Influence of Leadership Traits on Team Performance as Correlates of Success in Construction Project Delivery

Abstract

The project environment in Nigeria is shifting from traditional practice towards dispersed teams thereby creating the need to understand leadership attributes that lead to successful project outcomes. This study assessed the impact of leadership traits on team performance as correlates of success in construction projects. Like many other management research, the study involve inferential survey. 172 participants drawn from the different professions in the construction industry selected from 42 mega projects completed in the last three years in south-south Nigeria were sampled. Twelve collaborative leadership traits drawn from emotional, managerial competencies were tested against team performance and team spirit stimulants from the literature. Mean item score was used to evaluate relevance of the traits to collaborative working while hypotheses were tested using chi square. While the result of the study is not different from literature, the far reaching implication is that, project team members’ satisfaction translates into successful projects. Project management’s leadership quest to satisfy the project team must be guided towards collaboration. The current result has advance significantly the understanding of team leadership attributes for the research environment and further buttress the need to meet project participants’ mutual objectives for a successful project.