Navigating Machiavellianism in Construction Projects: Leaders’ Communication Strategies and Employees’ Voice

Abstract

Construction projects, characterized by their significant budget, time, and resource demands, necessitate effective leadership. Existing research has predominantly focused on identifying ideal leadership styles for construction leaders, often overlooking the impact of “bad” leadership. This paper addresses this gap by exploring Machiavellian leadership within construction projects. Utilizing qualitative methods, 30 interviews with construction organization members were conducted to explore communication strategies employed by Machiavellian leaders and their impact on employee voice in construction organizations. The findings reveal that leader communication strategies are shaped by a combination of their Machiavellian personality, the context of the construction industry, and national culture. Furthermore, the impact of leaders’ communication strategies on employee voice depends on the Machiavellian tendencies of both the leader and the employee. This research offers a nuanced and informed research agenda that aligns with emerging industry needs, bridging the gap between theory and practice in construction project leadership.