Intrapreneurs seek to create more than conform

The goal of the “intrapreneur” is to embody the entrepreneurial mindset, agile approaches and innovative tools kits that will allow them to engage creatively with opportunities.

That means that Intrapreneurs care less about your “standard,” “best practice” or whatever buzzword is quick to the corporate love language. We intrapreneurs seek to create more than we conform.

That doesn’t mean that we must engage in the transformational acts of innovation every day. But we do need to be looking at ways to create.

We seek to create better work cultures, better strategies, and mindsets that allow us to engage in the world in agile ways.

Sounds straightforward, right?

It could be. However, our tendency in the conventional business world is to look for the standard, the best practice and the path that holds the least risk.

There is a sense of safety and stability in conformity. It allows us to believe that if we stay the course, good things will happen.

Conversely, intrapreneurs, entrepreneurs and innovators always are looking for the opening they can fill, the fresh angle and approach.

These risk-tolerant rebels are eager to engage in those environments and address the challenges that they see as opportunity.

These conflicting agendas and motivations unfortunately can create tension. How we challenge the resulting energy matters.

With that in mind, there are two key ideas to embrace in creating that perfect concoction of risk and regularity.

Extremes of any type can be troublesome. Instead of rejecting all modes of conformity, embrace them as boundaries.

In complexity theory, these are called attractor basins. Using this approach, we create boundaries such as outcomes we are trying to achieve, budgetary limits, manpower allocations and even … regulations.

Think of the attractor basin as the thing you want your teams to be attracted to creating. When you articulate the boundaries clearly and allow your team to go to work, they create.

Use iterations and increments.

Iterations and increments are like the secret menu at a restaurant. If you know, you know.

Iterations and increments allow us to look at work not as a massive three-year — or longer — project, but as a slice of work that allows you to experiment, evaluate, adjust, iterate, repeat.

You don’t have to go all in. You can try it. Keep what works and let go of the rest.

To do this, simply look at your biggest outcome and the steps it takes to get there. Focus on the first increment between now and that first step.

Run the experiment, evaluate the impacts, adjust your course, iterate, repeat.

By taking on this mindset of creativity, you can reduce risk and enable the members of your organization to engage, leveraging their strengths.

Think about it: If you execute a one-month increment of work on a large project and run through the evaluation, adjustment and iteration cycle, you are much less likely to overrun a budget or lose a key resource at a critical juncture.

Imagine the power in processes that work to enable and accelerate your work, while reducing your risk.

That’s how we can accelerate world-changing ideas from right here in Iowa.

Dr. Jennifer Murphy is director of Innovation Services for NewBoCo.