The level of competition between business have increased and the complexity of the business environment create many business challenges. To survive in these chaotic times, it is important to change the mindset of employees from transactional mindset of selling their effort, skills and knowledge in exchange to a salary to a transformational mindset that seek ways of increasing the business sustainability by being innovative, taking risks and driving change within the organization. This can only happen when the organization system allows employees to evolve by empowering them and fostering their creativity. For instance, Steve Jobs created an environment where Apple employees can unleash their potential by building a psychological safety where best ideas win and where managers can take a back sit and allow talented employees to express themselves. This made the employees to be highly innovative, responsible, and accountable. This is not common in traditional organizations because managers do not allow employees to freely express themselves and sometimes when their employees differ ideological, they are perceived as being stubborn and they are blacklisted and shunned. This is why they are not progressive because employees are not allowed to be transformative due to enforcement of rules and regulations leading to bureaucratic culture.

This article discusses eight ways of developing intrapreneurial mindset in employees. The first strategy is  to encourage risk taking where calculated risk-taking is encouraged and rewarded. To foster this, the organization should support employees to experiment new ideas and initiatives, even if some may not succeed. The second one is to encourage employees to have autonomy by giving employees the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their projects. This happen when managers empower employees to have control over their work, allowing them to explore and implement their ideas. This is how the organization creates an enabling environment of creativity and innovation. The third strategy is to promote a learning culture by supporting and rewarding professional development. This can be done by sponsoring employees for further training to enhance their skills and knowledge. The fourth strategy is to allocate time for innovation. Companies like Google dedicate specific time for employees to work on innovation projects outside of their regular responsibilities. This could be in the form of “innovation days” or designated time for brainstorming and creative thinking. 

The fifth strategy is to create a Cross-Functional Team to encourage collaboration between employees from different departments. Cross-functional teams can bring diverse perspectives, leading to more innovative and comprehensive solutions. Cross-functional teams play a crucial role in building intrapreneurial mindset because the teams bring together individuals from different functional areas or departments, each with their own expertise and perspectives, to collaborate on specific projects or initiatives. This how employees learn from each other and start being transformative and have high sense of organization ownership. The sixth strategy is to foster psychological safety in the organization. It is the environment where employees can differ with each other ideologically without fear of being victimized. When employees feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to engage in open communication, collaborate effectively, and contribute their best efforts to achieve organizational goals. This condition makes employees to act like entrepreneurs because they can freely share their ideas, even unconventional ones, without fear of ridicule or punishment, and they are more likely to come forward with innovative solutions to problems. 

The seventh strategy is to have  accessible leadership  where managers are approachable and open to new ideas from employees at all levels. This accessibility encourages employees to share their thoughts and suggestions without fear of reprisal. Apple Company has been known for encouraging an intrapreneurial mindset because of this kind of leadership. The eighth strategy is to recognize and reward employees who do exceptional things and not just their performance only. This recognition can come in various forms, such as financial incentives, promotions, or acknowledgment at company-wide events. In conclusion, promoting an intrapreneurial mindset within a company lead to increased innovation, improved competitiveness, and a culture that fosters growth and creativity. Organizations that encourage and support intrapreneurs often find themselves better equipped to adapt to a rapidly changing business landscape and stay ahead of the competition.