The Corporate Soldier versus The Entrepreneur

I use the term Corporate Soldier to describe a person in a large, well-known corporation. In my playbook, this is not a term of endearment or respect. I use it to contrast this person with a true leader and entrepreneur.

The Corporate Soldier knows all the rules and regulations that govern the organization. All the entitlements, the written and unwritten does and don’ts. They know them all.

And all their actions are driven by and based on those rules! It is a comfortable environment to navigate. It does not require original thinking, and there is always a justification. And CYA and righteousness are built in. Everything within the corporate system seems to make ‘sense’.

A Corporate Soldier, though, lacks everything that makes a great leader: Creativity, initiative, dynamism, Originality, imagination, and risk-taking. They are also not an entrepreneur, not a business builder.

Brad Paul makes the same differentiation and describes a corporate soldier as:

• Indoctrinated, and eventually brainwashed, into the corporate system.
• Adapted to the environment and philosophy of the corporation.
• Surrenders to corporate directives whether they fully agree or not.
• Molds themselves to match the corporate?style in their appearance, manner, and mindset.
• Simply trading their time for money.

Ouch. If you are working for a large corporation, does that sound like you?

Steve Swasey, VP at Healthline Media, declares that “rules and policies and regulations and stipulations are innovation killers. People do their best work when they’re unencumbered. If you’re spending a lot of time accounting for the time you’re spending, that’s time you’re not innovating.”

Organizations! Get rid of your Corporate Soldiers, Power to the Intrapreneurs and Entrepreneurs.

Because an entrepreneur is an individual who takes the risk to start their own business based on an idea they have or a product they have created. And as they assume most of the risks, they also get most of the rewards of the business.

To achieve success, they can not be rule followers, adapted, and molded to someone else’s style. They cannot surrender themselves.

Brad Paul describes an entrepreneur as someone who:?

• Develops their own way of doing things in a way that makes them happiest.
• Creates an environment and philosophy that aligns with their personality, values, and goals.
• Grows into being more of their authentic self as each year passes and they choose how they behave and think.
• Develops themselves toward the image they envision and past the limitations of a corporate soldier, by default, just by being an entrepreneur.

Corporate Soldier or Entrepreneur? Who do you want to be??

Talk to us and find out how we can support you and your entrepreneurial venture when you engage a fractional or interim sales leader.

__________________

Daniel Miessler – Anatomy of the Corporate Soldier

Brad Paul – Corporate Soldier versus Entrepreneur

Alex Hanson – Corporate Soldier

Matthew E. May – Want To Make Your Environment More Creative? Kill Some Rules .

Brad Paul – Corporate Soldier versus Entrepreneur