Can it be taught?

Over the last few weeks I've had a couple of conversations with a bunch of young people from NUSEA, an organization that brings entrepreneurially minded young Singaporeans to the Silicon Valley so they can absorb and learn from the Silicon Valley culture. They're are very energetic, curious and eager to learn as much as they can in their year in the Valley.

When I mentioned this to a friend of mine, he wondered if entrepreurship can really be taught. Of course, there's tons of money being made in entrepreneurship classes, but most of them cover a lot of the how-to's which are definitely teachable. But what makes one an entrepreneur is not knowing how to start a company, but the innate drive to do so. This is a favorite topic of mine covered in many previous posts, specifically Definition of an Entrepreneur, and Are you an Entrepreneur. Fundamental to being an entrepreneur is a willingness to take the risk to go after an opportunity. And following through with it. To me, this seems to be more a trait than a skill that can be taught through books and classroom exercises.

But it is an attitude that can be developed. Take the young people from Singapore. They come to Silicon Valley because they've already been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug (couldn't be a travel bug as they have to work too hard while they're here). The spark's in place, and a stint in the Valley could very well fan it into a good-sized flame. They're doing all the right things to fully immerse themselves in the culture - taking on internships, attending lectures, workshops, seminars, and initiating conversations with local entrepreneurs etc. And they go after it with gusto and passion. Though everyone assumes that passion in youth is to be expected, frequently passion for any one thing in youth lasts about as long as a new tune on the top 10. It is impressive to see the young people in NUSEA who've sustained their passion for entrepreneurship for an extended length of time - looks they're on to the real thing. And they're not 'learning' to be entrepreneurs. They are growing and strengthening their entrepreneurial spirit. Entrepreneurs may not be 'made', but they sure can be cultivated. It would be fun to see what this crop produces.