Linking Leadership Styles and Relationship Quality to Construction Project Performance: A Systematic Review
Main Article Content
Abstract
Construction projects are temporary, fragmented, and multi-organizational settings, performance in which rests not only upon technical and managerial systems but also on the behavior of individuals and their interactions. Yet construction management literature remains splintered, with leadership and relationship concepts being treated separately. As a result, the joint effect of leadership styles and relationship quality on project performance remains poorly understood. This study critically reviews and integrates previous studies to better clarify the leadership–relationship–performance interface in construction projects. It identifies, reviews, and synthesizes studies via major academic databases and some additional reference tracking to derive themes. The review finds that transformational leadership emerges as the principal style explored, although transactional, directive, participative, empowering, and sustainable approaches are also central under certain project conditions. For the nature of the relationships, trust, communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing serve as key relational mechanisms through which leadership influences performance outcomes. Project performance appears to extend beyond the narrow triad of time, cost and quality to safety outcomes, effectiveness, preferences of the workforce, innovations and sustainability outcomes. The study concludes that understanding the performance of construction projects calls for an integrative view in which both leadership style and relationship quality interact synergistically across contexts.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
How to Cite
References
Adewumi, A.A., Usman, N., Muhammad, M. and Ishaku, Y.A., 2025. Effect of project managers’ leadership behaviour on construction project success in FCT, Abuja. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, IX(VIII), pp. 4263–4300. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.908000344.
Alashwal, A.M. and Fong, P.S.-W., 2015. Empirical study to determine fragmentation of construction projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 141(7), P. 04015016. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000986.
Ali, F. and Haapasalo, H., 2023. Development levels of stakeholder relationships in collaborative projects: Challenges and preconditions. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 16(8), pp. 58–76. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-03-2022-0066.
Ali, M., Iyiola, K., Alzubi, A. and Aljuhmani, H.Y., 2025. Using safety-specific transformational leadership to improve safety behavior among construction workers: Exploring the role of knowledge sharing and psychological safety. Buildings, 15(18), P. 3340. https://doi.org/10.3390/BUILDINGS15183340.
Ali, M., Niu, X., Rabiul, M. and Rubel, B., 2024. The influence of transformational and transactional leadership on employee retention: Mediating role of employee engagement. Management Matters, 21(2), pp. 164–190. https://doi.org/10.1108/MANM-03-2024-0022.
Bakker, A.B., Hetland, J., Kjellevold Olsen, O. and Espevik, R., 2023. Daily transformational leadership: A source of inspiration for follower performance? European Management Journal, 41(5), pp. 700–708. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EMJ.2022.04.004.
Bond-Barnard, T.J., Fletcher, L. and Steyn, H., 2018. Linking trust and collaboration in project teams to project management success. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 11(2), pp. 432–457. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-06-2017-0068.
Braun, T., Ekstedt, E., Lundin, R.A. and Sydow, J., 2025. Managing stability and change in interorganizational projects: The ambiguous role of digital tools for relational dynamics. Project Management Journal, 56(4), pp. 522–542. https://doi.org/10.1177/87569728241294204.
Buba, S. and Tanko, B., 2017. Project leadership and quality performance of construction projects. International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.11113/IJBES.V4.N2.177.
Deep, S., Gajendran, T. and Jefferies, M., 2021. A systematic review of ‘enablers of collaboration’ among the participants in construction projects. International Journal of Construction Management, 21(9), pp. 919–931. https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2019.1596624.
Deng, C., Gulseren, D., Isola, C., Grocutt, K. and Turner, N., 2023. Transformational leadership effectiveness: An evidence-based primer. Human Resource Development International, 26(5), pp. 627–641. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2022.2135938.
Eriksson, P.E., 2013. Exploration and exploitation in project-based organizations: Development and diffusion of knowledge at different organizational levels in construction companies. International Journal of Project Management, 31(3), pp. 333–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJPROMAN.2012.07.005.
Hristova, S. and Handjiski, A.V.K., 2024. Constructing success: Unveiling leadership styles in the construction industry in North Macedonia. Business and Management Horizons, 12(1), P. 15. https://doi.org/10.5296/BMH.V12I1.21927.
Iqbal, S., Nawaz, M.J., Aslam, S., Ali, A., Shams, M., Rehman, U. and Ur-Rehman, S., 2024. Impact of sustainable leadership on construction project success: Mediating role of green innovation and organizational learning. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 13(3), pp. 610–631. https://doi.org/10.33844/IJOL.2024.60433.
Karlsen, J.T., Grae, K. and Massaoud, M.J., 2008. The role of trust in project-stakeholder relationships: A study of a construction project. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 1(1), pp. 105–118. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPOM.2008.020031.
Khalfan, M.M.A., McDermott, P. and Swan, W., 2007. Building trust in construction projects. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 12(6), pp. 385–391. https://doi.org/10.1108/13598540710826308.
Khassawneh, O. and Elrehail, H., 2022. The effect of participative leadership style on employees’ performance: The contingent role of institutional theory. Administrative Sciences, 12(4), P. 195. https://doi.org/10.3390/ADMSCI12040195.
Khidir, T., Adham, I. and Sukkar, A., 2024. Effective management of construction project team: Identifying leadership qualities and responsibilities. Scholars Journal of Economics, Business and Management, 11(2), pp. 63–73. https://doi.org/10.36347/sjebm.2024.v11i02.003.
Korejan, M.M. and Shahbazi, H., 2016. An analysis of the transformational leadership theory. Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, 8(3), pp. 452–461. https://doi.org/10.4314/JFAS.V8I3S.192.
Kwak, Y.H., Sadatsafavi, H., Walewski, J. and Williams, N.L., 2015. Evolution of project based organization: A case study. International Journal of Project Management, 33(8), pp. 1652–1664. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJPROMAN.2015.05.004.
Lahbar, G.M., Shams, H.A., Ahmed, A., Bangash, S.A. and Jalali, Q.M., 2024. Exploring transactional leadership on construction workers intellectual capital effect: Knowledge sharing as mediator. The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies, 2(2), pp. 1358–1373. https://doi.org/10.59075/MNMYGH02.
Lee, C.C., Yeh, W.C., Yu, Z. and Lin, X.C., 2023. The relationships between leader emotional intelligence, transformational leadership, and transactional leadership and job performance: A mediator model of trust. Heliyon, 9(8), p. e18007. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.HELIYON.2023.E18007.
Lehtiranta, L., 2011. Relational risk management in construction projects: modeling the complexity. Leadership and Management in Engineering, 11(2), pp. 141–154. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)LM.1943-5630.0000114.
Lizarralde, G., de Blois, M. and Davidson, C., 2011. Relations intra- and inter-organisations for the study of the temporary multi-organisation in construction projects. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 3(1), pp. 57–77. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPOM.2011.038864.
Ma, Y., Wu, C., Fang, D. and Wang, C., 2018. Safety leadership effectiveness assessment of project managers in the construction industry: A case study of China. In Construction Research Congress 2018: Safety and Disaster Management. pp. 314–323. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784481288.031.
Mairami, M.B., Muhammad, A.S. and Usman, K.S., 2026. Investigating the adoption of strategic, transformational and transactional leadership styles by project managers on construction sites within Kaduna. International Journal of African Development and Sustainable Research. https://doi.org/10.70382/NIJADSR.V11I2.030.
Miterev, M., Mancini, M. and Turner, R., 2017. Towards a design for the project-based organization. International Journal of Project Management, 35(3), pp. 479–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJPROMAN.2016.12.007.
Moradi, S. and Sormunen, P., 2025. Deep collaboration and mutual trust in inter-organizational construction projects. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-10-2024-0435/1259642.
Mukherjee, S. and Mulla, Z.R., 2022. Empowering and directive leadership: the cost of changing styles. Business Perspectives and Research, 10(2), pp. 251–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/22785337211008321.
Nabila, A.F., Oktaviani, C.Z. and Bulba, A.T., 2024. Analysis of the relationship between project manager’s leadership style and construction project success in Aceh. Construction Technologies and Architecture, 14, pp. 33–39. https://doi.org/10.4028/P-COJN4M.
Nguyen, L.H., 2025. The impact of leadership behaviour on management effectiveness in public construction project organizations. Public Works Management and Policy, 30(1), pp. 58–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087724X241237985.
Nurtjahjani, F., Alotaibi, H.S., Batubulan, K.S. and Puspita, A.F., 2023. Does transformational and transactional leadership in Indonesia’s construction sector affect organizational citizenship behavior through job satisfaction? Problems and Perspectives in Management, 21(4), pp. 638–649. https://doi.org/10.21511/PPM.21(4).2023.48.
Olasunkanmi, F.-F.O., Ikediashi, D.I., Atser, J. and Ibrahim, E.C., 2025. Modeling the impact of transformational leadership style on construction project performance. Journal of Comprehensive Business Administration Research, pp. 1–14. https://doi.org/10.47852/BONVIEWJCBAR52024878.
Olasunkanmi, F.F.O., Ikediashi, D.I. and Ajiero, I.R., 2024. Assessing the factors of transactional leadership style for construction projects: A case of Nigerian construction industry. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 22(5), pp. 1637–1654. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-01-2022-0012.
Opoku, A. and Fortune, C., 2011. The implementation of sustainable practices through leadership in construction organizations. pp. 1145–1154.
Perrenoud, A. and Patterson, M., 2022. Situational impact on leadership styles with emerging construction managers.
EasyChair. Available at: https://easychair.org/publications/paper/wqXj [Accessed 13 April 2026].
Fajri, R.I. and Sujana, C.M., 2025. The impact of sustainable leadership style on construction project team performance. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1564(1), P. 012038. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1564/1/012038.
Setiawan, T.H., Firdaus, A. and Putra, A.D., 2019. The study of situational leadership style on an Indonesian construction company. Malaysian Journal of Civil Engineering, 31(1). https://doi.org/10.11113/MJCE.V31N1.499.
Wei, Y. and Miraglia, S., 2017. Organizational culture and knowledge transfer in project-based organizations: Theoretical insights from a Chinese construction firm. International Journal of Project Management, 35(4), pp. 571–585. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJPROMAN.2017.02.010.
Yang, Y., Wei, Z. and Zhang, Z., 2023. Stakeholder relationship in construction projects: a mixed methods review. Buildings, 13(12), P. 3122. https://doi.org/10.3390/BUILDINGS13123122.
Yu, T., Wu, X., Zhang, R., Sun, Y. and Yang, H., 2025. Mechanisms of safety-transformational leadership influence on construction workers’ safety voice: a dual-mediation model of psychological contract and safety motivation. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-12-2024-1686/1265254.