Adjustment
Calm, self-assured, and steady under pressure versus being self-critical, edgy, and intense performer.
Leadership Energy
Inclined to take charge, be leader-like, be interested in upward career mobility, and be highly competitive versus tendencies to avoid leadership roles, not to direct others, and to be unconcerned with upward mobility as a measure for success.
Sociability
Outgoing, enjoys social interaction, is extraverted, is stimulated by dialoging with others versus having more introversion tendencies such as preferring less social interaction, maintaining a lower profile, keeping to oneself, being quiet and perhaps shy.
Interpersonal Sensitivity
Warm, caring, sensitive towards the needs of others, interpersonally skilled, and perceptive versus being task focused, hard-nosed, and apathetic towards the needs of others.
Prudence
Practical, conscientious, self-controlled, disciplined, steady, reliable, stable, and logical in a steadfast way versus being spontaneous, risk taking, adventurous, potentially creative, adaptable, and inventive.
Inquisitive
Adventurous, clever, original, creative, imaginative, and curious versus being practical, task and process focused, detail oriented, and more down to earth.
Learning Approach
Typically seeking learning for the sake of personal enrichment and having academic interests versus being more interested in practical educational approaches, such as on-the-job training and hands-on learning.
If someone scores slightly outside of the ranges of the solid boxes above, then it is important for other leadership team members to have character profiles that shore up the gaps.
Entrepreneurial quests are not for the light-hearted, and a multifaceted, objective review is essential before moving forward. Fitting into the entrepreneurial character profile is step one. Obviously, if your character traits are clearly outside the ranges above, this would be a deal breaker, and you’d be well advised to pursue a different dream or quest. Keep in mind, from a character-trait standpoint, the above graphic is a narrowly found profile. In fact, this is not too far from a “delinquent profile” so all the more reason to analyze the propensity for success.2
There is more to consider too. Your motivation and inherent risk factors for derailment can make or break success as well.
MOTIVATION AND STAYING FOCUSED
Are you intrinsically motivated or driven to succeed as an entrepreneur? Following are ten “drivers and reward” facets. Of these, the first two with two asterisks (**) are key drivers to propel performance and perseverance to achieve the entrepreneurial goals; the next four with a single asterisk (*) are also very important. Lacking these, you may wander off course, lose interest, become more prone to frustration, or give up when things get tough.
CDR DRIVERS AND REWARD FACETS THAT DRIVE ENTREPRENEURS3
**Power and Competition
Indicative of a strong interest in goal attainment, pursuit of excellence, achieving status, strategic career planning, and being the best at any activity.
**Business and Finance
Interests in commerce and industry, especially budget and financial performance.
*Scientific Reasoning
Interests in scientific analysis and discovery, fascination with technology, and a lifestyle organized around the pursuit of knowledge concerning how things work.
*Fame and Feedback
Need for recognition and fame, receiving credit for ideas and accomplishments, and being well respected within one’s profession.
*Artistic Endeavors
A passion for the arts, strong interests in working in artistic fields, and a lifestyle organized around opportunities for creative self-expression.
*Amusement and Hedonism
Need for fun, personal indulgence, freedom to spend time in ways that are entertaining, and an overall philosophy of enjoying life to the fullest.
Humanitarian Efforts
Interested in helping the less fortunate and promoting social justice; having a lifestyle organized around a commitment to making a positive difference in society.
Companionship and Affiliation
Need for friendship, camaraderie, social interaction; the enjoyment of working closely with others in a team environment.
Moral Platform
Unwavering concern for moral standards, strong interests in spiritual matters, and a lifestyle organized around virtue and traditional values.
Safety and Security
Need for long-term financial and employment stability, insulation from harm, and avoiding or minimizing externally directed change and the unpredictable.
Most important are “power and competition” and “business and finance.” Being goal driven, pushing to win, and eagerness to compete can provide the energy to push forward, despite setbacks. Winning is not an option; it is an imperative. Having a good eye on the financials at all times is crucial. If you lack quantitative interest or financial focus, this can undermine your success.
One or more of the following drivers may also be beneficial, depending on the product or service the entrepreneur is launching:
Scientific Reasoning – if your product is highly technical or medically or scientifically oriented.
Fame and Feedback – welcoming the visibility and opportunities to shine in public.
Artistic Endeavors – typically found with highly creative people.
Amusement and Hedonism – having a sense of humor; having fun can impact the communications approach and relaxed presence of an entrepreneur. Also, having a sense of humor or a good belly laugh now and then can be a great help in minimizing stress.
An Entrepreneur’s CDR Drivers and Rewards Assessment Graph
Figure 3.3. (Source: K. R. (Brinkmeyer) Leverage and N. E. Parsons, CDR Drivers & Rewards Assessment Report, Tulsa, OK: CDR Assessment Group (1999).)
DON’T HAVES AND DEAL BREAKERS FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS
A high need for safety and security would be a pure deal breaker. Risk taking is essential. High humanitarian efforts likely is not a fit, as this could impinge on one’s ability to be tough and direct as needed.
RISK FACTORS THAT CAN DERAIL SUCCESS
Everyone has inherent risk factors, or ineffective coping strategies, that can undermine or sabotage success. These show under stress, conflict, and adversity. Frequently, entrepreneurs’ risk factors run amok due to the constant pressure they are under. These, gone unchecked, can throw even the most promising entrepreneurial venture off track. Also, certain risks are more acceptable, or less disruptive, than others. A 2013 Gallup study demonstrated how destructive these inherent risks are. They reported that 450 to 550 billion dollars are wasted annually due to leadership derailment behaviors.
The first five CDR leadership risk factors below in the list following are common traits that can interfere with success for the entrepreneur. While they may seem to go with the territory, some of these can cause the best business plans to crash. The other six risk factors may also contribute to problematic behaviors but are not as common. Of these, the last four high-risk factors may especially make the journey frustrating or impossible, as these traits may tend to inhibit a successful