Entrepreneurial Leadership Skills and Competencies: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Entrepreneurial leadership (EL) is a relatively new paradigm of enquiry. The research on entrepreneurial leadership skills and competencies and their development is dispersed. This study, following an evidence-based approach, aims to address this issue by applying a systematic literature review. The findings of the SLR show that entrepreneurial leadership skills and competencies are critically important for the success of organisations regardless of their nature, size and contexts. Results of the review identify that proactiveness, innovativeness, risk taking propensity, articulating vision, motivation, communication, influence, teamwork, creativity, and risk-taking are important skills of entrepreneurial leaders. Whilst personal, functional, technological, and interpersonal competencies were identified as essential competencies for entrepreneurial leaders; entrepreneurship education and courses, as well as experiential, socially interactive and project-based learning approaches are regarded as processes of EL competencies’ development. Drawing on extant literature, this research identified various research gaps and proposes future research streams on entrepreneurial leadership skills and competencies.