There seems to be this mythology floating around that, regardless of the facts, you are an entrepreneur. For anyone who has been in HR, you are familiar with these sorts of theories that are supposed to make everyone feel good about themselves. One class during college focused on how everyone was a leader in their own special way. I don’t do fuzzy HR and not everyone is a leader. There may be a potential for everyone to become a leader (or an entrepreneur) but not everyone is a leader.
This sort of mythology bugs me because it minimizes the impact and the responsibility of good role players. The laser focus on leadership as the end all in business kills me. Even if you are a great leader, you have to be a great role player to be successful because you will have to be deferential at some point in your career.
What really sparked this frame of mind was Jason Alba’s post about entrepreneurship. I thought it was thoughtful and it made me take a step back. Jason is a textbook case of how an entrepreneur is born. Thrown into crappy circumstances (he was fired) and not having success doing the traditional job hunt, his despondence turned into business opportunity and he made a conscious effort to risk money, health and career on the opportunity in front of him.
So for Jason to say that people who stay at their miserable job for the (false) financial security, cheap health care and the advantages of following a traditional career path are as much of an entrepreneur as him? Yeah, that got my attention.
I understand the point but it doesn’t seem like that’s entrepreneurship to me. He says “You are CEO of Me, Inc.” That just seems to be a self-empowering statement (you are in charge of you). Just because you are in charge of your life doesn’t make you an entrepreneur.
I do think he truly meant what he said but I think he may be overly humble about what he had to go through to get to the point of writing a couple books, getting speaking engagements and so on. I think it is remarkable, just as remarkable as seeing my own family members go through the same struggles, near to complete failures and successes of entrepreneurship. It is hard to fathom that many employees have gone through the same tribulations and taken the same risks as entrepreneurs.
To end this in a semi-comprehensible manner, I believe that arguing that all people are entrepreneurs doesn’t recognize the value that both entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs bring to the table. In your career, sometimes you need to be an employee. There is nothing wrong with being non-entrepreneurial. It’s a choice that is made (whether consciously or not) and it shouldn’t be considered a bad thing.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Finally, someone points it out. The “you are an entrepreneur against all odds” pitch is becoming ever more pervasive; in the workplace, in motivational speaking, even in advertising. For some reason I’m reminded of those recent advertisements with Gary Busey from the garybuseyonbusiness.com website — there are a few gag entrepreneurial speeches on there about how all you need to become rich is an idea. This is very funny, and relevant, because that seems to be the current train of thought: ideas are prime real estate, every self-respecting business owner needs a healthy stockpile of them. When in fact the very thing that makes one an entrepreneur might not be the strength of his or her ideas at all, but what he or she does with them. Really, ideas are just entrepreneurial tools, as crucial as something like gotvmail’s voicemail service (the Busey vids are their ads, in fact). It’s like the unnecessary panic in the film industry that occurred over software like iMovie. Sure, now everyone can edit. That doesn’t make everyone an artist.
I hate the term “entrepreneur”. To me, it means “doer of all things”. Because when you start your own business you have to do everything on your own. Well, most do it seems.
I’m not good at everything. I don’t like everything. Not that those are prerequisites for being an entrepreneur…it’s just…well, I’m CRANKY. I don’t want to be bothered with *everything*. I feel overwhelmed just imagining it.
An entrepreneur is someone who is not ME.
An insightful post. Not everyone should be an entrepreneur, or a leader, or a manager. Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom, Aristotle once said. We should know which is the best role that we need to take.
Interesting take Lance. I have been thinking about this since I first read it, and will likely do a follow-up post on my blog.
Obviously not everyone is an entrepreneur, in the sense of the word that we are going to start a lemonade stand, software company, speaking career, etc.
But we are all choosing what we are doing with our careers. Where we work, for how long, what crap (or goodness) we put up with, how much we make, etc.
We are choosing to work in industries that are moving forward, or industries that are dying.
We are choosing which skills we hone, which professions we master. We choose who our competition is, what our market value is, what our products are, whether we diversify or focus, etc.
If we don’t, then we suck out our business. What you refer to as the “self-empowering statement,” being CEO of Me, Inc… well, we suck. Guess what, many entreprenuer suck at what they do, fail, and move on. Some die wealthy, and having made an impact on the world.
Some die dirt poor, having made no impact on the world and humanity.
I don’t think that we are all going to be GOOD at running our own career path (I mean, managing our own career, I mean, being in charge of our own career, I mean, BEING CEO of Me, Inc.).
But I do believe that we are all in charge of our own career, as much as an entrepreneur is in charge of his/her own business.
Perhaps I’m using the word “entrepreneur” too loosely. Perhaps the post was developed for my readership, who is concerned about their career path.
Just my two cents.
I can see what you’re saying Jason, that some people, in some companies can act and should act entrepreneurial but I have to argue against everyone being an entrepreneur. Sure people are responsible for their own lives and careers but being an entrepreneur goes beyond just being in charge.
Coming from a Fortune 300 company where I tried being entrepreneurial in how I worked (suggesting new ideas and trying to make my area work as efficient as possible), I quickly found out that the existing hierarchy looked at my moves with a questionable eye, always wondering why I worked this way, rather than accepting that it’s my personality. Having now branched out and started my own company, I feel a much better fit in how I work. Sure, setting my hours and schedule is a part of it, but it’s also knowing I’m working on something new and am unencumbered by people who are scared to lose their jobs, titles or what have you.
I understand your point of the entrepreneurial spirit but everyone is not an entrepreneur.
Quite the perspective and I must agree with your position. But I think what the differences I noted was that are entrepreneurs which is what you addressed. But there is the need for entrepreneurial behavior within the corporate ranks of most companies. One being the person, the other exemplifying the characteristics that are often associated with the other.
Being entrepreneurial is almost a brand of sorts that radiates a certain persona we are looking to describe. Very similar to Kleenex. Kleenex is a tissue, but how many people say “Hand me a tissue not even knowing the brand”. People know what they want and have associated that with a word that summarizes their need. I do not think everyone is an entrepreneur but I do think everyone NEEDS to be entrepreneurial.
Guess what I am really saying is that people in the corporate world need to understand that because they invent new ideas, solve problems, and show characteristics of something - that does not make them something they are not. It makes them a good employee. And if they are there, is not that what they are looking for anyway.
I’m actually going to disagree with you here. At almost every level in the company, there is an opportunity to be innovative and make changes. I’ve done it in positions at the very bottom of the individual contributor ladder.
I agree that employees play an important role, and just being one doesn’t make you an entrepreneur. But having read the article you cited at JibberJobber, I tend to agree with the overall premise.
Jason (the post above me) actually does a fantastic job of articulating what I’m trying to say.