In response to yesterday’s article about Steve Jobs’ rude but creative character, today I received a link to an interesting article that lists some of the typical character traits of successful startup entrepreneurs. According to this one experienced source, those entrepreneurs that have the following characteristics will likely pass the test of investors, employees, and customers.
As an entrepreneur (in a startup) you should…
- enjoy being the visionary leader
- be sometimes creative and when needed logical
- feel energized by apparent risks
- actively seek input from other people
- be motivated, yet patient
- be a ‘jack of all trades’ (able to do many kinds of things – not specializing in just one thing)
Ok, lets take a similar list from another source … that lists those “7 characteristics of successful entrepreneurs” being…
- forward-looking
- hard working
- passionate
- opinionated (~readiness to stand behind his/her own opinions)
- confident
- resourceful (able do improvise and to deal with real-time uncertainties)
- positive
Huh, those lists do not appear to have very much similarities. For a moment I though both sixes were about a same thing… but they were not. Ok, obviously we need a more scientific opinion… here is a psychology PhD’s opinion - and as a scientist she must be right in this one. So, her final-word in this mater is that, the most typical character traits that are needed in creating a successful startup include…
- the ability to be organized. (~or more accurately, the ability to recognize the need for organization)
- the ability to communicate well with those around you.
- the ability to make mistakes and learn from them.
- and having courage to do and try things (…and learn as you go)
Darn, still not a single match with the other lists. Well, maybe we can summarize that… it takes a special person with character traits to create a successful startup.