Exploring leadership competencies and leadership styles in the construction industry: an Australian context

Purpose – Good leadership is a fundamental critical factor in ensuring success of construction projects. This study aims to establish relationships between leadership competencies and leadership styles in the Australian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through the administration of questionnaire surveys from 101 project management practitioners. There was testing of hypotheses of interrelationships between key constructs using multiple linear regression. Findings – Leadership styles and competencies varied depending on the context in which leadership operated. However, results indicated that significant level of similarities are present in leadership of building sectors and project sizes. Originality/value – Findings provide multi-sectorial guide for project management practitioners in developing and monitoring leadership styles and competencies in the construction industry.