The superpowers of the entrepreneurial business
“Every person is unique; put the right people with the right capability to the right position to solve the right problems.”
– Pearl Zhu, Talent Master: 199+ Questions to See Talent from Different Angles
As the world emerges blinking into the light of the post-Covid era it is clear that we have all had vastly different experiences over the course of the pandemic. Some could kick back and enjoy the relative peace of lockdown life, off grid and off life’s carousel. Others faced real hardship, mentally, socially and financially.
In business, of course, as we’ve all discovered, getting off the carousel is not an option and as a new day dawns, it’s important to evaluate those ever-present spinning plates: are we where we want to be? Where do we want to go and how do we get there?
As much of that depends on our message as a company and crucially the people helping us to deliver that message to the world.
As entrepreneurs we all have unique ‘superpowers’ that we’ve built into our businesses; Unique factors that make us stand out from the crowd and shape our identity to customers, stakeholders, investors and yes, our direct teams too. Knowing what these are and using them efficiently is vital to growth, not only in attracting new customers, but the right talent to our teams as well.
These unique factors are described clearly in Forbes’ “3 Everyday Superpowers To Safeguard Your Business” by Shane Paladin as the ‘everyday superpowers’ – the ones that no company should be without: resilience, empathy and commitment.
Resilience – an ability to shift and adapt to a changing business environment
Empathy – understanding the needs of every colleague and customer, nurturing diversity and inclusion
Commitment – to high-level performance consistently, living to purpose every day
As entrepreneurs we know that no matter what the size of your business, your unique eco-system – your talent pool – is key to your success and innovating forward especially now as customer needs have changed so much. To keep and build our talent pool we need to understand how to make these critical behaviours a part of how we work everyday. How do you find and keep your ecosystem topped up with like-minded talent so you can keep moving forward, evolving and innovating in these unpredictable times?
It all begins with Living your Purpose, ensuring agility, individual care and a unity that naturally brings commitment from everybody, ultimately creating a way of working that you can feel.
3 steps to creating and keep your talent pool to be future fit
- Can you define your purpose?
Ask yourself how my company is viewed by the outside world? What do I have that can attract and keep talent? What is my greatest competitive advantage – how am I unique – and who knows about it? Many people relooked at their own values during the pandemic and are seeking to make a difference in what they do. Having your purpose leading the way is an opportunity to both attract and keep talent if people can connect their individual purpose to yours everyday.
- Add value.
The recruitment process itself, whether project based or employed team members, is an important step on your journey, but first your company culture also needs to be attractive. On the simplest level, is your company a good place to work? Is there an obvious ‘we’re in this together’ feeling? An opportunity to count and contribute to something that really matters. You want (the right) people to engage from the very first handshake, how can you show and feel this before and during the interview itself.
- Align your team.
People want to feel part of the company they’ve joined, they want to feel invested, and not just an anonymous cog in a machine. Do you live by the purpose and reputation that attracted them in the first place, how are you seen to be celebrating achievements on purpose. If they have a click to your organisational purpose, you will find a powerful force at your fingertips.
Organisations that prosper are those that make every individual matter, working in a culture that is forward-looking with a clear purpose and a positive impact.
Want to know more? This month in our Time to Talk Talent series, you’ll hear from three industry experts (an inspiring healthcare entrepreneur and two corporate executives – from Specsavers and Heineken) on their unique insight into how culture, ideas and power of purpose can harness the very best talent in achieving your future growth in the post pandemic world- and more importantly, keep it.
As entrepreneurs we are spinning many plates right now to ensure our businesses are future fit. Our internal challenges are a key part of this so I am sure our time to talk talent and purpose will open up some interesting thoughts and considerations to you, and perhaps spark your superpowers to lead the way.
Fiona Adams works at The Power of Words Ltd. You can find out more about their B2B consultancy services by visiting their LinkedIn page.
