Entrepreneurship: Balancing Bold vs. Strategic

Highlighting the Struggle

Finding the balance between the bold strokes of entrepreneurship and the structured constraints of strategy can create a whirlwind in a business. The vision of an entrepreneur brings to mind a bold, unbridled risk-taker willing to bet everything for success, no matter what the odds. That spirit is what created the Industrial Age in America. Robber barons and moguls built the industrial and financial strength of this country through bold and audacious entrepreneurship. However, that type of unbridled action can just plain scare some entrepreneurs into a state of inaction. They depend on strategy and planning to implement their entrepreneurial vision. That type of structure brings a sense of confidence and control for those entrepreneurs. But when there is too much strategy and structure applied in business, it can choke a business, restrict growth and dampen innovation. The key to finding success for entrepreneurs is finding a balance between the two.

Balancing Entrepreneurship with Lean Strategies

Find a balance between audacious entrepreneurship and the structure of Lean strategies can be a delicate balancing act, but one that must be mastered. Lean strategies provide direction and alignment. It serves as both a screen that innovation must pass and a yardstick for evaluating the success of that innovation. Lean strategies allow and encourage frontline employees to be creative, while ensuring that they remain on the same page with the rest of the organization and pursue only worthwhile opportunities. Entrepreneurship at its most pure level brings vision, spirit and creative innovation to the business. It strikes a fire that fuels the success of the entrepreneur and the business venture.

Soaring to Unimagined Heights

Imagine the engine thrust of a modern jet airliner. Without the restraint and focus of the engine design and aeronautical constraints of that design, the thrust produced would be a tempest unleashed and ultimately wasted. With proper design, structure and focus, the thrust of the jet engine can be precisely controlled to achieve the maximum desired effect. Lean strategies are the structure, constraint and focus of a high spirited entrepreneur.