Abstract
The article presents the findings of an empirical study investigating the psychological predictors of entrepreneurial leadership among university students (N = 319). The aim of this research is to analyze the correlational structure of personality traits- specifically leadership abilities, risk-taking propensity, stress resistance parameters, and locus of control- in students with entrepreneurial intentions to develop a conceptual model of entrepreneurial leadership predictors. The study was conducted using theoretical analysis and the following instruments: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Subjective Control Level (SCL) measure, the Leadership Abilities Diagnostic technique, and A. Schubert’s Risk Readiness Questionnaire (RSK). Using Spearman’s rank correlation analysis, it was established that the core of entrepreneurial potential is formed through a synergy of leadership abilities, readiness to take risks (r = 0. 238; p < 0.01), and mechanisms of active stress management (r = 0. 162; p < 0.01). A negative correlation was identified between psychological strain (overstrain) and leadership potential (r = -0.113; p < 0.05), highlighting the critical role of psychological adaptation. The study further determined that while the subjective locus of control forms a coherent cognitive system, it functions as a background factor rather than a direct driver of entrepreneurship in the current socio-economic context (Generation Z). The data obtained allow for the construction of a three-component model of entrepreneurial leadership, comprising a leadership core, a stress adaptation block, and a system of subjective control.