CEOs Should Let Their Employees Be Entrepreneurs, and Here's Why
Spartan has come a long way. It took a lot of hard work, luck, and tons of invaluable help. I could never have done it without my team.
When I hire, I look for someone who’s an ambitious person with an insatiable work ethic. They also need to be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm breeds passion, and when you’re passionate, you don’t just do 9-5 work.
Related: These Are the 4 Things Spartan CEO Joe De Sena Considers Before Making a Hire
Let me tell you a story: A few years ago, one of my employees, Brian, proposed that we hold Spartan races in iconic stadiums (a concept that evolved into the Spartan Stadion Series). Now, believe it or not, I’m not a sports guy by any means. I don’t watch any major sports, but I do have a strong passion for wrestling and rugby.
I honestly thought it was a terrible idea at first. Why would anyone want to do a race inside of a stadium? People go to sporting events to drink beer and eat hot dogs, don’t they?
Instead of fighting Brian and destroying the idea, I let the team run with it. Why not? If it works, awesome — that’s a whole new series for us. If it fails, at least we tried to innovate. It’s not about being right or wrong in this case. Our ego cares about being right, but a good leader knows when to ignore ego.
Related: How to Set Aside Your Ego and Actually Get Shit Done
More importantly, when you shut down employees’ ideas, you set a precedent that says those ideas are not welcome. A successful company is built on the innovations and ideas of the staff. You want everyone on board to be an entrepreneur for you. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying you should say yes to everyone (far from it). That’s a path to nowhere. But be open and listen. If it’s a sound idea and not too costly, let your employees run with it. The team will appreciate what you did and it encourages more ideas, which means more growth.
