According to David Armano, executive VP, Global Innovation & Integration at Edelman, an intrapreneur is someone who has an entrepreneurial streak in his or her DNA, but chooses to align his or her talents with a large organization in place of creating his or her own.
Smart organizations will seek out individuals who like to invent, innovate and want to be on the front lines of change. These individuals can work independently but even more important can work seamlessly as part of an integrated team structure and also effectively embrace and embody the culture of the intrapreneur’s host organization. Intrapreneurs are most successful when management/leadership empowers and supports them and in turn the intrapreneurs represent the best interests of their organizations while earning the respect of corporate peers.
Intrapreneurs, are becoming increasingly important in a global society that continues to evolve and advance with technology faster than ever. More firms are implementing intrepreneurial projects within departments to test and launch new products, services and systems. Intrapreneurs are in charge of a project within a firm where they are given autonomy to work on a project with freedom and resources, taking ownership of the success and failure of an endeavor. Implementing the changes you propose as an intrapreneur is a sales process. This role is challenging in that you have to have enough support from senior management to buy into your ideas and concepts.
