The Four Leadership Styles of Entrepreneurs. A Competency-Based Model for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Abstract

This research addresses a gap in the literature of a comprehensive model for entrepreneurial leadership style and constructs a model of the entrepreneur-specific leadership style approaching the topic from the angle of competencies. This study methodologically applies literature research and the case survey method with multiple types of quantitative analysis. The paper introduces five leadership dimensions to structure relevant entrepreneurial leadership competencies and identifies the most vital critical entrepreneurial leadership competencies as partnering, communication and discovering customer needs. Four leadership styles – Lone Wolf, Team Builder, Explorer and Architect – are suggested as characteristic for successful entrepreneurs. This paper is the third in a sequence of research papers and presents significant new findings from the research programme.