Innovative & entrepreneurial leadership

Having spent the last few years researching and deciphering what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and how to BE innovative, as the basis for inventing my own new start-up company, www.imaginenation.com.au, I learned a lot about innovative and entrepreneurial leadership. Especially how to master developing the capacity, capability and confidence towards becoming one. It reminds me that a very wise person once said that those of us that teach have the most to learn! This created a deep and ongoing learning experience; experimenting, iterating and pivoting to successfully invent &  create a radically new and disruptive learning, culture and coaching business that facilitates innovative, collaborative and entrepreneurial leadership.

Whilst I am thrilled that ImagineNation™ is now successfully operating as a global innovation consultancy, its creation was a deeply challenging and an extremely uncomfortable learning experience. It has also been a profound personal transformation process.  Despite my 30 plus years of business experience, as a small business owner, corporate culture change consultant, facilitator, corporate trainer and executive coach, working my way through this roller coaster ride challenged me more deeply than any other business development process I had previously undertaken.

If you want to invent, re-invent, re-energise or create a radically new business, start by un-learning and discarding traditional and linear approaches to planning and change you may have utilized previously and pay attention as to how you could master any, or all, of these three key challenges to be an innovative and entrepreneurial leader.

The key phases of entrepreneurial mastery;

1.    Being confidently creative
Involves acknowledging, discarding and letting go of all previous judgements and beliefs about what it takes to invent a new business, or re-energising an existing one. It involves letting go of any pre-conceptions as to this new business “should” be. This phase requires people to empty their minds, if they don’t, they will be at risk of creating yet another “me too” business.

It also requires the development, holding and embodiment of an imaginative, unconventional and disruptive way of be-ing, one that involves constant “openness” as well as the development of growth and innovation mindsets.  It also requires a considerable amount of questioning, debating and exploration of answers, always focussing on seeking possibilities and opportunities without being restricted by constraints of definitive answers and logical solutions.

2.    Being courageously intentional
Requires setting a really “way out there” and loose intention, without being attached to having it manifest!  It requires holding it, through constant retreat and reflection to allow it to emerge and grow into what will ultimately evolve as a really high level vision, one which could not have been previously imagined.

Incredible doses of raw passion and courage are needed, as well as a powerful commitment, conviction and trust in the whole invention process. It is also important during this phase to develop large doses of healthy self compassion as well as compassion for others who may be working with or for you, who just simply “aren’t getting it”!

3.    Improvising and experimenting with new business prototypes
This is the most challenging, frustrating and difficult phase as it requires massive amounts of time and energy towards improvising and experimenting. It also requires a willingness to fail, which means resolving any previous personal issues around fear of failure. In the prototyping phase, failure is a pre-requisite for not “getting it right yet”. Trial and error becomes a way of life in that the idea has to be prototyped in order to trial it to find the errors!

It is also useful to let go of willfulness and be willing to discard what may often appear to be a fabulous new development of your idea or vision. It is also mandatory to practice being inquisitive and curious, deep listening and tough questioning so that ideas, solutions and “unexpected right hand turns” emerge.

The outcome is the development of a deeper resilience, a stronger self confidence and an audacity to do what ever it takes to make sure that the realisation and implementation of your courageous intention is a fabulous success.

So, if you would like to be more successful as an innovator or as an entrepreneurial leader, take a moment to consider engaging in the key phases of innovation & entrepreneurial mastery:

–   How could you be more willing to open your mind and heart to play happily in the uncertain & unknown ‘empty space’?
–   How could you allow the seeds of your vision to emerge evolve and flourish into an unexpected idea by letting go of your willfulness?
–   How could you deal with your fears around failure, to experiment, let go, generate and achieve higher level ideas, models and outcomes?

Imagine if we intentionally work our way through the key phases of innovation & entrepreneurial mastery, what amazing and resilient entrepreneurs we could become and the range of difficult problems we could solve!

Find out more about our global, thought leading Coach for Innovators Certified Program to cultivate your innovation & entrepreneurial mastery on the programs page.

At ImagineNation™ we provide innovation and leadership coaching, education and culture consulting to help businesses achieve their innovation goals. Because we have done most of the learning and actioning of new hybrid mindsets, behaviors and skill-sets already, we can help your businesses also do this by opening people up to their innovation potential.

Contact us now at janet@imaginenation.com.au to find out how we can partner with you to learn, adapt and grow your business in the digital age.