2015 Winners of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award PREMIER EVENT

“Moving from Developers to Leaders – How to Think Like Entrepreneurs”

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Almost every entrepreneur starts their journey by developing a solution, based on their knowledge of a new technology or required service. Developer skills are necessary, but not sufficient, to build a business. A real business requires leadership – thought leadership to attract customers and mind share, as well as people leadership around a team, partners, and investors. The happiest and most successful entrepreneurs in the long-term are those that continually stretch themselves to get comfortable in the leadership role.

Being a leader is often outside the experience and training domains of both experienced developers and experienced business professionals. In a new book by leadership development expert Herminia Ibarra, very few people are born knowing how to “Act Like A Leader, Think Like A Leader.” But we can all learn and step up if we get the right guidance.

Key tips, re-focused to the leadership success elements for entrepreneurs are the same principles that apply to business development professionals.

Don’t be afraid to challenge your own identity.
Let go of performance goals that limit new learning.
Manage the stepping up process.
Practice your new learning in extracurricular activities.
Create and use new networks to tap new ideas.
Start acting and thinking like a leader now.

If you struggle with building a business or book of business, it’s time to focus on your critically important leadership skills. Stop hiding in your comfort zone, and branch out for some new outsights. You too can find an entrepreneur identity in yourself that you never thought possible and business success that you once only dreamed about.