Being an intrapreneur: finding your role
As an intrapreneur, the mindset should not be getting hired somewhere to immediately start making changes; rather, I feel we need time involved in business activities. This way, we can understand the functions of the business and its entities. We can cultivate relationships. We can know what matters to employees. We can likely develop more support and input from coworkers. This does not mean we should let years drag on before we start pitching ideas, but it has to be done at the appropriate time.
This raises my question: how do we know when that time is? Similarly, how do we know we are adequate to push for changes–
Is there a certain level of expertise we need?
Is there certain networking connections we need to have made?
Do we have to have worked at the business for a certain stretch of time?
Or, do we just need to feel qualified based on our own assessment?
Throughout class it seems as though many of us imagine ourselves being intrapreneurs as opposed to entrepreneurs. We want to make changes in systems and businesses already operating. I think the questions I have posted are applicable to us for that purpose. Let me know what you think. How do you work yourself into that position? How do you prepare for it?
I think you should offer ideas for change as soon as you understand the current process. Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve helped create changes, both big and small, at a few places I’ve worked. As soon as I see something that can be improved, I try to figure out what the real problem is, then when I have that, I think of solutions. If I get a good idea, I bring it up with my boss. My experience has been that bosses like ideas, whereas coworkers do not, so I avoid sharing ideas in environments where people who do not appreciate ideas and change are present; that is not to say we should be afraid of rejection, feedback, or criticism though.
Definition of an Intrapreneur:
http://www.lateralthinkingsolutions.net/blog/intrepreneur-definition.php