Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs share some important work habits

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I love working with startups and organizations run by dynamic entrepreneurs who are the builders and drivers of new businesses. She or he took a concept and made it a reality. And these companies often have a special, hand-picked group of people who share many of the same characteristics as their founders: people who think similarly about how to get things done.

For me as a supplier, this means that a firm decision has been made, rather than something provisional or requiring multiple layers of approval from “upper management.” I love this environment because I am able to put 150% into my efforts because we share a common vision of goals and objectives. It’s different from a bureaucracy, where everything seems to revolve around layers of checks and balances. Yes, it can be risky, and a career in the startup circuit doesn’t have the security of working for a Fortune 100 company. That’s why many “closet” entrepreneurs work for larger companies. It can still be a fun workplace if the team and closest stakeholders are united. This type of employee is sometimes called an “intrapreneur.”

When I think about some of the best jobs I’ve had over the years, some of them were where I put together a team inside a large employer that resembled a startup atmosphere. It’s interesting how they accomplished their special projects. By reviewing my 30 years of headhunting notes and thinking about my favorite jobs, I’ve come up with some key work habits and philosophies needed to tackle work at this level.

Years ago, a senior executive gave me some advice about killer instinct. I studied that word seriously. We were discussing the personal traits he sees in his most successful employees, and he clearly saved that for last.

“Our top talent develops a killer instinct,” he said.

First, I thought about all the negative people I’ve met in my career who are experts in office politics and masterful behind-the-scenes agents. But after a while he came back and made his point clear. And I agreed with him that yes, this is a characteristic of internal project champions.

“Anyone with a killer instinct can accomplish anything.” Perhaps what I’m talking about could be more politely labeled “raw energy” or “driving force,” but… doesn’t want to have critical staff without it. “I think this phrase that I use has a certain edge to it that shows how committed the person is to getting things done,” he told me.

When we turn to my examples of successful people, it’s this “getting things done” element of work that separates people from recurring topics in conversation.

Even at the best companies, there will be people willing to put up barriers in the way of a team that appears to be aiming for the gold medal. Sad but true. And if someone were to ask me what is the most important factor in getting things done in such a situation (part of the aforementioned killer instinct), I would say that it is a good deal of perseverance. This tenacity and ability to bounce back again and again despite obstacles builds your chances of success.

I hired Kumar for a project management role 20 years ago. Kumar came up with an idea that could solve a critical problem on the manufacturing line for one of his compounds. Every time he talked about it, his boss found him something else to do. Still, Kumar knew that if he could overcome the technical hurdles facing his company, it would save everyone a lot of time. Unfortunately, both the quality department and the manufacturing team decided that his idea was not viable.

The last time he presented this idea, the head of the QA/QC department publicly referred to it as a “time sink.” It was then that Kumar decided to go underground with his idea. Instead of pursuing it in project meetings, he developed several strategic alliances and worked with scientists on major technical deficiencies. As sometimes happens when creative people take part in an “unofficial” project, they get lucky within just two weeks. Their modification was working on the manufacturing floor only a short time later. It’s a set of skills he learned about project management and patience that I’m sure will stick with Kumar throughout his career.

Michelle is a project manager for early stage products at a large company in the regulated products industry. She had been told by an external safety testing laboratory that the critical results they were seeking would be delayed by several weeks. Michelle knew that her employer was developing a similar test for a different purpose in another department, which made her very frustrated. Being able to tailor these to her needs will save you a lot of time and money. However, it seems impossible for her manager to prioritize her needs over his own goals.

Michelle then told me about how she negotiated with her bosses in other departments after winning company awards and bonuses. Her needs exceed her duties and will require some kind of “currency” in return.

She knew she couldn’t ask the man to trust her and make it up to her. It couldn’t be so vague… She had to have a clear vision of what he would achieve by realigning his priorities. She started thinking through it from his perspective and in doing so found a “win-win” situation for both parties. After all, it was just a matter of sharing the glory.

My friend Vic long ago suggested that his company move its product assembly to robotic systems. When we put Vic in the role, they had been building it the same way for his 15 years. His boss, the operations manager, had given him a budget to switch to a robotic line. However, Vic felt he was getting 40% less than he needed to do the job properly. Still, he was committed to making it a success. He has found available equipment that can be modified to do the job, but it can require significant effort from both the company and the vendor. This particular vendor was not as ready as Vic had hoped, and he found that there was little information about other successful installations. Still, Vic was confident and willing to put in whatever effort it took to get it up and running. He hired a mechanical engineer from the equipment team, and three days a week he met at 7 a.m. over coffee, bagels, and a drafting table. It wasn’t until Saturday morning that the two finally put the pieces of the jigsaw together and verified that the robotic system worked. After some time, the equipment was installed and debugged by the vendor. When it worked perfectly as expected, Vic told me that he and his partner breathed a sigh of relief. Arrived on budget and on time.

These characteristics alone are not enough to guarantee success. Each is an area of valuable interpersonal skills that many successful people have cultivated. However, there is another important element to these success factors. It is what connects them and creates a synergistic effect. A key element is a sense of urgency. If you can successfully integrate the job characteristics and sense of urgency described in this article, your career will be unstoppable.

Please let me know how things are going along the way.

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Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs share some important work habits

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