When talking about olderpreneuship, we don’t mean that everyone should become a founder of a start-up, and grow a successful own business – this is clearly not feasible for everybody. Some people might consider doing it, and be remarkably successful at it, but there are other ways to take control of one’s professional life.
Some typical examples of olderpreneurial behavior include:
- Dealing with uncertainty – The work environment today is very dynamic. Whole industries can change almost overnight, products are constantly adding new features, companies are seeking new markets, and clients shift their preferences. Under these circumstances, it is highly unlikely that one can carry on with the same professional role as one did yesterday. One must respond to the future – but what exactly the future will be, even the best experts can’t tell. So the ability to cope with uncertainty and to find a way out of an unfamiliar situation become ever more important.
- Adapting to change – Organisational change means new responsibilities, requiring a different set of skills and knowledge. The ability to adapt to change requires the willingness to learn new things every day, to explore new ways of cooperating with colleagues, to reconsider what works and what doesn’t. Adapting to change doesn’t necessarily mean responding to a new set of requirements set by the management. It could also mean being proactive, trying to anticipate changes or changing in in response to lessons from the present.
- Spotting opportunities – Change management is all about the future – but how to anticipate what comes next? One possible way is to shape it. See where opportunities exist, where the needs of the client are not yet met in the best way, where work processes are not the most efficient, where new markets might exist. The ability to spot opportunities is essential for any potential entrepreneur, but has much wider implications – it is useful in the team leader as well. It not only helps create new businesses, but allows the existing ones to stay relevant and competitive.
- Creating value – In the end, entrepreneurship is about creating value – for the client, for the company, for wider society. Creating value can have many different forms – it could be a shiny new product, a new service, but also an activity that benefit others. Volunteering at a school for migrants is creating value for them. Mentoring younger colleagues not only benefits them, but also helps them create value in their own right. Being useful to others is the core of social cooperation, and of the entrepreneurial mindset.
This information was part of the SASSI LLC training materials. If you want to learn more, visit the Guide to becoming an Olderpreneur on the SASSI Hub.
