Know the Way, Go the Way, and Show the Way: Leadership Styles for Project Success in the Irish Construction Industry

In Ireland, research has shown that when it comes to management styles across all industries, Irish managers are among the most easy-going in Europe. The laidback culture of the Irish people has positioned them to be effective and supportive leaders, encouraging collaboration and teamwork. However, the dynamic and complex nature of the construction industry makes management and leadership much more difficult compared to other industries, where relationships between the workforce are more fluid, and various leadership styles are used. Therefore, this study aims to identify and analyse leadership styles used in the Irish construction industry, and document which styles, if any, are the most successful to implement in practice on-site. This pilot study encompasses a qualitative research method, incorporating seven semi-structured individual interviews with construction professionals in various management and leadership roles on projects across Ireland. The data is qualitatively assessed using thematic analysis, where emerging themes are identified for discussion. The results are centred around four key themes: the characteristics of effective leaders; how leaders create a vision; how leaders motivate the workforce; and how leadership is used as a success factor on construction projects. Although based on a small sample size, the findings indicate that there are three main leadership styles being used in the Irish construction industry: transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire. Moreover, results show that the respondents sometimes use all three styles simultaneously or in an ad hoc manner, depending on the situation. Overall, the key contribution of this research illustrates that there are three main leadership styles being utilised in the Irish construction industry, but due to the impromptu and spontaneous nature of the construction industry, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Nevertheless, this research encourages a more formalised and strategic approach to delivering leadership on-site and ensuring project success on construction sites in Ireland.