If you are running the venture……

(Excerpts taken from the book “Winning” by Jack Welch ch.13 page 213) The guide lines I have just listed are directed in many ways at the executives sponsoring a new venture. But they have important applications for the venture’s actual leaders-the people running the show. Consider the first guideline, about spending on resources and people. More often than not, you will find you are not getting enough money from the mother ship, nor are you getting the best people. What do you do? Fight like hell. Get yourself in front of senior management and make your case. And work the personnel front on your own. Ferret out good candidates both inside and outside the company, and make your pitch directly to them. Just go get the best people, even if you have to throw a few elbows. Now about hoopla. You need to realize it’s a two-edged sword. You want it in order to get commitment from those above you. But when you get that commitment, it is sure to tick off your peers. In particular established businesses with fat profits absolutely hate it when little upstarts with no profits get a disproportionate amount of company resources and attention. They are certain they need more resources and would spend them more wisely than your risky little venture. Their attitude may annoy you, but the last thing you need is to have anyone in the company rooting for you to fail. Recognize that resentment toward new ventures is natural. Keep your mouth shut if it bothers you. Humility will serve you well with your peers; someday soon, you’ll need their support. Finally, about autonomy. The fact of the matter is, you are always going to want more of it than you get. The best way to get autonomy is to earn it. If you play by the rules, you’ll get your freedom soon enough. The spotlight of the company is on you. Don’t blow it by overreacting if you feel the early constraints put upon you are stifling. They are just part of the process of your “parents” letting go.