The intrapreneurial spirit

One of the biggest concerns currently affecting CIOs and IT managers is staff retention. This is particularly noticeable when it concerns younger employees coming into the market with loads of ability and little patience for the traditional frustrations associated with climbing the corporate ladder.

Some IT leaders are beginning to realize that by letting members of this new generation be inventive, creative and imaginative in their roles (“intrapreneurial”), the possibility exists to solve two problems with one philosophy: employees are content and loyal because they have the leeway to express themselves in their work, and employers reap the rewards of their often forward-thinking projects.

The danger, of course, is that with more employee freedom comes an increased risk of wasted resources on those efforts that don’t lead to anything. The role of the CIO/IT leader is to seek the right amount of balance in this new paradigm for thier indivdual organizations. It will mostlikely take a fair bit of trial and error before that balance can be reached, but in the end, it should prove to be a boon to innovation and growth.