How do you manage exploration stoppages?

Entrepreneurs and start-ups alike know that it's not easy to get to the end of the adventure and bring a product or service to market based on a profitable business model. And while many line up at the start, few cross the finish line: a situation understood and accepted by all.

Intrapreneurship follows the same rule. When a future intrapreneur decides to take the plunge, he or she needs to be aware that there's a greater probability that the venture will come to a halt than that it will succeed. And if you're setting up an intrapreneurial program, you need to be prepared for the always complicated situation of an intrapreneurial initiative coming to a halt. This is all the more true as your organization is generally very "operations" oriented, i.e. adverse to risk and failure.

When an initiative - whether taken by the team itself or not - comes to a halt, it represents a disappointment for all those involved, to a greater or lesser extent depending on the situation, but one that you can't erase. On the other hand, you will be able to manage this situation more effectively by following the steps below.

This fact sheet describes the various stages involved in supporting the intrapreneurial team through this period, which is generally not an easy one.