It’s the age-old story of an entrepreneur and a business idea falling in love. At first, it’s pure magic… customers are lining up to partake of your newness and ingenuity. Your sales drawer is bulging, your employees are enthusiastic and everyone wants to be a part of this “good thing”…
… Then the “honeymoon phase” ends, and one of two things happen:
- The rubber hits the road – OR –
- The s**t hits the fan.
What decides the difference?
Proactive v. Reactive Leadership
There are, for all intents and purposes, two primary styles of entrepreneurial leadership. The first is the “Carpe Diem!” (Seize the Day!) approach. The second is the “Oh, Crud”.
Carpe Diem Entrepreneurs think ten steps ahead of their customers, their staff and their competition. They recognized pitfalls and make preemptive moves to avoid them. They recognize opportunities, and are among the first to take advantage of them. And most importantly, they are creative. They try new things – if it works, they run with it and, if it doesn’t, they make a course correction and keep on keepin’ on. They are proactive leaders.
Oh, Crud Entrepreneurs are the polar opposite. They tag along after their fellow business owners, copy-catting ideas half-heartedly. They fear innovation, because they’re never at the forefront. They only take action when they have no choice. And the only waves they make are little ones in the bathtub at home. They are reactive leaders.
You can readily imagine which style of business ownership survives AND THRIVES long term.
DMT Challenge of the Week
Think back over your entrepreneurial activities this past week. How many of them were launched from a spirit of adventure, and how many from frank necessity? What’s one “carpe diem” activity you can add to your roster for next week?
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” ~ Steve Jobs
Dawn M. Tomczyk | DMT Artistry LLC | 810.923.4582 | dawn@dmtartistry.com
All content on this site Copyright © DMT Artistry LLC. All rights reserved.