice

By giving employees voices, listening to their ideas, and implementing them, you can encourage a culture of “intrapreneurs.” Seeing that they are an integral part of the company, whether it’s saving money by using a different vendor or creating a new process to streamline production, will give them pride in the company.

Make It Safe to Share Ideas

Create a culture where new ideas are welcomed and not shut down. You want every employee to feel like she can make a difference with her idea rather than depend on the founder or management team for the next big idea. Encourage your team to share often and openly to encourage entrepreneurship.

Give Employees Ownership

To create a culture of intrapreneurs, you have to give employees ownership of projects and follow their recommendations. We encourage an entrepreneurial mindset by having employees take turns being “Sensei” and leading a professional development training session. Additionally, every employee is expected to take a project from start to finish every quarter.

Ask Them for Their Recommendation

Nearly all employees can present information; rock stars will prepare a recommendation. When team members bring back information, ask them, “What do you think?” You’ll create a culture of thinking beyond the current step toward the next steps and implications. It’s the first step toward creating intrapreneurs.

Create a Startup Culture

If you want to have intrapreneurs in your organization, you need to foster an atmosphere of entrepreneurship. This can be done through articles you share with the team, weekly meetings, and, most importantly, mentorship.

Creating a library of books about entrepreneurship helps as well. If you create and promote the culture, the entrepreneurial spirit within your employees will be empowered.

Make Hires Draw an Owl

There is a great Internet meme that we use as a hiring philosophy called “How to Draw an Owl.” Step one: Draw two circles. Step two: Draw the rest of the owl. We need people who can self-direct and get things done, even if it isn’t the way we’d ideally do it. Drawing owls is a microcosm of the “intrapreneur” culture we want to foster.

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