1.0. Introduction
Entrepreneurship is both willingness as well as capacity to set up and manage a business. Therefore, merely having a desire to take an initiative in this regard does not suffice, but the willing individual should also complement it with appropriate skills to satisfy the criteria of ‘capacity’ as well. Certainly, it involves polishing inborn traits and developing required set of skills through consistent learning and getting influenced (Gartner, n.d.; Gartner & Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016; Keister, 2005).
This is a self-analysis report dealing with my personal approach to the matter in hand. Currently, I have taken the General Enterprising Test that helped me towards personal assessment of enterprising characteristics and skills (Caird, n.d.). I am rated ‘Highly Enterprising’ on the basis of excellent score in this test i.e. 93%. In this report, the significance of this score is interpreted, which is followed by the evidence of its validity. Furthermore, I have also summarized some antecedent influential elements in a section. Finally, current level of my entrepreneurship is analyzed in the background of its implications on my future objectives relevant to this.
2.0. Meaning of Get Test Results
As discussed above, I have scored 93% in the GET Test undertaken most recently. Given below is the explanation of what being ‘Highly Enterprising’ means in terms of General Enterprising Test:
According to the results, I am found to be excellent at enterprising with a tendency to set up and manage projects either within my organisation or relating to my own business venture. The result implies that I am sum of five different characteristics. These include need for achievement, need for autonomy, being selective in taking risks, creative approach, and locus of control.
3.0. Evidence to Support the Get Test Results
Even though my score in the test discussed above was excellent, it provides no scale to determine how much of my effort was based on personal insight and how much of this achievement was the product of ‘chance’ (or guesswork). Therefore, I am also providing some other examples to complement and back these findings. Apart from one explained above, I have taken two other similar types of tests: ‘Test My Creativity’ and ‘Test Partnership Free Personality Test’ (Aulive, n.d.; Assessment Day, n.d.)
3.1. Creative Tendency
I scored 85.79% in TEST my Creativity. The scale to evaluate the creativity, in this particular test’ is based on six attributes. These qualities being used as matrices include abstraction, persistence, connection, complexity, perspective, curiosity, paradox, and boldness. Given below is the graphical display of my results to help explain the findings:
(Aulive, n.d.)
It shows that my strongest area is ‘boldness’. Here, boldness means to undertake something in an unconventional manner (deviating from traditional patters) without entertaining any fear of what people think of one. While checked with GET Test, it stands similar to the findings of ‘creative tendency’. Then, my score 9 out of 10 for ‘openness’ in personality test also confirms my being blessed with creative ability.
3.2. Need for Autonomy
Moreover, my score for need for autonomy in GET Test is parallel to my score for similar kind of matrices in other two tests. For example, in ‘test partnership’, I have lowest score for agreeableness (i.e. 4). It means that I am agreeable and cooperative to some extent, but in most cases I want to do the things in my own way. My above average score for ‘perspective’ in my creativity test also symbolizes this tendency.
And, even in real life, I am reluctant to follow others’ instructions. For example, I have an experience of working in real estate marketing agency as a marketing executive. For a premium housing project, my manager advised me to spread my sales team in geographical segments mainly marked by upper class residents. Contrary to this, I realized that some well-off people living in middle class areas were not usually reached by competitors. Hence, they offered even more potential opportunities. Our organization was partially centralized and based on circle network structure. So employees were allowed to use experimental approach to some extent. Keeping all this in view, I sent some of my sales team members to aforementioned middle class zones for direct marketing. And, to the utter surprise of the manager, they were able to derive some potential prospects from those underestimated areas, which later on were converted into allottees of the underlying housing project. My decision was totally based on need for autonomy, intuition, and creativity.
However, I do not fully agree to the findings of these three results. In believe in keeping the balance between individualism and collectivism. I try to act in my own way, but also respect majority’s wise opinions when it comes to organizational matters. The example quoted above is an exception where I posed to be too aggressive. But, it was also parallel to the organizational structure (as it was a circle network organization).
3.3. Calculated Risk Taking
Then, my high score for complexity provides evidence for my ability of risk management as explained above with reference to my score in GET Test. It means that I can take productive decisions even basing on incomplete information. And, I am also renowned for this quality in my family. Whenever there is a critical situation wherein complete information about the matter is not available, my father and cousins consult me. And, my suggestions are highly respected and, most of the time, preferred to other alternatives. To add, in most of cases, they remain successful, too. All this provides sufficient evidence for my being excellent at risk assessment and management.
However, I do not fully agree to the findings of these results. My partial agreement is based on the fact that in most of situations, I am set to take decision on the basis of incomplete information. But, there are some situations where I wait till it gets too late to take a decision. Pre-assumption of otherwise results keeps me reluctant. I have overcome this weakness to great extent, but still some homework needs to be done to reach the level as identified in the test.
3.4. Locus of Control
I also scored high for ‘locus of control’, which means that I have strong belief in the proverb, “man is the architect of his own fate”. In other words, I find myself in full control of all the elements required to achieve my ultimate entrepreneurial goals. I can identify all the opportunities and threats existing or emerging in the external environment of my projects or any other types of tasks. Furthermore, on the basis of my tactfulness and intuition, I am capable of avoiding hazardous threats and exploiting potential opportunities. All these things give me a self-belief, which is key to success for an entrepreneur that I aim to be (Rae, 2007).
In addition to this, agreement between my score for ‘persistence’ in creativity test and for ‘locus of control’ in GET Test is the evidence of strong self-belief and determination. And, I am in total agreement with these results. For example, often sports events, I am given a chance to lead my team. As a leader, I am always determined to achieve the goals set by me. Furthermore, I also set my objectives realistically. The determination and ambition of my personality also reflects in my team’s performance. My being successful in high percentage of sports events wherein I took part is a telling example in this context.
3.5. Need for Achievement
My score for “Need for Achievement” shows that I am always determined to achieve my objectives despite all the difficulties on my way. I am never set to give in. Even in the most difficult situation, I approach situations quite optimistically. And, my general behaviour is true reflection of this trait.
I would again like to refer to an example from a sports event where I was captaining my football team. It was semi-final match and at a stage my team was trailing by three goals, as the opponent has scored five goals in the first half against two goals from my team. Even though both the sides were quite balanced, yet seeing the scenario from audience perspective, it was now looking almost impossible for us to make a comeback. However, I formulated a strategy and asked my team members to stay optimistic. I still had not let the hope wane. I pumped up players by reaffirming their skills and abilities. As a result, we fought back tremendously in the second half. We scored two goals in initial few minutes, and one in the last two minutes. We turned the tables and the end-result was to be decided on plenty-strokes. The opponent won the match with a margin of one goal in the end. But, the way my team came back and created twist in the game out of nowhere provides sufficient evidence of my ‘need for achievement’. My attitude in almost all matters also symbolizes this approach.
4.0. External Influence on Character Traits
Even though I find myself blessed with some inborn abilities, tendencies, and skills required to be a successful entrepreneur, it is also important to acknowledge the contribution of some influential elements in my external environment. For example, my grandfather has been a successful businessman. He started with a small grocery store, and was the sole owner of three large departmental stores when he died. He never compromised on his self-defined principles. At a stage, his business was near bankruptcy, and he was advised to exit and try something else. But, he added value to his business through his innovative ideas and made it stand out in the competition.
Then, my work experience in the above mentioned real estate organization as a marketing executive where I was given the chance to utilize my creative abilities has given me a lot of confidence and self-belief. Moreover, my study of some of the greatest trend changing, and trendsetting personalities has also provided me rationale to stick to my innovative and revolutionary ideas.
One of the major contribution in this regard was the study of the book namely, “Nelson Mandela: A Biography” by Limb (2008). Even though it does not relate to entrepreneurship (and sheds light on Mandela’s character in political background), it provides sufficient insight into how an individual can bring revolutionary changes basing on his differentiated and stubborn ideas through confidence and perseverance. Certainly, he has been the most successful president in the history of Africa. He never gave up his ideas though he had been in prison for a long time for his beliefs to be contradictory to conventional patterns of thought.
5.0. Conclusion
I personally feel that being sum of all the attributes as found in the GET Test will serve as base for my chances of success as an entrepreneur in years to come. Being confident, I will be able to define my business objectives basing on my own assessments. Innovative approach will help me stand out in the competition. I will show quick adaption to new trends and my ability of risk management will provide me significant clues in this regard (i.e. whether or not it is good to adapt a new technology or trend). My intuition will also serve as a useful tool when it comes to crucial decision making.
However, I will try to tune my ‘need for autonomy’ to an optimized level. In today’s business climate that is characterised by sophistication, it is comparatively wiser to rely on collaboration for the solution of some complicated issues. For this purpose, it is important to consider and respect others’ opinion. Therefore, I will try to strike perfect balance between individualism and collectivism. My score in the different tests, others’ perception about my personality and character (as discussed), and my professional experience together provide sufficient support for my future considerations. Therefore, I hope to emerge as a highly successful and trendsetting entrepreneur in future.
References
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