Do You Have Spirit?

I was at a client meeting and was asked a very good question – “How can you tell if someone has an entrepreneurial spirit?” This inquiry came out of a conversation around perpetuation planning.

The question is really about knowing how someone is wired. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. While some employees show the “spirit” part, many are averse to the risk side.

Here are the 5 qualities that I described about my take on how it is evident that someone does have a bent towards being an entrepreneur:

1. They have high self-confidence. This is imperative. Just like major league baseball player, an entrepreneur will often get “up to bat” and either strike out or ground out weakly t second base. In order to be successful, one must have such confidence in their own abilities, perspicacity, and value that they can’t wait foe the next “at bat.”
2. They are risk takers. This doesn’t mean they are reckless, but rather open to every opportunity and willing to bet on themselves.
3. They make quick decisions. Just as with the last example, this characteristic does not imply impetuousness. They can do a very rapid “pros/cons” list and make a decision either way and feel good about committing to it.
4. Fearless. Well, at least they are willing to fail. Perfectionists struggle with this. We all will fail; nothing is perfect. In fact, the faster you fail, the faster you will grow and be better.
5. Natural Influence. Being influential is a skill, however there are people that through a combination of words, actions, example, and presence manifest a high level of influence. This is a key ingredient in leadership.

If you own your own business or consider yourself an entrepreneur, my guess is you resemble many, if not all of these characteristics. The challenge is being able to embrace all of them – especially self-confidence – so that the results remain high. It can be easy to get down when bad things happen. The BONUS quality for entrepreneurship is resilience.

Bottom line – if you want to be your own boss, decide that you will be the best boss you ever had. Focus on these qualities and you’ll be well on your way to achieving it.

© 2016 Toro Consulting, Inc. All Rights Reserved