Examining the key leadership attributes that lead to successful delivery of complex construction projects in the UK

Abstract

Whilst there is a plethora of literature on the topics of leadership and complex projects, there is limited research, correlating these two aspects of complex construction projects. This paper presents the findings of a 12-month study, which examines the key leadership attributes that lead to the successful delivery of complex construction projects. The methodology adopted for the study is a questionnaire survey targeted at construction leaders and managers in the UK. Corporate and Fellow Members of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) provided an appropriate sample for the study. The sample comprised 1805 CIOB Fellows and Corporate Members. “Survey Monkey” online facilitated questionnaire distribution and collection of responses. The response rate was 10.52%. SPSS 22 statistical software enabled coding and analysis of the data. Findings firstly provided clarification of the definition of a complex project, confirming that high project value need not necessarily reflect project complexity. The findings identified attributes of leaders in respect to teamwork, planning, monitoring and controlling of projects and decision making associated with dilemmas. These attributes reflect current trends in leadership styles with increased team empowerment.

Keywords: Complex projects, Decision Making, Leadership, Planning, Teams.