How Intrapreneurship Can Fuel High Performance in the Workforce

By Ignite Coach Ron Mitchell JD, MBA

From Fortune 500 to non-profit businesses, and from the U.S. military to the federal government, I have provided innovative strategies and solutions to institutions of all sizes to fuel high performance. When asked to work with senior leaders in many of the largest organizations in the world the same questions often arise: 

How do I create organizational improvement in team members?

How do I create win-win scenarios and leverage my employees’ individual strengths?

How do I build and develop a stronger team?  

The biggest mistake higher-ups make is searching for answers outside of what they already know. This is where my coaching and training mission, “to ignite the fire within and drive the human spirit,” becomes important. The solutions are introspective. 

I often challenge my team of leaders to become intrapreneurs, defined as individuals within an already established business tasked with innovation development. This exercise entails taking risks by exploring the greatness within. I want my personnel to recognize the commercial potential of internal attributes such as traits, abilities, and feelings.  

Implementing these attributes along with other personal factors help to build successful entrepreneurs and turn their visions into commercially viable innovations to better support the clients we serve. When intrapreneurship is in action, we are all becoming better entrepreneurs and fueling high performance within each other and the global workforce. 

Four Ways Intrapreneurship Can Ignite the Fire Within Entrepreneurship and Fuel High Performance in the Workforce:

1. Self-leadership

One of the most overlooked, underinvested in, and biggest gap in developing human capital in an organization is self-leadership. Therefore, we answer the following question: “How can self-leadership contribute to the best solution for your organization?” Self-leadership will inspire your employees to work towards the best solution for the client. It is about developing and managing your individual energy to initiate high performance and improving your ability to drive sustainable results and influence others outside, or within an organization.  

2. Leadership Language

Successful companies use leadership competencies and language to achieve goals and to acquire buy-in throughout the organization. As a result, to fuel high performance a personal language should be established to ignite creativity and energy through your organization. It helps to speak such a language because it builds leadership skills and drives sustainable results.  

3. Personal values

The way you lead yourself and others is reflected in what you believe. Encourage your team to set a clear personal mission statement and values that will guide their day-to-day decisions and are aligned with their personal and the organization’s goals.  

4. Mindset

Just like our daily lives, personal goals constantly evolve. Our plans change quite often without notice. You must be flexible and able to make the necessary mental and emotional adjustments required. As a daily exercise, take five minutes to engage your mindset, and measure your energy level and emotional state. This will help you determine where you are in pursuit of your goals and implement the changes needed to perform at a high level.   

Intrapreneurship Is Not a One-Time Leadership Activity

Becoming a successful entrepreneur does not happen overnight and the same goes for becoming a successful intrapreneur. Team Ignite consistently focuses on intrapreneurship to maintain an entrepreneurial spirit. For example, I’m on the road multiple times throughout the year for speaking engagements and meetings with clients. However, I remain in constant contact with my team to support their intrapreneurship.  

Encourage Personal Growth to Address Under Performance

What is holding your workforce back? Organizational transformation cannot happen without personal transformation. Working with thousands of individuals over the years, there are four major struggles I routinely identify: change, self-hate, honesty, and communicating effectively.  

Most people struggle with change because it causes discomfort and fear. Some battle with self-hate, due to a toxic environment and/or upbringing where they were taught to not love themselves, to be dishonest, and to communicate ineffectively. Throughout my personal and professional career, I have found that to address these issues, people should consider the following steps: 

1. Break down the image into smaller, more manageable tasks. For example, the task “address the self-hate due to a toxic environment and/or upbringing” can be broken down into the following tasks:
   • Identify the source of self-hate.
   • Develop a positive self-image.
   • Build supportive relationships.
   • Seek professional help if needed.

2. Once you have identified the tasks, prioritize them based on their importance and urgency.

3. Develop a plan for completing each task.

4. Take action on your plan.

5. Monitor your progress and adjust as needed.

It is important to remember that everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. The most important thing is to find a plan that works for you and to be patient with yourself. Change takes time. 

These steps will ensure growth on both a personal and professional level and to change and empower you to lead a successful life. Also, it is imperative that you are clear and honest with yourself about how you feel about your life. 

Additionally, you should be willing to accept self-challenges and identify why you hate yourself, which entails self-leadership and self-trust. Quite often when human beings decide to be honest and open to others, it has an emotional impact.  

For that reason, I suggest seeking professional help to support the process. Consider hiring a coach. This professional can be a catalyst for improving your communication skills because coaching is driven by communication between two individuals.  

In conclusion, searching for solutions to excel professionally do not come from an external source, they come from “igniting the fire within.” That said, you do not need to perform the work alone. Consider the help of an organization like Team Ignite that can coach you through the process, provide mentorship, and customize a plan that fits the needs of your business. 

About the Author: Ignite Coach Ron Mitchell JD, MBA is the founder and executive chair of BEM Enterprises LLC, operating as Team Ignite. In addition to his global firm leadership, Mitchell is an entrepreneur, veteran, philanthropist, author, artist, and former Booz Allen Hamilton management consultant.