Entrepreneurial Leadership: A Theoretical and Practical Basis for Learning about Future-Fit Leadership in Schools

Abstract

Schools in the 21^st century are in dire need of future-fit leaders who are required to conform to the rapidly changing world of technology and innovation. Attributes of such leaders include proactiveness, innovativeness and willingness to take risks. These are some of the hallmarks of entrepreneurial leadership. This paper first picks up some relevant scholastic definitions of entrepreneurialism and, more specifically, entrepreneurial school leadership from a myriad of definitions found in evidence-based literature. Second, it analyses some of the key themes I have garnered about future-fit leadership in a semi-structured interview I conducted with a future-fit leader and the inputs he provided. The interviewee is a business entrepreneur whose ideas about future-fit leaders can be adapted and applied to the educational sector to develop future-fit leaders in schools. Thirdly, case studies of schools in Gauteng, South Africa province, are used as examples of best practices to emulate for effective entrepreneurial leadership in school (Xaba & Malindi, 2010)