When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.
— Erma Bombeck
It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill.
— Wilbur Wright
Entrepreneurship today is somewhat different than what Peter Drucker may have believed and actually wrote about. But the process is still recognizable, if not the outcome. We live in the fast moving, tech-driven, complicated iEra, where not only one’s service and/or product are “on the line”, but one’s personal grit, digital footprint, and digital reputation are at stake- on an almost daily basis. It’s been said that we are now entering the post social media era where one’s talents and skill sets (which are displayed in the entrepreneurial dance), take on new meaning, as does the term “soft skills”. It’s something I wrote about in my latest article for The Huffington Post, which you can read here.
Entrepreneurship has historically been in lockstep with business models. However, the United States Dept. of Education is now calling on entrepreneurs to disrupt education. I find that extremely interesting since I myself am an educator turned entrepreneur. One who understands the need to change how we learn, ask questions, and apply both our innate talents and studied skill sets to impact the future of work. This is something to truly ponder, in our globally connected society and shared economy.
American entrepreneurs can learn much from their predecessors such as the Minutemen of the War for Independence. But we can also learn a lot from our expats in Europe and our futurists in the tech sector. The ones disrupting business models, thanks to the rising interest in the Internet of Things. You can read more about that in this enlightening article in the Harvard Business Review.
Thanks to the new rules of engagement in the startup arena, today’s entrepreneur has new skills and talents to hone, and new takeaways to internalize. Today’s founder needs to implement them wisely so that we collectively redefine what culture means. It’s something I wrote about in my book, The NICE Reboot. It’s something I’m seeing myself “in the trenches” and currently reading about in an insightful and enjoyable book, Creativity Inc. (I know I promised y’all a blogpost when I finish it!).
An entrepreneur in the Digital Age has the power to impact our changing culture. How?
• Adopt a growth mindset which fosters resiliency and innovation
• Embed social entrepreneurship into all missions and outcomes which fosters empathy and problem solving
• Display integrity online and offline which fosters transparency and leadership
Cultural restructuring is one of the keys to innovation and ultimately success, as seen in this interesting post, and in the overall writings of both Tim Kastelle and Victor Hwang. Both provide much needed concise thought leadership on the importance of creating an innovative culture; the secret weapon in business.
It’s human to hold on to the past, which is possibly why handwritten fonts are making a comeback for social technology and mobile technology users . But isn’t it more humane to harness technology to create a “Can-Do” culture which make things better for people all around?
Let me end with a truly great post by one of my favorite bloggers, Med Kharbach. He provides this worthwhile list of 8 TED Talks on “The Origin of Ideas”. It contains much food for thought about the skill set, innovative thinking, and cultural shifts all 21st century entrepreneurs need to consider.
Today’s entrepreneur provides a service/product that can impact our culture, not just the target market.
Best,
Penina
The NICE Reboot Book Blog on Entrepreneurship in the iEra 