My way or the highway

In an "Understanding Behavior" workshop once, the leader noted that with entrepreneurs, the self-same behavior characteristics that contribute to their success, are also the areas in which they likely need the most development.
Our greatest strengths in one circumstance, are our most significant character weaknesses in different situations.

One example is this: Entrepreneurs are often independent, self-directed, single-minded "shoot first/aim later" kinds of people. These "my way or the highway" behavior tendencies are fine when only one, or a very few other people are involved.

When the time comes to enlist the input of others, moving from a cooperative situation toward a collaborative, team contribution approach, the entrepreneur/leader MUST change.

The task is to replace the "I can do it myself" belief system to one where a premium is placed on teaching others to perform at high levels. For entrepreneurial companies to grow, the leaders must move from a dynamic of personal responsibility to one of cooperation with others, and ultimately to the concept of collaboration.

Cooperation, often seen as the ultimate expression of teamwork, is not. Collaboration, the intellectual entrepreneur's strength, is the means to set aside personal agendas so that the value of the team's resolution is greater than any individual's contribution.

Essentially, cooperation is everyone giving up part of their own solution, until the final agreement is a diluted compromise. Collaboration is where everyone sets aside their own agenda and works on a new solution paradigm that in the end, everyone supports enthusiastically.

Entrepreneurs, cast out your arrogance! Collaborate, collaborate collaborate.