Leadership Competencies for Construction Professionals as Identified by Construction Industry Executives

Abstract

Construction and civil engineering professionals are recognizing a growing need for increased professional development, namely, leadership development, within the industry. However, many academic and workforce professions lack a clear definition of leadership that aligns with construction and civil engineering industry environments. To initiate the development of this definition and enhance the preparation and training of emerging industry professionals, this study utilizes the Delphi method to gain consensus from construction industry executives regarding necessary leadership competencies for workforce entry. The findings identified 24 leadership competencies that highlight the importance of both intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies that contribute to ongoing leadership conversations in the construction industry. A comparison of these competencies with the body of knowledge revealed leadership as consisting of both professional and technical competencies, shifting conceptualizations of leadership from a professional competency acquired through experience to an integrated competency that can be operationalized and taught in both technical and professional learning contexts.