Entrepreneurial Leadership: 'Awaken the child in yourself'

Entrepreneur versus manager

She begins with an unsubtle comparison between an entrepreneur and a manager. An entrepreneur has imagination and can dream big, a manager is more realistic. An entrepreneur is uninhibited; a manager must hold back. The curious characteristic of the entrepreneur is much less present in a manager. The entrepreneur's enthusiasm is absent from the manager, who is more about control. And finally, the entrepreneur is optimistic and resilient, the manager much less so.

Child versus adult

As she rants, the aforementioned traits of the entrepreneur and the manager appear side by side on the large screen in front of the room. A shock goes through the room as Van Praag, at the press of a button, transforms the word entrepreneur into a child and the word manager into an adult. Childlike behaviour characterizes the entrepreneur, is Van Praag's thesis, and is not sufficiently appreciated in practice. “You will have to awaken the child in yourself to be a good entrepreneur.” The audience responds enthusiastically. Van Praag explains that when she confronts groups of entrepreneurs with the fact that they exhibit childlike behaviour, they usually take it as a compliment.

Play more games

Then Van Praag puts in the lacking nuance. “It's not a value judgment but a different perspective. Balance between the child and the adult has to be there, of course,” Van Praag says. “Be aware of what role you have to play in a certain situation to be successful.” She offers tips for encouraging childlike behaviour in the organization. “In the selection of people for roles but also with interventions. Set people free to be more childlike and set a good example yourself. Bring in young people and appreciate their fresh perspective. Play games, do experiments, go dancing and clapping, open your mind and let go of seriousness. Awaken the child in yourself.”