Why entrepreneurs often get stuck

Written by Paul on October 13th, 2008

John Kotter, a Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at Harvard Business School, has a new book out (A Sense of Urgency) that explains why some organizations seem to be able to leapfrog ahead while others just seem to have a hard time staying afloat.

I decided to stop by a local shopping mall the other day. It was still early in the day, probably around 11am, the store was nearly empty and there was just one employee on duty. As I was looking around, I noticed that this employee was on his cell phone the whole time and based on what I could hear, he was applying for another job elsewhere.

If you can relate to the employee, that’s great — I’ll be the first to encourage you to always be on the lookout for better opportunities. For those of you that are employers, read on:

Great leaders understand that historical success tends to produce stable and inwardly focused organizations, and these outfits, in turn, reinforce a feeling of contentment with the status quo. Later failures to produce short-term results or to adapt to change can produce a great deal of activity—but this is often unproductive activity driven by anxiety about one’s own future (not the organization’s future) or by anger at others.

The key to constant growth, success or whatever else you want is to maintain the sense of urgency. Or, in plain english, just keep hustling. When in doubt, it’s far better to be violently executing something than to sit around navel-gazing for hours or days.

Share:
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Google
  • Technorati
  • TwitThis

One Response to “Why entrepreneurs often get stuck”

Leave a Comment or a Question




Explore Results Junkies

  • Some lessons I wish I learned earlier in life
  • The Best Way To Spend $20, Today
  • The 80/20 Rule
  • Summer Interns: Rules of the Road (and How to Kick Ass)
  • Your attitude changes your reality