Page 65 - 1-Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development by Norman Walzer (z-lib.org)

54 Ron Hustedde

The circles of leadership overlap when they are dealing with shared vi-
sions about entrepreneurship. For example, in Carter County, Kentucky, so-
cial services work hand in hand with educators who nurture and teach en-
trepreneurship to women with limited incomes. A youth entrepreneurship
initiative in Grant County, Kentucky, involves a polycentric leadership of
teachers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and technical assistance and ex-
ternal groups such as the Kauffman Foundation and several universities.
Polycentric leadership works well if it moves beyond the superficial ele-
ments of team building (e.g., communications, courteous behavior, and
strong relationships) to team learning. Leaders can learn to collectively
think together about entrepreneurship and to move in a coordinated way,
just as a flock of birds moves in coordinated patterns.
Opportunities must be created for team learning about entrepreneurship
in which questions are asked about systems and assets as well as reflecting
on some of the tough questions: What do we know about entrepreneur-
ship? What do we need to know? How does entrepreneurship complement
or challenge our values? Do we have a shared vision about entrepreneur-
ship, and how should we act on that vision? and What kinds of policies
need to be changed to foster entrepreneurship?
Venues such as conferences, workshops, roundtables, and think tank set-
tings can create a climate for entrepreneurial leaders to emerge. The Geor-
gia Department of Economic Development (2006) has created an initiative
that provides a structure for grooming community-based entrepreneurial
leaders. In order for a Georgia community to be officially designated as
entrepreneurial-friendly, a community must take several key steps: (1) iden-
tifying a local organization and champion to lead a community-based en-
trepreneurship strategy; (2) increasing community awareness about the
needs, resources, and benefits of home-grown businesses; (3) enhancing
relationships with state and federal resource providers and others in educa-
tional sessions to help local leaders learn how entrepreneurs can be sup-
ported; (4) identifying potential, existing, and growth-oriented entrepre-
neurs; (5) identifying unique local assets that can support and foster
entrepreneurship such as historic features, nature-based venues, and educa-
tional strengths; and (6) visiting and interviewing local entrepreneurs.
Communities that meet these and other criteria become members of the
state of Georgia’s entrepreneur-friendly team and are provided opportunities
such as professional development, conferences, and a sharing of best prac-
tices (Georgia Department of Economic Development 2006). Although the
Georgia Entrepreneur Friendly Initiative is not advertised as a formal leader-
ship program, one can argue that the process itself fosters overlapping circles
of community leaders who listen to entrepreneurs, understand local assets
and entrepreneurial resources, and become involved in network building.
Another example of polycentric leadership for building an entrepreneurial
culture is found in the Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute. This