I always had a somewhat dicey relationship with Harvard. When I got rejected as an undergraduate, my mother said she would never step in Cambridge again. Years later, when I was invited back to speak at Harvard Business School, my mother begged me not to go (“They didn’t want you back then, they can’t have you now!”) From then on, I have always had a competitive thing with them.
When we both published entrepreneurship tests this past week, I have to know, whose is better, Harvard Business Review or Mine?
- I published mine as a column for Crain’s Chicago Business’ Enterprise City.
- Here is Harvard Business Review’s version by Daniel Isenberg (of Babson College)
I don’t know Mr. Isenberg and I am sure he is an excellent professor at Babson. However, I do not think that his test is a good one for entrepreneurs. Whether you want to be an entrepreneur or not, I am not sure how you could answer no to any of these included in his test:
Q1. I don’t like being told what to do by people who are less capable than I am. Me: Who does?
Q2. I like challenging myself. Me: How can any self-respecting person answer no?
Q3. I like to win. Me: What, there are some people that like to lose?
Q6. I like to question conventional wisdom. Me: Who doesn’t?
Q10. I can’t sit still. Me: We have a yiddish term for this, loosely translated its ants in your pants.
But you be the judge, what do you think of our two entrepreneur tests? Or better yet, suggest your own!
I have to side with you – and your Mom – on this one.
And it has nothing to do with living in the Boston area for 15 years with that crimson “h” looming over the horizon. Nor does it have anything to do with the fact that the 2 businesses I worked for that later shut down were run by Harvard and MIT grads.
Whatever the tests may be, nothing is going to really tell you if you’re cut out for it like actually trying it!
mp/m
Yes Mike, Action is the only thing that counts!