When most people think of entrepreneurship, they believe it’s not for them. Yet, these same people work for companies or people who were/are the entrepreneurs who started that company. So, why is the world not reversed where it feels normal to be an entrepreneur and different if you were just an employee? Great question. Here is a point of view from a great entrepreneur who never felt like he fit in as an employee.
Steve Jobs defined the idea of entrepreneurs not fitting into a traditional working environment as follows:
“When you grow up, you tend to get told that the world is the way it is. Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up of people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it. Once you learned that, you’ll never be the same again.”
Entrepreneurs may believe they have certain skills and a point of view about life that does not allow them to fully submit to a boss or leader. They think for themselves and drive for what they think is best. Working under traditional work rules makes them restless and potentially limits their decision-making and creativity. Therefore, they feel they thrive in an environment where they are free to truly excel in their skills, instincts and abilities.
They are not afraid of being held accountable. On the contrary, they expect and embrace it. They honestly feel happy and satisfied working for themselves, rather than working in a company as an employee. They don’t want to be caught up with the organization’s policies, management hierarchy and rules. In fact, in a 2020 article by the U.S Chamber of Commerce, it states several reasons why people strike out to become entrepreneurs.
If you are questioning why you work for other people, perhaps you need to understand a few of the major reasons that contribute to entrepreneurs believing they just don’t fit in a conventional job role.
They were not born to work. Entrepreneurs do not mind working hard. For themselves. They don’t believe in normal working hours from 9 am to 5 pm with a few minute breaks in between and no work flexibility. Entrepreneurs tend to work focusing more on productivity levels. It is commonly believed that entrepreneurs are free most of the time. That is simply not true. Find an entrepreneur and ask them how many hours they work in the average week. The happy ones will tell you it’s not work if you enjoy what you are doing.
Look forward and embrace change. Entrepreneurs don’t want to work like everyone else, following routine and regular work hours. They are imaginative and think about change all the time. In a competitive marketplace, they are likely to be disruptors, using innovation and change to create a competitive advantage. They want to perform tasks using alternative methods, such as Shopify or PayPal or even Slack before the software was even known or successful. In a normal working environment, new and risky software experiments are avoided, and the employees are told to follow proper rules and policies for years and years. That’s the way it’s always been done. Entrepreneurs cannot abide by this restrictive thinking.
The unconventional is normal. When you are not bound by conventional thinking and rules, you tend to focus more on the real problems and how you can creatively solve those problems. Entrepreneurs are examining and launching unconventional ideas derived from creative brainstorming, getting connecting with customers, conducting research, reading industry and trend reports, and getting insights from industry experts. They don’t follow the general rules in working and create a productive learning environment. They thrive on early chaos. They believe strict guidelines and process driven rules don’t provide an opportunity for creativity and growth.
Everything is calculated risk. Nothing is guaranteed in life. So, everything comes with an element of risk. But entrepreneurs are not really risk takers. They will do everything they can to evaluate and mitigate potential risks, but then they will make a decision. Making the decision with a sense of freedom and accountability excites most entrepreneurs. They will evaluate potential opportunities by understanding the risks. It is one of the major attributes and skills of entrepreneurs and this type of thinking and taking of responsibility will not let them fit into a regular and normal work routine.
Leaders, not followers. At some point early in a career, everyone is a follower. But entrepreneurs embrace the opportunity to take what they have learned and become passionate leaders who thrive on creating opportunities for others. Their leadership qualities don’t allow them to work under the leadership of someone else and not be the contributor to decision-making. They want complete freedom over everything from decision-making to creating/changing policies and the working culture and environment. Therefore, it is tough for them to fit in a conventional job.