Your Comments - Part 2 - "Born or Made"

We promised to provide you with some of the feedback being received on our Linkedin Poll, where we asked the question: Are Entrepreneurs Born, or are they Made?

Our Linkedin Poll was launched on December 18, 2011 and your response has been overwhelming!  Thank you to all who contributed to the debate or voted in our poll.

Below are just a few of the comments that were provided. We have generally not edited what you see below. We trust that it being place on this BLOG will allow opportunity for other to join in the discussion.  Enjoy and please ADD your COMMENTS to this POST!

Oliver Baezner • I believe that entrepreneurs are made, but it's not completely cut and dry. Having completed dozens of behavioural assessments on entrepreneurs, I have found that often they have strong Director type qualities. It takes these qualities to have the "guts", "determination" and "drive" to break out on their own.

Dan Ohler, ACC, Relationship Specialist & Coach • Great question, Jim. I believe that anyone can be an entrepreneur. However, based upon behavioural style assessments, and a new profiling system I'm learning (called M_DNA), I think there are some people who are born with the hard-wiring that makes entrepreneurship more natural. They have the internal drive, tanacity, passion, and willingness to fail forward. That said, anyone can learn these things, and I believe it comes down to values. When clear on values, people will do almost anything to support those values. 

Neil Kaarsemaker • My vote was based on the premise that while anyone can seek to be entrepreneurial, you need some inherent attributes to thrive at being an entrepreneur. You can teach the skills & disciplines of being an entrepreneur but those who are hot wired for risk and with a strong self-believe and focus for achievement will generally find greater success as entrepreneurs. A voice from the dissenting camp.

Colin Christensen • I was born to be almost anything I want. My skills to be an entrepreneur are native, yes. But, my willingness to deal with risk are the choices I make. A great quote I saw. [Entrepreneurialism] is like jumping out of an airplane with all the materials needed to build a parachute. -- Glenn Bickenstaff