ARE YOU AN EMPLOYEE OR AN INTRAPRENEUR?

There are a number of good reasons why some graduates prefer to be entrepreneurs in Ghana. It could be the undeniable appeal of being one's own boss, dictating your own hours and pace of work, and the unmistakable lure of sharing profits and benefits with no one but oneself! This choice in all measures, could be very well the best way to grow individually and also contribute to the economic growth of our country. Considering the difficulty of running a business in it's early stages and the volumes of hard work and dedication needed for the enterprise to survive and grow before the fifth year, entrepreneurs deserve the maximum support from the government in the form of policies that support the growth of local businesses and the respect of fellow citizens.

Another reason could be the enormous desire to get away from an unhealthy working environment where the talents, skills, and potentials of employees are not nurtured. There have been instances where very bright, creative, and ambitious employees after joining a company end up uninspired, short-sighted, and sadly, redundant. There is nothing more stifling than a company full of bureaucratic processes and narrow-minded management. Such companies do not leave much room for the growth and promotion of employees irrespective of their positive and remarkable contributions to the company. In the long-run, these employees either seek better opportunities elsewhere or prefer to stay put for fear of being unemployed should they quit.

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However, there are some companies that go the extra mile to attract and retain potentially loyal and ambitious employees. They train, nurture, and give room for the creativity of employees to flourish. Such companies recognize the importance of challenging their employees to keep them focused and active throughout their careers. It is the dream of a lot of people to work with these companies and as such the competition to get the opportunity to work with them is intense considering that there are very few in our societies.

It is mostly said that the educational system of our country is theoretical and not practical enough and I admire the efforts made by some students to gain some work experience through internships and other programs before they face the world of work. Bridging the gap between theory and practice comes with training and companies who offer on-the-job training are in high demand because they recognize the importance of training and molding employees in line with the values and expectations of the company. This move, in my opinion, grooms employees with fierce loyalty to the company irrespective of their position and remuneration.

As an employee, irrespective of where you find yourself, it is imperative that you make a conscious decision and effort to make positive contributions to your company irrespective of the situation. I do not believe in excessive complaints, I believe in actions that make a positive difference, ideas that inspire positive change, and the saying 'it is better to ask for forgiveness than to seek permission'. I believe in taking responsibility for your work and taking ownership of your role in the company. I believe in being an 'Intrapreneur'.

There are many definitions of who an Intrapreneur is but in my experience and success as one, I prefer to explain the term as: 'An employee who takes a personal interest in their position & roles and an implicit/indirect ownership of the company where he/she works.' It means being an entrepreneur, not in your own company but by helping to build or expand a company. It is a lack of such 'Intrapreneurs' that make our governmental agencies inefficient and dormant. It is the inability of some management to accommodate Intrapreneurs that has reduced the quantity and quality of ground-breaking innovations in the production and supply of their products and services.

It is my belief that Intrapreneurs know their worth and yet are not driven by greed. They are employees who will take risks and work wholeheartedly to achieve results for the growth of the company. We are the employees who appreciate the ideas of others and find ways and means to improve upon the ideas and turn them into real processes or products while giving credit to the originator - metaphorically, we are 'incubators', ideas rarely die prematurely on our watch. We have integrity in our dealings with our supervisors, co-workers, customers, and other stakeholders. We possess confidence and humility, a rare trait combination among a considerable number of hotshots in the corporate world. And finally, we are not afraid of change or failure! Oh yes! Our central pivot system is very active as we accept and learn from our mistakes while forging forward to give valuable results to our companies and in the long-run, our economic advancement in the community and country where we find ourselves!

So, what is your position? Are you just an employee or an Intrapreneur? And as an employer, do you nurture or neglect the potentials/intrapreneurs in your outfit? Take the right step and keep in mind that the future of the world of work is going to be expedited by Intrapreneurs!