Australia has been an interesting place to work and live over the last several decades. With globalization, smart city planning, world-class universities, and a diverse population, we have grown by leaps and bounds economically. As we are now comfortably in the 21st century, the question remains, "What is the future of Australia's entrepreneurship?"
The world is gradually moving away from fossil fuels and resource – intensive approaches to agriculture, transportation, and energy. This brings new challenges for entrepreneurs, most of whom are highly computer literate, but may not understand how more traditional occupations can benefit from technology since they have little experience in these dwindling fields.
While there always be room for old industries in the business world, it is my hope that young entrepreneurs in Australia will take a good, long look at where we are as a country and work together with the government to help us get to where we should be.
I cannot help but to draw some valuable lessons I learned from Victor Ian Melville that I think will be helpful to entrepreneurs:
- The first thing Victor taught me was that you have to keep score if you want to succeed here it while his athletic background contributed to this point of view, it holds true when you look around to see the kind of people who are leading exciting, new companies. They do not just give it a go and hope for the best...they test, analyze, strategize, and keep working on the game plan until they score.
- Business leaders and entrepreneurs need to have a system for success. One thing I appreciate about Victor is that he is a case study of what a great person looks like. I learned from Mr. Melville that treating people with dignity and assuming the best about them is almost always a great system for success. You can have a great idea as not ignore, but without people skills, that idea will very rarely get off the ground without a group of fans to promote it and cheer you on.
- One thing about Victor that I find most endearing is his unwillingness to engage in idle gossip or to put down competitors. On the football field, Melville always knew how to treat the other team with respect even though he played his hardest and wanted to win. off the field, he demonstrated that same attitude with others and taught me how to change the subject when somebody was gossiping, and to refuse to participate. While this may not seem entirely relevant to entrepreneurship, remember that one's reputation is of the utmost value. If young entrepreneurs in Australia think that getting ahead means putting everybody else down and broadcasting the worst possible news about their competitors, they may be in for a difficult career in this great country of ours.
- The last thing that comes to mind about entrepreneurship and business that I learned from Vic Melville is that people should only make agreements that they intend to stand behind. It is absolutely essential for entrepreneurs to think creatively, pivot quickly, have as short a runway as possible for testing out new ideas, and be willing to iterate in response to customer demand. However, interpersonal skills and personal self-control are still paramount. Learning to take responsibility and being a person of integrity under all conditions is absolutely crucial in order to be known as a successful up and coming entrepreneur. Why? Because people want to do business and become part of your team when they feel you are trustworthy and committed to raising the quality of the lives of people around you.
By learning to expect more of yourself,, Australian entrepreneurs can expect to gain more for their business and professional pursuits. These four tips above may seem counter-intuitive because they are not typically spoken of in popular business books. However, looking at the life of a successful athlete, entrepreneur, an artist like Victor Melville has taught me firsthand that one often reaps the rewards of giving back and being a decent person regardless of what other people might think or say.
--By Steve Packer
