Journal Submission No. 3

LEADERSHIP IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
“Effective Leadership in the Construction Industry”
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND GOVERNANCE, ATENEO DE DAVAO

UNIVERSITY
CODE: 11-128: IGNATIAN LEADERSHIP FOR MANAGERS AND
ENTREPRENEURS
ROAWIE QUIMBA
July 9, 2021
Effective Leadership in the Construction Industry by M.T. Abdelhaleem* and D.
Seymour***Senior Cost and Planning Supervisor, Monenco Consultants Ltd.,Toronto,
Canada and ** Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, University of Birmingham, U. K. talks
about models and approaches developed in settings other than construction when
applied
to the construction industry. The construction industry has constantly experienced
challenges getting and retaining young talent, that’s the reason the company engaging
the managers and supervisors to many trainings. As they went through to their trainings
problem encountered such as how applicable are the precepts about good practice,
to be found in text books and manuals, which are derived from experience and research
in other industries. The article emphasizes that there is no one best leadership style
suited to all circumstances. While a number of approaches have been developed to
provide practical advice on how to select 'horses and courses', there still remains doubt
as to how far even such 'contingency approaches' can be applied to the very special
circumstances of the construction industry. Bresnen has noted that "The nature of the
construction activity is often perceived as different from technological and organizational
characteristics of work undertaken in other, more stable settings “Bresnen, M.I. et al.
"Leader Orientation on Construction Site Managers." A. S. C. E.l. ofConstruction
Engineering & Management, 112, September (1986),372.”.
To the contrary, Fiedler has claimed that the contingency model is valid
regardless of culture or industry context. Fiedler’s contingency model is the dynamic
framework where the individual features and motivation of the leader are told to act with
the new situation that the group experiences. Therefore, this contingency model marks
the move away from the tendency to assign leadership strength personality only
(Forsyth, 2006). This concept is simply one form or qualification of contingency theory.
There are some cases of contingency theories out there and they all have one general
thought. Contingency theories say that how powerful the human is depending on the
environment within which they are running. Essentially, the strength of this human is
contingent upon a number of factors. Thus, Fiedler identifies two kinds of leader's; A)
those who tend to accomplish the task by developing good inter-personal relations with
the group and B) those who have as their prime concern carrying out the task itself
where they produced an ingenious method for identifying these two types. This method
is based on a psychologically based bi-polar measure which is called the Least
Preferred Co-Worker (henceforth referred to as LPC). The leader is supposed to think of
a person who he does not necessarily dislike but he cannot get along with easily.
Fiedler argues that either one of these two types could be an effective leader,
depending on the situation to which he emphasizes the three variables referred to as
Leader-Member Relations, Task Structure and position Power. According to Fiedler,
people-oriented leader is most effective when the situational factors combine to produce
a situation that is moderately favorable to the
leader. In other words, when the leader has moderate control over the situation. On the
other hand, if the three situational factors create a situation which is highly favourable or
highly unfavourable to the leader, task-oriented leaders are expected to be more
effective.
It follows that a leader who is disposed to adopt a particular leadership style
should be matched with a situation in which that style would be more effective or,
alternatively, he/she should work to bring the situation in line with his style. Fiedler
argues that it is easier and more practical to adopt the former approach to the leader/
job match concept.
As has been already acknowledged, leadership in the special circumstances of
construction needs to be explored further before firmer conclusions can be drawn.
However, efforts to locate construction under general explanatory models, developed on
the basis of research in other industries, have exposed the inadequacies of these
models. More to the point, the advice offered by management training textbooks should
be dealt with carefully when applied to construction. The basis on which the industry
selects and employs its personnel and supervisors, in such a changing world, should be
more systematically researched to insure its applicability to construction. Construction
has always been known as a rough and steady industry. Effectiveness has been
synonymous with task-oriented leadership. It is likely to remain an industry of high risk
and uncertainty, with continual formation and dissolution of work teams, with temporary
coalitions of divergent economic interests. But insofar as it does become more
regulated and subject to more sophisticated management procedures, care must be
taken to ensure that the appropriate leadership styles will be cultivated.

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LEADERSHIP IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

“Effective Leadership in the Construction Industry”

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND GOVERNANCE, ATENEO DE DAVAO

Seymour***Senior Cost and Planning Supervisor, Monenco Consultants Ltd.,Toronto,

Canada and ** Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, University of Birmingham, U. K. talks

to the construction industry. The construction industry has constantly experienced

suited to all circumstances. While a number of approaches have been developed to

construction activity is often perceived as different from technological and organizational

"Leader Orientation on Construction Site Managers." A. S. C. E.l. ofConstruction

Engineering & Management, 112, September (1986),372.”.

regardless of culture or industry context. Fiedler’s contingency model is the dynamic

is based on a psychologically based bi-polar measure which is called the Least

Preferred Co-Worker (henceforth referred to as LPC). The leader is supposed to think of

depending on the situation to which he emphasizes the three variables referred to as

Leader-Member Relations, Task Structure and position Power. According to Fiedler,

a situation that is moderately favorable to the

highly unfavourable to the leader, task-oriented leaders are expected to be more

It follows that a leader who is disposed to adopt a particular leadership style

job match concept.

As has been already acknowledged, leadership in the special circumstances of

construction needs to be explored further before firmer conclusions can be drawn.

However, efforts to locate construction under general explanatory models, developed on

more systematically researched to insure its applicability to construction. Construction

synonymous with task-oriented leadership. It is likely to remain an industry of high risk

coalitions of divergent economic interests. But insofar as it does become more

regulated and subject to more sophisticated management procedures, care must be

taken to ensure that the appropriate leadership styles will be cultivated.

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