Tuesday, July 14, 2009
In the April 2009 issue of Inc. magazine, Bo Burlingham interviewed Jim Collins (author of business best-sellers
Built to Last and
Good to Great) about the current state of entrepreneurship. There are several great insights, including this about the definition. Collins said, "I see entrepreneurship as more of a life concept. We all make choices about how we live our lives. You can take a paint-by-numbers approach, or you can start with a blank canvas. When you paint by numbers, the end result is guaranteed. You know what it's going to be, and it might be good, but it will never be a masterpiece. Starting with a blank canvas is the only way to get a masterpiece, but you could also blow up. So, are you going to pick the paint-by-numbers kit or the blank canvas? That's a life question, not a business question."
The follow-up question was about risk, when Burlingham asked, "It has to do with your ability to handle risk, no?"
Collins replied:
"Not risk. Ambiguity. People confuse the two. There's lower ambiguity on the paint-by-numbers path: very clear but more risky. The entrepreneurial path: very ambiguous but less risk. Of course, the truth is that it's all ambiguous, anyway. If you think you can predict the future, you're crazy."
So, the question for you is, are you trying to create something good, or are you working on a masterpiece?
Labels: business consulting, entrepreneurship, marketing
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