Bring on September 19 – International Talk Like a Pirate Day! In honour of Johnny Depp, ITLAP Day, and the frivolities that go along with it, let’s talk about why you should forgo traditional entrepreneurial role models for the mighty pirate!
The English word pirate is derived ultimately from the Greek word peira meaning “attempt, experience”, or more implicitly “to find luck on the sea”. Let’s see how much we can improve your entrepreneurial experience and find you some luck in the sea of business opportunities!
1. Get a parrot on your shoulder
The parrot on your shoulder can represent two things:
i) Your conscience. Every entrepreneur has moments in time where the easier option does not always represent the right option. Remember the parrot on your shoulder is there to guide you.
ii) Your mentor. The voice of guidance from someone who’s been there and done it. Get the right parrot (or mentor) and you’ll skyrocket to greater heights.
2. The eye patch – An entrepreneur needs to have selective vision. They need to be able to block out distractions and zone in on opportunities. Develop your own figurative eye patch by honing in on what you want to focus on – and making the rest walk the plank.
3. The funky pirate wear and the eye liner – An entrepreneur stands out from the crowd. Whether it’s John McGrath, Sydney real estate agent extraordinaire pioneering the no tie business look or Sergey Brin, google co-founder, wearing jeans and a t-shirt while giving a keynote to 10,000 people, entrepreneurs don’t feel the need to conform to outdated business standards. Most wildly successful entrepreneurs are there because they don’t conform in their businesses. They’re edgy and they try new things in their businesses, which quite often spills over into their outerwear and can make them easy to identify.
4. Any weather Any time – A pirate’s ship and crew carry them through the roughest storms making them mobile, flexible and able to deal with a multitude of circumstances – just like the ultimate entrepreneur.
5. Live and die by the team – No pirate ever managed to crew an entire ship on their own and no successful entrepreneur ever got there without their own crew of motivated, engaged, talented individuals. In the boardroom as on the ocean – the undeserving leader will face a mutiny.
6. The bicorne hat – The entrepreneur needs to be a master of wearing many hats – even if they look as ridiculous as the Napoleon-esque bicorne hat! As an entrepreneur you’ll need to be motivator, innovator, initial implementer and so much more.
By Kirsty Dunphey
Reproduced with permission from the Kirsty Dunphey blog and weekly newsletter: www.kirstydunphey.com/