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Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering 11-1 (2023) 76-95
journal homepage: http://civiljournal.semnan.ac.ir/
A Review of Successful Construction Project
Managers’ Competencies and Leadership Profile
1*
Ali Ghorbani
1. Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Corresponding author: ghorbani@pnu.ac.ir
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received: 22 September 2021 The Project Management Institute (PMI) described project
Revised: 19 January 2022
Accepted: 18 April 2022 management as “Project Management is the application of
knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities
Keywords: to meet the project requirements”. The nature of projects is
Project manager; always dynamic, uncertainty and different from each other.
Competency; Project lifecycle is along with risk, changes and even
Leadership; sometimes failing happened. Therefore, to bridge these gaps
Construction project and to achieve the project goal within budget, time, scope
management; and quality. All projects-oriented organizations such as
Project success. construction firms, consultancy firms, and information and
communication technology (ICT) firms, need for trained,
competent, leader and experienced project managers. Among
the most important elements for a successful project
manager, there are combination of knowledge, skill,
leadership, ability and personal attitude which are necessary
for successful project completion. So, to percept these
combinations in detail it is the main purpose of this paper, to
review project manager’s competencies and leadership
constituents for construction projects throughout lifecycle.
1. Introduction are used for measuring the success (success
criteria) and some factors are used to assess
The Project Management Institute (PMI) the projects' success (success factors). It is
described project management as “Project closely related to concerns about the
Management is the application of knowledge, competency of the project managers. Project
skills, tools, and techniques to project managers need to have competency in those
activities to meet the project requirements”. areas that will have the greatest impact on
One of the overriding issues in the realm of successful outcomes, as well as competency
project management is project success and it in those areas that are critical to successful
has been an indispensable topic in the delivery. [1]. There was no clear, meticulous,
literature. To assess the success, some criteria and specified definition for the concept of
How to cite this article:
Ghorbani, A. (2023). A Review of Successful Construction Project Managers’ Competencies and Leadership
Profile. Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering, 11(1), 76-95.
https://doi.org/10.22075/JRCE.2022.24638.1560
A. Ghorbani/ Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering 11-1 (2023) 76-95 77
competency for ages[2,3]. The best way to managers' competencies have been
determine competency is to consider how enumerated by multiple scientific surveys
knowledge, skill, and attitude combine. [3– [2,3,19–22]. Project management institutions
12]. Globally, the term 'competency' has such as the Project Management Competency
many meanings. A straightforward definition Development Framework (PMI, 2013) and
that is acceptable to all experts could be the International Project Management
provided, so the IPMA individual Association Competency Baseline, have
competency baseline (IPMA ICB) allows developed various models for competency
professionals to recognize the existing skills, [23]. Every given role needs a particular
conveniently. "Individual competency is the range of competencies and a combination of
application of knowledge, skills, and abilities various competencies is needed for a project
towards achieving the desired result". The manager to be qualified to succeed in
main purpose of providing a new definition is different projects, as it has been mentioned
to help individual experts gain access to an by different researchers [22,24–26].
improving mindset they could use as a Researchers emphasize that "depending on
framework, rather than providing a the requirements for success, different sets of
replacement for other definitions [13]. competencies encompass different success
profiles" [11]. A project manager should have
Crawford [14] defines project manager
the capability to make a contribution in a
competency as the ability to combine
leading role as well as managing, mentoring,
knowledge (qualification), skills (ability to
and facilitating roles, as mentioned by Steven
perform a task), and core personality
characteristics (motivations + traits + self- [27]. Furthermore, communication skill is a
necessity for a project manager to be as
concepts) to achieve superior results.
efficacious as possible[22,24–26]. The
Crawford noted that successful project
capability to work under pressure and in a
management is closely linked to the high-stress environment, and yet make
competency of project managers, and the
reasonable choices is a must for project
competency of the project manager drives the
managers. A project manager should have a
success of the project. McClelland [15] made
profound influence on his/her team that could
a significant contribution to the field by
lead to great teamwork [28]. To fulfill the
postulating that managerial capabilities could
projects' objectives, a various range of skills
considerably affect success. Many fellow
are needed for a project manager including
researchers and experts have been impacted
directing, coordinating, planning, and
by the results of this noticeable work [2].
controlling complicated processes as well as
Since then, the competency's definition has
people [28].. Both management and
been rectified. The Competency Leadership
leadership skills are essential for a project
School has played a major role in enhancing
manager to be able to have constructive
this new definition. The Competency
communications with stakeholders and make
Leadership School has accomplished its role
the most appropriate choices. Working with a
by uniting the divergent approaches on the
divergent group of people with different
earlier models (trait, behavioral, contingency,
backgrounds should be considered as an
charismatic, and emotional intelligence) and
opportunity and a professional project
focusing on its own new approach on the
manager should use this situation in the favor
competency concept [16–18]. Project
78 A. Ghorbani/ Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering 11-1 (2023) 76-95
of the whole team. The leadership style of the researchers and academics, and which serve
project manager influences the success as a basis for project manager capacity
process [26]. Moreover, according to El- building and successful project delivery
Sabaa [29], the impact of human expertise is when recruiting project managers. Since
far more important than technical ones. In project managers’ competencies directly may
various projects, one of the factors that can affect the success of a construction project, it
lead to project management failure is hiring is worth to be reviewed and highlighted in
the wrong project manager. Therefore, several up-to-date studies.
successful project management requires the
careful appointment of a qualified project 2. Project Manager’s Competencies
manager [30]. The essensial role of project
managers' competencies in the succeeding of Since the 1970s, in consequence of the fast
projects is asserted in many researches as changes of knowledge age, job descriptions
well as standards, as a guidline for were no longer the base of selection
developing and assessing the project staff. processes and the competency approach
emerged [4]. The old-fashioned job
Standards that relate to aspects of project
management competency fall into two main descriptions were replaced by the new
areas - those that relate to what project solution of focusing on the competencies of
peoplees [4].
managers should know are contained in
project management knowledge guides; and
Competency's concept was scattered and
those that relate to what project managers
ambiguous for ages [2,3]. Nevertheless, a
should be able to do primarily take the form
of performance-based or professional combination of skills, attitudes, and
knowledge has been accepted as a definition
competency standards. There are four widely
for competency by many researchers [3,5–
accepted knowledge standards for project
management [1,10,31,32]. 7,9–12,26]. There are many definitions of
'competency' around the world.A
PMBOK Guide- Project Management straightforward definition that is acceptable
Institute USA, (PMI 2017)
to all experts could be provided, so the IPMA
ICB: IPMA Competence Baseline –
individual competency baseline (IPMA ICB)
International Project Management allows professionals to recognize the existing
Association (IPMA2015)
APM BoK /CRMP BoK – skills, conveniently. "Individual competency
Association for Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, and
(UK) (Morris2000) abilities towards achieving the desired result
AIPM, The Australian Institute of [13]".
Project Management (AIPM, 2004) Knowledge: is the collection of information
and experience that an individual possesses.
The aim of this article, then, is to examine
For example, understanding the concept of a
the key project manager competencies Gantt chart could be considered knowledge.
(behavioral, managerial and emotional) and
leadership profiles exhibited by project Skills are specific technical abilities that
managers in successful projects based on enable a person to perform a task. For
specific contexts and project types that have example, the ability to create a Gantt chart
already been studied and identified by could be considered a skill.
A. Ghorbani/ Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering 11-1 (2023) 76-95 79
Ability is the effective application of Table 1. Project Manager’s Competencies table.
knowledge and skills in a specific context. ASPECTS COMPONENTS
For example, the ability to create and Perspective Strategy
successfully manage a project schedule can Government, structure, processes
Compliance, standard, regulation
be considered a capability [13,33,34].
According to ICB-IMPA -2015, project Power and interest
Culture and values
manager competencies include three aspects: People Self-reflection & self-management
intellectual, managerial, and emotional skills. Personal integrity and reliability
A more detailed analysis revealed that all Personal communication
Relationship and engagement
three aspects of managerial competencies
Leadership
(IQ, MQ, EQ) contribute differently to Teamwork
project performance [35]. Intelligence Conflict and crisis
Quotient (IQ) includes critical analysis, self- Resourcefulness
vision and strategic perspective. Managerial Negotiation
Result orientation
Quotient (MQ) includes communication,
Practice Design
resource management, performance, Requirements, objectives, benefits
development and empowerment of the team. Scope
Emotional Quotient (EQ) includes self- Time
awareness, intuition, sensitivity, and Organization and information
Quality
influence (including motivation and Finance
conscientiousness) [35]. ICB-IMPA -2015 Resources
[13] proposed a table with three aspects of Procurement and partnership
project manager competencies. Plan and control
Muller and Turner [26] found that one IQ Risk and opportunities
sub-dimension (critical thinking) and three Stakeholder
EQ sub-dimensions (influence, motivation, Change and transformation
Select and balance
and conscientiousness) of fifteen
competencies were highly effective in
successful project managers in all types of
projects.
Table 2. Fifteen leadership competencies and three styles of leadership [36].
GROUP COMPETENCIES GOAL-ORIENTED INVOLVING ENGAGING
al Critical analysis & Judgment High Medium Medium
telltuQ) Vision and imagination High High Medium
n I
I ec( Strategic perspective High Medium Medium
ial Engaging communication Medium Medium High
er ) Managing resources High Medium Low
ag MQ Empowering Low Medium High
n ( Developing Medium Medium High
Ma Achieving High Medium Medium
Self- awareness Medium High High
Q) Emotional resilience High High High
E
( Motivation High High High
al
n Sensitivity Medium Medium High
tio Influence Medium High High
o
m Intuitiveness Medium Medium High
E Conscientiousness High High High
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