An Integrated Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurial Leadership: New Frontiers for Research

We offer an integrative, multidisciplinary conceptual model of entrepreneurial leadership (EL) to explain the motivational dynamics of EL that enable follower entrepreneurial activity. We define entrepreneurial leaders as individuals who possess a growth mindset and demonstrate high levels of emotional, social, and cognitive competence to facilitate follower intrinsic motivation to act entrepreneurially. Drawing upon self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2002a; Ryan & Deci, 2017), we propose EL is demonstrated when a leader, moderated by his or her entrepreneurial mindset, satisfies three inherent human needs in followers (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) to enable follower ability to recognize and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. With our conceptual model of EL, we seek to establish new frontiers for scholars to advance scholarly work on entrepreneurial leadership.