Follow me or get out of my way! Leadership styles in the Irish construction industry

In Ireland, research has identified that when it comes to management styles across all industries, Irish managers are among the most easy-going in Europe. However, the dynamic and complex nature of the construction industry makes management and leadership much more difficult compared with other industries, where relationships between the workforce are more fluid. 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 are qualitatively assessed using thematic analysis, and 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. Results indicate that sometimes various styles are used simultaneously or in an ad hoc manner, depending on the situation. Overall, the key contribution of this research encourages a more formalised and strategic approach to delivering leadership on-site and ensuring project success on construction sites in Ireland.