| I've noticed an interesting trend lately.
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| | They are perfectly happy working for
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| Usually the e-mail I receive in response
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| | someone else if the environment offers
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| to this column comes from rookie
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| | opportunities for advancement and growth
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| entrepreneurs or established business
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| | based on initiative and creativity, not
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| owners seeking my input on startup
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| | just on years punched in.
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| matters, financing, employee relations,
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| | Sadly, most big companies do not know how
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| general management and leadership issues,
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| | to nurture their intrapreneurs. Just the
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| policy matters, etc.
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| | opposite is more the norm: They give
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| Lately, however, many of the messages are
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| | employees a policies manual and tell them
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| coming from employees of medium-size and
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| | to toe the line.
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| large companies who are growing
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| | They hand you a written job description
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| frustrated at working in an environment
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| | and expect you to operate within its
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| that they deem (to quote one e-mail)
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| | parameters. When I quit my last real job
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| "Intellectually stifling and (that)
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| | some 10 years ago, my reason for doing so
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| offers few challenges of one's creativity
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| | was that the corporate environment was
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| and innovation.''
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| | just sucking the genius and the life
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| These folks are asking how best to move
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| | right out of me. It's something I hear
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| from being someone else's bored employee
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| | every week now from intrapreneurs.
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| to coming into their own as an excited
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| | Intrapreneuring is nothing new. As long
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| entrepreneur.
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| | as there have been employers and
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| These people are called "intrapreneurs,"
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| | employees, there have been intrapreneurs.
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| and their ranks are growing, which should
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| | But the Internet boom spawned a new
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| be of great concern to the employers who
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| | generation of free-agent-minded employees
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| have either been unaware that they
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| | who want the mental rewards and freedom
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| existed or have chosen to ignore them in
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| | of working for an entrepreneurial
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| the past.
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| | venture, and the financial stability of
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| By definition, intrapreneurs are
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| | working for an established company.
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| employees who think with an
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| | Just because the Internet boom went bust
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| entrepreneurial slant. Instead of just
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| | does not mean the mentality of this
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| doing their jobs by the numbers,
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| | generation of entrepreneurially minded
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| intrapreneurs approach every task with an
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| | employees has changed.
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| entrepreneurial mindset.
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| | To the contrary, intrapreneurs are now
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| They are always thinking of ways to
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| | part of practically every midsize to
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| improve products or processes. They are
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| | large organization, and they are biding
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| innovators, creative thinkers, and are
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| | their time and watching for opportunity
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| quite often viewed by management as
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| | while on the company payroll. This new
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| squeaky wheels. Unfortunately,
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| | generation of employees brings a change
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| intrapreneurs also are often seen as
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| | in the workplace mindset - from one of
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| troublemakers and hard to manage because
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| | "serial employment" to one of
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| they push the envelope of what's expected
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| | "entrepreneurial advancement."
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| from a traditional employee.
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| | The only way to convert the focus of
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| Most big companies don't want employees
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| | these employees, who are usually the most
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| who think independently. They don't want
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| | talented people within the organization,
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| employees who think outside of their job
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| | is to give them what they want - the
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| description, as intrapreneurs are prone
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| | opportunity to excel and grow within an
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| to do. I know this from personal
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| | environment that appreciates
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| experience, but that's a whole 'nother
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| | entrepreneurial thought. When
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| column.
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| | intrapreneurs are allowed to flourish,
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| The primary difference between
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| | the entire company will follow.
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| entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs is that
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| | We are in the age of ownership, where
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| the intrapreneur would be just as happy
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| | everyone from the CEO to the janitor has
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| to spend his life as someone else's
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| | more opportunities and options than ever
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| employee if the working environment
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| | before. We demand ownership in our lives
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| nurtured and supported his efforts.
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| | and in our careers. The gold watch has
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| Intrapreneurs do not want to become
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| | been replaced by the brass ring.
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| entrepreneurs.
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| | Here's to your success.
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