One of the things that need deliberation, is the reason why an individual opts to be an entrepreneur. Is it testing one’s capabilities, making some personal goals come true, or filling a gap in the needs of society? Of course, it is possible to be a combination of all three, but what is the primary reason? If the individual’s goals are aligned with a need of society, the chances of it growing rapidly are faster.
The biggest reason for this is the obvious fact that the entrepreneur is already thinking beyond herself. When one thinks beyond oneself, we are more open to listening to others’ viewpoints. We are more open to modifying our ideas in light of constant new inputs. Of course, one will weigh the pros and cons, but the team spirit gets into the organization.
Another thing that most entrepreneurs miss out on in search of their own goal, ambition, or social responsibility, is the alignment of individual employee needs with that of the organization. It is fatal to think and expect others to join your vision, without being bothered about the vision of those who are toiling hard to make our vision true. Till the organization’s vision and individual’s personal vision have some congruence, the path gets rocky and thorny. We can still walk, but with a pinch, with pain.
In my 40 years of professional life, I have observed that if people feel we are concerned about their welfare, they are ready to give far more than we think possible for an employee to do. The unseen, unwritten trust or mistrust between the manager and the employee decides the pace of the growth of an organization. If we just look at employees as a tool to realize our goals, without realizing their goals, the conflict surfaces in the organization. If we realize that they are also human beings with desires, goals, and ambition, and we must help them to achieve those while they are trying to achieve organizational goals with their efforts, the path becomes an expressway. We grow faster.
As of now, culture takes a secondary seat in the organization’s priorities of production, planning, and control. Entrepreneurs and organizations need to understand that just like our individual physical body, where every part is important, the same is true for an organization. No efficient organization can afford to have an inefficient department. The military convoy movement is limited in its speed by the speed of its slowest moving vehicle and the same is true for any organization as well.
We should make culture a part of our planning and strategy. Getting stars like Messi and Ronaldo does not help to win championships all the time. It is the teamwork that wins trophies. Focus on the team and we can do that only when we care for them, only when we respect and understand what are they looking for in their life. And the care and respect come only from a culture that supports everyone, not just the star performers. Culture is the thread that runs through all the departments and the board room, as well.
In my current role as a business culture promoter, I am seeking to help entrepreneurs understand the ways of mean to make this smooth for everyone’s growth. People can get in touch with me by fixing appointments at www.rajeevaranjan.com free of cost to talk about culture problems in their organization. My mission is to make 100,000 entrepreneurs in India culture conscious in their operations and remove the cultural deficiencies. Let us unite similar thinking people on a platform, where we can speak of business culture louder.