Why Being Human Is an Entrepreneurial Superpower
What connects LinkedIn founder, Reid Hoffman and Nobel Peace prize winner and founder of Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus?
Reid Hoffman and Grameen Bank both believe that "All humans were born entrepreneurs."
This quote by Yunus and referenced by Hoffman in his book, The Start Up of You, beautifully encapsulates the inextricable link between core human attributes and the qualities needed to be an impactful entrepreneur.
Put simply, entrepreneurs are people solving problems for people. And to do that well, the ability to connect and operate on a human level is crucial. Here are three key skills that are crucial to being an impactful entrepreneur.
1. EMPATHY
Entrepreneurs create value by solving problems for people. To do this effectively they need to be able to deeply empathize with their customers. As Grace Beverly, founder of D2C sustainable activewear brand, TALA says, “Your customers’ problems are your problems”. Entrepreneurs need to be able to put themselves in their customers’ shoes, experience their problems and - most crucially - be completely driven to do something about them.
This is not just a nice-to-have. According to Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production: “If there is any one secret of [business] success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from their angle.”
2. CURIOSITY
Entrepreneurs draw their ideas from a wide variety of interests and disciplines; this breadth of experience creates fertile ground for breakthroughs. For example, Steve Jobs was not exclusively a ‘tech guy’. Having taken a calligraphy course in college, he was passionate about typography. The combination of his two interests positioned him to create the beautifully designed product we use today.
Jobs emphasized the importance of the human element in entrepreneurship in the quote: “A lot of [entrepreneurs] haven't had very diverse experiences. So they don't have enough dots to connect and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem. The broader one's understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have."
3. CONNECTION WITH OTHERS
Humans need other humans to thrive - and the same is true of entrepreneurs. According to LinkedIn founder, Reid Hoffman, networks are the key thing that new businesses need to fly. And as such, good entrepreneurs are uniquely good at nurturing their networks. They are generous with making connections and skilled at building partnerships that make things happen.
‘Networking’ often gets a bad rep, but as ‘the most connected man in Britain’ (WIRED Magazine), serial entrepreneur and OneLeap Beyond Advisory Council Member, Oli Barrett MBE reminds us, building an effective network is a deeply human act: it’s all about “having an amazing group of people around you, that can support you, that you can support, and can have really uplifting interactions with”.
Throughout history, entrepreneurs have always been crucial to human progress. By going after bold new ways to solve challenges, entrepreneurs drive social change, create new industries and employment opportunities, and advance human wellbeing. Entrepreneurship has been in human DNA since the beginning – and equally, exhibiting core human attributes like empathy, curiosity, and connection with others is crucial to successful entrepreneurship.
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