Entrepreneurship is a spirit; leadership is its soul while society is its body. Without the spirit, the body is dead!
Possibilities are responsibilities. “Every opportunity comes with a responsibility. People miss opportunities because they are unable to take responsibilities.”- Professor Segun Adedeji – University of Ibadan School of Business.
Entrepreneurship is responsibility. Those who want to be entrepreneurs must not only be able to envision possibilities, they must also be ready to take responsibility. To take responsibility is to dare to achieve something without regard to the resources being controlled. Entrepreneurs are bold and courageous individuals who in spite of numerous challenges, think creatively, pursue doggedly and deliver excellently.
Because entrepreneurship is a ‘spirit’, those who practice it must do so in spirit and in truth (passionately). The ability to think and act entrepreneurially is a function of a genuine passion for social change. Entrepreneur are social doctors; they make the world a better place by solving societal numerous problems. The ability to imagine possibilities is a function of the entrepreneurial spirit. The ability to undertake possibilities is a function of the spirit of leadership. What vision is to leadership is what innovation is to entrepreneurship. A possibility without a corresponding responsibility is a mirage. The marriage between entrepreneurship and leadership always yields fruitfulness and acts as a catalyst for sustainable societal transformation. Entrepreneurs are both dreamers and doers. The presence and activities of SMEs and innovators in a country contribute to economic transformation and societal modernization respectively.
Entrepreneurship is a function of the entrepreneur. We must therefore, first look at the entrepreneur with respect to responsibility and also, entrepreneurship with respect to possibility. An entrepreneur is a leader; he sets the pace! An entrepreneur is a thinker; he re-sets the space! In their quest to contribute to the transformation of society through creativity, entrepreneurs are involved in so many constructive and productive activities such as problem-solving, innovation, value-creation, opportunity-finding and technology-application (PIVOT).
The bridge between possibilities and achievement is responsibilities. The ability to deploy energy (wisdom and might) to accomplish a task is often the most important aspect of the entrepreneur’s journey. The acronym “DARE” encapsulates the profile of a purpose-driven entrepreneur as follows:
D – Depth
A – Ability
R – Responsibility
E – Energy
- Depth: An entrepreneur must be a knowledge seeker, thinker, researcher and custodian of values. Don’t seek to be independent, seek to be ‘indeependent’. The deeper an entrepreneur becomes with respect to acquiring relevant and useful knowledge, the stronger his/her independence. Read Every day And Discover (READ). Learn Every day And Deliver (LEAD)
- Ability: Every entrepreneur has a unique talent and strength. More often than not, entrepreneurs are unaware of latent talents until unprecedented circumstances and activities provoke and reveal them. Take note of your abilities and categorize them as strengths. Entrepreneurship and productivity require strengths!
- Responsibility: It is one thing to be aware of abilities, it is a different thing to respond to those abilities by consciously deploying resources in accomplishing a set goal.
- Energy: Everything rises and falls on energy. An average entrepreneur is energetic. I may say that the entrepreneur’s journey is energy in motion (physical strength) and motion in energy (emotional strength).
When it comes to possibilities, entrepreneurship must be done with “SICKLE” so as to generate bountiful harvest.
S.I.C.K.L.E means the following:
Strategy – Strategic thinking or planning is a critical and technical aspect of entrepreneurship. Big firms, large corporations and business organizations are able to envision possibilities and exploit opportunities due to strategic activities such as investment in research and development (R&D), deepening of the knowledge economy and the fortification of think tank.
Innovation – Innovation is the specific function of entrepreneurship. It is the central issue in economic prosperity. It is the ability to use creativity to solve problems and create opportunities. It is the ability to move from conceptualization to commercialization, and ultimately, economic and societal transformation.
Collaboration – Turning a creative business idea into a lucrative business opportunity requires strategic partnership. Collaboration is the strength of entrepreneurship.
Knowledge –Innovation is driven by knowledge. Productivity is in turn driven by innovation. Economic growth occurs as a result of perpetual economic activities. Knowledge organizes activities and brings about efficiency in productivity. We live in an era where technological advancement is rapidly advancing and enhancing production, thus deepening the knowledge economy. A part of this phase of industrial change is the joining of technologies like artificial intelligence, gene editing, to advanced robotics that blur the lines between the physical, digital, and biological worlds.
Leadership – Leadership is the ability to create rules and to set goals. It is the capacity to follow through to ensure that rules are followed and goals are accomplished. Entrepreneurial leadership is needed for sustainable development.
Energy – The economy is shaped by entrepreneurship, energy and the environment. From coal, to oil and later to natural gas, the energy sector has evolved. Sustainable development is energy-driven. Renewable energy technologies are gaining recognition due to the critical roles they play in providing clean energy which is an essential pillar of sustainable development. Without energy, entrepreneurship is nothing more than an ideology. Entrepreneurship must be purposeful, practical, vision-driven and result-yielding.
“So many things are possible as long as you don’t know they are impossible.”- Mildred D. Taylor
“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.” – Sigmund Freud
“The key to productivity is to rotate your avoidance techniques.” – Shannon Wheeler.
“I see potential in you, make it kinetic! Your gift is your lift, stay lifted!” – thinkUP
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