There are visionaries and there are goal-oriented people. There are creative people and there are rule-driven people. Some people are great at schedules, and some people are terrible. Some people are great leaders, and some people are not. Leadership and entrepreneurship require two completely different sets of skills and mindsets, and it is precisely that reason that makes some people terrible leaders but amazing entrepreneurs.
The 9-5 Grind
Some people’s goal in life is to find a steady, 9-5 job that will enable them to make money and come home to a relaxing evening with family. Other people like to sleep in and stay up late, and that 9-5 thing doesn’t always work. Or, they just find the repetition and routine a boring time investment. People say great leaders are those who set an example for the rest of the company, but sometimes people are bad leaders. These people who hate the 9-5 grind often make the best entrepreneurs, though, because their drive to get out of routine tends to inspire creativity and drive to make something of their own.
Following Rules vs. Making the Rules
Along the same train as the 9-5 workday comes following rules and expectations. Again, some people are great at following rules; others prefer to be the ones making the rules. Entrepreneurs can be great innovators simply because sometimes they’re the people who think the status quo makes no sense. Entrepreneurs take their frustrations with their current and past workplaces, and they make something better out of the businesses they ultimately create.
Investing in Your Product vs. Investing in People
Great leadership involves the care and devotion to coaching, mentoring, and developing the people within a company. Some people are great at this, and others aren’t as great. Sometimes those leaders who aren’t as good at investing in people are so much better at investing in themselves to make something out of nothing. This is where entrepreneurship is sometimes the best thing for some of the worst leaders. Entrepreneurs can excel when their creativity allows them to devote attention to themselves and the product they’ve created.
Competition vs. Group Inclusion
In a heavily individualistic society, many people find it easier to compete with their coworkers than it is to include everyone. Great leadership involves taking the time to be democratic and making sure everyone’s opinions are heard, but the time and effort this takes can really frustrate those people who feel like sometimes, the fewer opinions there are, the better. Those people who think group inclusion are annoying can often thrive in entrepreneurship because their competition helps them thrive when developing a startup and competing in the market.
Exception to the Rule: Entrepreneurs Can Make Great Leaders with the Right Training
A person might start out as a terrible leader and find that they love entrepreneurship. But, when entrepreneurs find success, they are often expected to be leaders, i.e. CEOs of the companies they created. Many people claim that entrepreneurs can’t be good leaders, but in reality, they can; they just might need leadership training. There are tons of leadership training seminars out there, and people also receive leadership training through their workplace. You can also hire consultants that can help your company develop leaders by having consultants teach leadership and coaching classes. Leadership training is essentially developing how you see people and developing your team-building skills. As an entrepreneur, if you want to invest in yourself a leader, seek leadership training to understand what it means to be a leader.
