Leadership Characteristics of Rising Stars in Construction Project Management

This study examined a group of 151 high—potential construction professionals and their self-identified and supervisor-identified leadership qualities using a widely recognized leadership assessment instrument, Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). To our knowledge, this is the first study that provides leadership assessment data for construction industry professionals. The results indicate that the more tangible managerial skills of enabling others to act, modeling expected behaviors and challenging the status quo are more highly valued than the “soft skills” of nurturing and encouraging others and inspiring a shared vision among subordinates. These findings offer a unique look at what qualities construction executives look for in the next generation of talent for their organizations, and challenge construction educators to develop these desired leadership and management skills in students.