Entrepreneur VS. Intra-preneur

In the past few months I have attended a few seminars/discussion forums centered on “youth entrepreneurship.” I had the privilege of speaking at one forum facilitated by a youth group called Yes! Tanzania. While listening to other speakers and audience members, I came to realize that some, if not a lot of people are mistaking the definition or the characteristics of an entrepreneur. For example, not many people were and are able to differentiate what a business person is to who an entrepreneur is. The key message they are missing is that being an entrepreneur is having more of a mindset/vision than it is making money or a product/service that will sell. Let’s face it, there are lot of entrepreneurs that are not wealthy, as much as there are a lot of people doing business that are not entrepreneurs.

Another observation I have made in the past few months is that people – especially young people – are bent on either coming up with an original idea by themselves, that will make them money or doing exactly what another person is doing, but making it better, cheaper, more efficient etc. I am yet to hear a young person talk about joining forces/ideas with another person or company to improve their idea and most likely increase their chances of success. Nobody has confessed to being an intrapreneur. So who is an intrapreneur? According to an online article by Forbes Magazine, “An intrapreneur is someone who has an entrepreneurial streak in his or her DNA, but chooses to align his or her talents with a large organization in place of creating his or her own. “ (source: Forbes )

I believe thinking more like an intrapreneur can increase the likelihood of a person and/or people gaining success in their business endeavors. This may be surprising to most people but Steve Jobs – a person who many consider to be one of the greatest “entrepreneurs” of our generation was actually an intrapreneur. In a case study conducted by The Intrapreneurship Institute titled “Steve Jobs the Ultimate Intrapreneur and Ultimate Entrepreneur,” it states that, “Apple Computer itself was potentially an intrapreneurial venture, as it was an outgrowth of two big corporation employees. Steve Jobs had worked at Atari and Steve Wozniak (“Woz”) worked at Hewlett Packard part-time when he and Steve Jobs were first experimented with creating “personal computer.”” (source: Intrepreneurship Institute)

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – Whose baby is it anyway?

In today’s world of copy & paste via computers and the Internet, original work is becoming somewhat of a dying art form. However, most tertiary institutions around the world are combating this by having strict plagiarism policies and proof of ownership of work. In fact, universities and education institutions in the west earn revenue from the intellectual property created by their students and staff alike. But this is only in academia. In developed nations and amongst corporations and multinational companies, there are also patent and copyright laws, which further ensure ideas, and inventions belong to the original owner. In the most recent case we can look at Samsung’s suing of Apple over such a topic. Not only does intellectual property affect companies, but it may also affect countries’ rights or lack there of to produce goods as this article by Henry Mitzberg suggests.

So what is intellectual property? It is not a new concept but I find – especially in Tanzania and probably most of Africa – that it is a concept that is not understood or even thought to be able to physically possess. On the contrary, not only can it be possessed, it can be transferred and modified just like any other physical properties.

Intellectual property is “Intangible property that include ‘patents’, ‘trade marks’, ‘copyright’ and registered and un registered ‘design rights.” Conventional intellectual property is categorized into two categories: -

1. Industrial property – which consist of patents of invention trade and service marks, industrial designs, geographical indication of origin, undisclosed information (trade secrets), integrated circuits topography.

2. Copyrights which include – literary and artistic works performance, architectural designs and some kinds of computer databases.

In the case of Tanzania, one would be surprised at just how long intellectual property right laws have been in place. According to a workshop that was conducted by Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (TCCIA) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in May 2005, intellectual property right laws were implemented by British colonialist in 1924 and Tanzania became a member of WIPO in 1983 (source: WIPO) of course who these rights protected is a debatable issue on it own.

'Critical Mass Theory – Tipping Point for Tanzania’s Development' - Modesta L. Mahiga

I bumped into one of my uncles at Nairobi airport recently and he shared something which I had known but never quite stood still long enough to formulate like he did that day but, now that I think of it, that’s exactly what the Professional Approach Group is about; building the critical mass of patriotic, professional, ethical, entrepreneurial, quality-conscious and results-driven young leaders in the public, private and NGO space to tip Tanzania’s values, behaviours and in turn, culture to one that will foster and not hinder our pursuit of “high quality livelihood, peace, stability and unity, good governance, a well educated and learning society, and a competitive economy capable of producing sustainable growth and shared benefits.” as enshrined in Tanzania Development Vision 2025.

So what is the Critical Mass theory?

To simplify, summarise and apply to our situation, the Critical Mass theory states that when seeking to influence and change values and behavior for overall performance and cultural transformation by choosing to first focus on influencing individuals in a specific target group, as the number of individuals in that target group influenced by the new values and behaviours increases, there will come a time when an additional person influenced by the new values and behaviours will bring about not just their personal transformation and performance, as it had individually for each person before them, but that this one additional person thus influenced will be the tipping point to spur on widespread values, behavioural and overall performance transformation of many more people around them, going as far as influencing the value, behavioural and overall performance transformation of people who were not even in the initial target group.
The Critical Mass theory implies that at this tipping point, it is possible to completely override initial undesired values and behaviours such as to create the new and desired values and behaviours as the new norm, the new performance standard, entrenching a completely new culture.



Does the Critical Mass theory work?

It is Critical Mass theory that has tipped women’s inclusion into formerly male dominated business roles; as the increasing number of women in these new roles one day became significant, became, critical, society’s perception of women shifted; women could no longer be ignored as applicants and contenders for these roles (the challenge now is to get, on merit, the critical mass of capable women in the roles). I believe gender inclusion and empowerment is best facilitated when individuals in our families, especially children, see our mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers simply “be the message” by “doing” rather than “plead the message” by “saying”. When we see enough women “being”, the critical mass of women doers, in time, will form in our minds the acceptance that this is the norm, not the exception.

Critical Mass theory has worked to include minority groups in governance, education, employment, etcetera, and Critical Mass theory will oust the values, behaviours, performance output and culture we do not want to have in Tanzania and usher in what will prove both foundation and pillars for this Great Nation’s rise to economic lead.

'Modeling and Mentoring' - Modesta L. Mahiga

This is what securing Tanzania’s future boils down to, two words “modeling” and “mentoring”.

If we want to fuel tenacious, patriotic, professional, ethical and competitive mindsets in our people, we need to “model”, that is ‘live out ourselves’ the picture of what we want others to emulate, such as to be a role model to them, and then “mentor”, that is, take deliberate steps to groom others to be able to do and be the values and qualities they have seen and want to emulate in us. It is as simple as that.

I think we often get overwhelmed and bogged down in detail when we think of the challenge of developing our people to move from State dependency, with everyone screaming for government to do everything from sweep their back yard to regulate industry, to independence, where people now see that they have a role to play in their personal and community development to eventually maturing to co-dependence where state and citizen, collaborate both at the local government and state levels to develop the values, constitution, policies, laws and programs that would lead to “a better life for every Tanzanian”.

I know that just the thought of lending one’s mind to the mammoth that is human resource development in Tanzania gets people in analysis-paralysis, not seeing where to start and how they, as an individual could ever do anything significant enough to even make a dent to the challenges in national value system, employment and self-employment opportunities, competitiveness vies a vies foreign competitors and equitable share of the Nation’s wealth. Aaahhh! All of that is too much gibberish for the average person who just wants to have the few square meals they can put together and pray that malaria doesn’t strike any family member such as to require healthcare because there is always more month at the end of the money.

But wait a second people, how do we eat the proverbial “elephant”? One piece at a time, right? And this is how we are going to develop the human resource that will propel Tanzania into her rightful position as an economic super power; by transforming one mind at a time through “modeling” and “mentoring” today, the values, knowledge, skills and attitudes, we want to see in our people, today and tomorrow.

When we think of ‘empowering all 45 million of us to change the way we think, perform and present ourselves for a responsible and competitive business environment’, we might hang our heads in despair, saying “not in my lifetime” but, what if as individuals who are ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired’ about the status quo of low morale, corruption, poverty, irrelevant education, inadequate employment, infantile entrepreneurship, inappropriate governance, unfair competition and of course, not to mention, erratic utility supply, decided enough is enough?

What I know is that there are always “bright spots”, people in our families, communities, societies, today, who live in the same environment as us but somehow think, act and speak differently, higher. Bright spots are people who, despite the challenges, have chosen to both know and live the values and competencies we want our Nation to be moulded from. The reason why, no matter how hard stricken the economy, no matter the illiteracy or poverty levels, there will still be role models to look up to, is because values and behaviours are absolute, transcending current socio-economic and political dynamics. Good remains good and evil remains evil and there are still people who will never pretend to merge the two into the grey area of “it depends…”.

"The Nation Within You" - Modesta Lilian Mahiga

"Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number
of apples in a seed."” – Robert H. Schuller.

The Danger of Potential

One of the most disappointing things to experience is to watch how someone
gets smug and content to hear that they have “potential”. “Potential” my
friends, is deceiving; it can lull you into a slumber even as you walk in
wakefulness. “Potential” lures you into a false sense of confidence and
security as you say to yourself “ I’ve got it in me, it’s just waiting for
the right time to come before I use it.” Newsflash: settling for the fact
that there is latent “potential” in you is the most dangerous and
debilitating disease you could suffer from.

“Potential” is described in the Oxford dictionary as “having or showing
the capacity to develop into something in the future”, “latent [(of a
quality or state) existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or
concealed – lying dormant or hidden until circumstances are suitable for
development or manifestation] qualities or abilities that may be developed
and lead to future success or usefulness”; “the possibility of something
happening or of someone doing something in the future.”

Potential says you have greatness in you and there is a possibility that
someday, somehow, you could become those things, maybe, there is a
possibility. Potential cripples you and makes you complacent because
potential tells you to wait for tomorrow and we all know that tomorrow
never comes.

They say that a graveyard is the wealthiest place in the world. This is
not because people are buried with great treasures in their caskets but
because people are the treasure buried in graves.

Because we continue to wait for our “potential” to be realised tomorrow,
many people die with “potential” to have changed their circumstances and
the very environment they lived. Because they did not pursue their
potential to its end, in the end it died with them forever remaining
“potential” unrealised.

So many unwritten books, untold stories, uninvented creations, unrealised
dreams, unsung heroes, go to the grave with a wealth of talent and
solutions to their and the world’s challenges. Solutions that the world
will never enjoy the benefit of because the one person they could have
come from settled for having the “potential” to make a difference instead
of unleashing what was only “potential” to what is “kinetic” energy –
“energy which a body possesses by virtue of being in motion”.

Potential in Motion

The difference between potential and kinetic energy is that whilst the
former is harnessed in a reservoir and could do great things once
released, until then it remains untapped, dormant, useless; the latter
however, is energy that is conquering fear, moving, doing, daring, now.
Kinetic energy is energy created because of movement, not lying dormant in
potential. Kinetic energy moves, flows in the present, continuously; being
used now, energy generated and applied now to build, strengthen, add
value.

The upside of having potential however, is the fact that you have
something (as opposed to having nothing and we know that God gave every
single person something to start with); to have potential means there is
greatness in you that is dying to be unleashed, to be released, to be made
known to the world, to bring change, to make a difference.

It’s “Selling” not “Begging”

In my few decades of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide under the African sun, I have come to learn a few things about my people - some characteristics to die for, others to kill, at once.

“Pride” falls under both categories. I am proud to be Tanzanian! I am proud of our diversity in ethnicity (over 130 tribes) yet unity in identity and language. I am proud of the fact that we look out for each other; as long as there is a community around them, it is almost unheard of to have a Tanzanian go without food or shelter. I am proud of the fact that we spearheaded Africa’s fight for freedom and unity at great national cost and have that as a lasting legacy. I am proud of our hospitality to people who are destitute, even to this day. I am proud of the fact that we tightened our belt and chose to develop on our own terms, rather than bow down to international political pressure. I am proud to be Tanzanian with the same pride that made our forefathers brave, selfless, sacrificial, persevering and united in pursuit of a common purpose, even when they didn’t get personal gain or live to see their dreams realised. This “pride” in my people, I too take pride in.

Then there is “p-ride” in my people. Out of the same set of circumstances of self-reliance, measured growth and employment for all, so that no one gets left behind, Tanzanians developed an “I am too proud to beg” attitude, even in situations when they aren’t even begging for anything. Funny how when we do beg, for example, for aid, we actually have no qualms about it. I’m just saying. Anyway, back to the topic at hand, being “too proud to beg” for business opportunities.

Take seeking for jobs, whether it be in employment or a business seeking clients, for example; it is typical of many of us to do the minimum to send out our documents, call-in to follow up a few times and then, let the opportunity go without “closing” the deal because we think “well, they know I exist, I have sent them my application documents and even followed up, if they really wanted to do this with me, they would have reverted to me, I’m not going to beg, I know my value.”

Similarly, I have noticed that a person will get out of their way to “sell” when at the beginning of their career yet a few years and titles later would not “go out to beg” for business.

What a pity. “As a man sees in his heart, so is he” reminds us King Solomon in one of his proverbs. Why would we choose to see it as “begging” and not “selling”? Ndugu zangu, as an employer-client, you cannot expect me to be more concerned with pursuing your success than you are. After all, who wrote to whom for this business opportunity? Kwahiyo unamringia nani? Do you know how many other people have applied for the same job as you have? Do you have any idea how many businesses are vying for the same tender to supply products and services to us? There could be tens, hundreds, even thousands. You think you are the only one with an idea? You would be surprised as to how many others have thought up something similar and have put it out to market. It is said that an idea is shared by 99 other people. Even if you were the only person and or business pursuing that opportunity, you still need to be persistent, show the employer-client that you are serious about partnering with them. Maanisha! Follow through.

So many employment opportunities are forgone, sales lost, because of the prideful mindset of the person seeking it.

I would advise both individual and business alike, to “change the way they think, perform and present themselves” to close that deal and continue nurturing the business relationship to guarantee repeat business past the initial transaction.

To do this, one should:

Do you need a degree to be a leader?

Is university education a prerequisite for an elective post? Is secondary education enough?

Well, Parliament wants to ensure that the next cadre of leaders all have tertiary level education.

It is difficult for a politician to stand up in Parliament and defend people seeking elective posts but do not possess a university education.

This is because if the names of those voicing their dissent against the law were put on paper, there will be a strong correlation between not attending university and not supporting the requirement.

Their opponents, on the other hand, are driven by the zeal of the entitled and the accomplished, the sort of haughtiness you can only find in a meritocracy.

They believe that a university education entitles you to more than those who have not bothered to seek higher education.

It is a ludicrous view that spending time in a university expands the mind in any way. Studying for the sake of studying is well and truly dead.

Universities are meant to instil a set of skills that are convertible into gain in the market outside.