As I’ve said many times, EOS® is two things:
- A system for managing human energy in an organization
- Adderall for Visionaries
This message is focused on #2: the Visionary.
EOS was created out of a passion for helping Visionary entrepreneurs get everything they want out of their businesses.
I am clearer than ever on the genetic code of the Visionary entrepreneur and want to help you (whether you are a Visionary or someone who works with a Visionary) maximize your potential.
What led to this clarity is a new book I am writing to help entrepreneurs-in-the-making get a huge jump-start on taking their entrepreneurial leap. The book, Entrepreneurial Leap: Do You Have What It Takes to Become an Entrepreneur?, comes out on October 15, and it has three parts:
Part I: Confirm
Part II: Glimpse
Part III: Path
It helps an entrepreneur-in-the-making CONFIRM whether they are or are not an entrepreneur, gives them a GLIMPSE of their life as an entrepreneur, and then shows them a clear PATH to become an entrepreneur.
What inspired this message was the CONFIRM part of the Entrepreneurial Leap content, which is intended to help people know if they are an entrepreneur-in-the-making or not. As a result, I’ve discovered a much more succinct definition of an entrepreneur.
To be clear, when I say Visionary or entrepreneur, they are interchangeable. I believe a true entrepreneur is a Visionary and a Visionary is a true entrepreneur. They are one and the same.
The clarity is that a true entrepreneur has six essential traits that makes them who they are:
- Visionary
- Passionate
- Problem solver
- Driven
- Risk taker
- Responsible
Your having this same clarity, and understanding of a true entrepreneur's DNA , accomplishes a few things that I hope will help you.
First is the understanding that these traits are hardwired in an entrepreneur, and being one is not as romantic as the press makes it sound. The truth is, being an entrepreneur is hard—really hard, because of the risk, failure rate, sleepless nights and pressure.
Second, if you are a Visionary entrepreneur, it is a reminder of what you are made of, why you are unique, and why you sometimes appear “different” to others.
And third, if you work with a Visionary, it will help you understand their positive traits and strengths that built and continue to build the company. To the degree you understand and appreciate these characteristics and how vital they are to starting, building, and growing a company, that appreciation will help you calm your frustrations when you have to deal with the challenging side of someone who possesses those six essential traits.
On the positive side, someone who possesses these six essential traits exhibits some vital characteristics that grow a company. A true entrepreneur typically demonstrates most of the following positive attributes. They are idea generators, dreamers, big-picture strategic thinkers, inspirational, persuasive, ambitious, and self-motivated. They also have common sense and the ability to connect the dots and are creative and growth oriented.
On the flip side, those wonderful traits lead to exhibiting some not-so-positive characteristics. A true entrepreneur typically demonstrates most of these following attributes. They are intense, demanding, hard-charging, hard to manage, inconsistent, easily distracted, disorganized, and controlling. They also have too many ideas to keep track of, exhibit ADD, and are perfectionists.
Our greatest strengths are always our greatest weaknesses, and my goal in this message is to shift your thinking and improve your relationship through awareness. That means a couple of things:
- If you work with a Visionary and experience these challenging characteristics, it’s about recognizing and appreciating their positive characteristics. Try saying thanks this week.
- If you’re a Visionary, you should be proud of your positive characteristics and traits and be self-aware of the challenging ones and know how they affect the people around you. Try saying thanks this week.
I urge you to take some time to give some thought to the positive and challenging visionary mannerisms. Then, appreciate the positive and understand the not-so-positive.
If you have someone in your life that you think has the six essential traits and exhibits the characteristics above, they are probably an entrepreneur-in-the-making. Please introduce them to Entrepreneurial Leap.
Stay focused,
Gino
Next Steps:
- Download a free chapter of Rocket Fuel to learn more about the Visionary and Integrator relationship.
- Watch EOS Founder Gino Wickman describe the 8 Questions Your Leadership Team Should Answer to help you clarify your company vision
- Download a copy of the EOS V/TO™ to help you clarify, simplify, and achieve your vision
