by Kim Stimson

In order to be successful in business and life it is important for entrepreneurs to know how we learn and how we are perceived by the world.  Entrepreneurs need to know our strengths and our weaknesses, or opportunities for improvement.  Entrepreneurs have no fear of the truth, we know that if we are to succeed we must work with or hire those that have the skills and traits that are weakest within us.

Do you know your traits and how to use them to become a more successful entrepreneur?  Some Entrepreneurs have the ability to identify and acknowledge their weaknesses.  These few entrepreneurs have an advanced insight that if accepted will make their growth and success a more stress free journey.

For the majority of entrepreneurs that don't know or refuse to identify their strengths and weaknesses it is important to have an impartial assessment.  The assessment must be interpreted by a team that understands the entrepreneurial way.  Only assessments interpreted by a team of entrepreneurs can take into consideration the key roles that entrepreneurial intuition, entrepreneurial spirit, and the circle of entrepreneurship play in assessing the entrepreneurs strengths and weaknesses.

An "Entrepreneurial Assessment" is a review of your: 

• Thinking & Reasoning Style
• Behavioral Traits
• Occupational Interests

The Entrepreneurial Assessment will allow the entrepreneur to use this knowledge to work more effectively with others in making your business a success!  After completion of your assessment, you will understand:

• your thinking and reasoning style as it relates to how you learn and how you manage 
• how to leverage your occupational interests
• your interest in activities associated with persuading others as well as presenting plans and concepts 
• your interest in activities such as organizing information or business procedures
• your interest in activities such as helping people and promoting the welfare of others 
• your interest in activities using imagination, creativity and original ideas
• your interest in scientific activities, technical data and research
• your interest in working with tools, equipment and machinery 
• how you fit with the rest of the population based on the following 8 behavioral traits
• your tendency to display endurance and capacity for a fast pace
• your tendency to take charge of people and situations.  Leads more than follows
• your tendency to be outgoing, people-oriented and participate with others
• your tendency to follow policies, accept external controls and supervision and work within the rules
• your tendency to have a positive attitude regarding people and outcomes
• your ability to use available information to make decisions quickly
• your tendency to be friendly, cooperative, agreeable.  To be a team person
• your tendency to be self-reliant, self-directed, to take independent action and make own decisions
• your ability to think clearly and be objective in decision making

 To put it nicely, you will understand what you should do and what you hire others to do for you.  Of course if you can't afford to hire others, you will know why you are doing the things that you are doing.  You may understand that you are not doing what is most important to the growth of your business, you are doing what you like to do most...even if that is not the most important activity you can be doing at that moment!

The Association of Entrepreneurs feels so strongly that entrepreneurs need this kind of honest assessment that they are reviewing a variety of assessment tools for the one that most fits the Entrepreneurial Way!  If you are interested in more information on the concept of the Entrepreneurial Assessment, e-mail me at kim@mybizuniverse.com.

Let us know how you assess your strengths and weaknesses by responding to this blog.