Intuitively questioning the status quo or existing processes is a hallmark of entrepreneurs. While they don’t mean to be confrontational or hostile, they’re simply questioning the status quo and existing processes. It’s possible to remove this component in the minds and hearts of company employees by simply giving permission for them to ask questions. Jorge Zuñiga Blanco, a Costa Rican entrepreneur and business leader, understands the importance and shares three ways for entrepreneurs to help their staff think like they do.

Encourage employees to apply “design thinking,” which is focused on solutions rather than wild brainstorming. This will result in better, more creative ideas all around the chain. You also need to ensure that your administration group does not respond defensively to any question. The answer “That’s just how we’ve done things” is acceptable but not as a way to open up dialogue about alternative methods.

Create a more diverse network. Each week, connect two people in the network that aren’t familiar with each other. This will help them create the ’tissues that drive employees to work on the business projects. Networks can be a powerful tool to help a company succeed. It’s not a time for you to connect with the business’s objectives. It should be an opportunity to meet new people, not a time to conduct business transactions.

It is important to encourage autonomy. To empower an employee, trust him or her. This will inspire them to be more entrepreneurial. Give credit where credit is due. Zuñiga states, “Employees will feel more useful, productive and appreciated when they have the right to make their own decisions. If your business is retail-oriented, you can give employees the authority to authorize discounts or refunds up to a certain amount without needing approval from someone higher in the chain.”

The added benefit of giving staff members certain control is that they can be more productive. This will not only empower staff members to think like entrepreneurs, but it will also help the business owners streamline their work and free up time for other tasks. This will help you increase your profits and make it easier for everyone to work together.

There is much debate over whether entrepreneurs are “born,” or “made.” However, some entrepreneurs do have the ability to drive their businesses. But this doesn’t mean certain people can’t learn how to emulate certain entrepreneurial behavior. States Zuñiga, “If entrepreneurs take the initiative and encourage their staff to think like businesspeople, they will not only be able to differentiate their company from others, but will also create new innovation and experience greater success.”

In addition to being one of the most used techniques to fix the attention of the audience, using examples facilitates the understanding of the ideas that are to be transmitted. These examples can be taken from real life or from the daily activity of the company. Thus, you can compare the company with a marriage, use sports terms to describe the situation of the company with respect to its competition, and so on.

Reference can also be made to experiences lived by the entrepreneur himself. However, they should not be personalized when it comes to raising examples. Opting for this method can be dangerous since the bad choice of one can confuse workers.

It can be both rewarding as well as challenging to start your own business. The key ingredients to making a business succeed are dedication, discipline, responsibility and hard work. To achieve the goals of a budding business entrepreneur, there are many activities that can be incorporated into a daily routine. But building a team and empowering them will ensure that they are achieved.