Originally posted in our November 2021 Top of Mind Newsletter.
In Complexity Leadership Theory, we assume that an organization has a bureaucratic and an entrepreneurial system. But what if there isn’t a formalized system for entrepreneurship? How can leaders develop entrepreneurial skills in their teams?
As suggested by a Harvard Business School working paper, one solution is to look to the previous work experience of your employees. The paper’s authors have found that who your co-workers are and what they have done previously in their careers significantly impact your likelihood of becoming an entrepreneur. Our peer group, particularly at work, strongly influences our chances of developing entrepreneurial tendencies. Recently, many organizations are interested in developing an entrepreneurial culture. To do so, we need to pay attention to how we enable the exchange of information and skills between co-workers. THose who have any exposure to entrepreneurship may very well promote the same habits in their peer groups.