Reveals Critical Leadership Competencies Driving Construction Project Success in Thailand

International Study Identifies Emotional Intelligence as Key Differentiator Between Successful and Struggling Construction Projects

BANGKOK, THAILAND – In a significant advancement for project management science, new research has uncovered the precise leadership competencies that determine success in Thailand's competitive construction industry. The comprehensive study, published in the International Journal of Intellectual Human Resource Management, demonstrates that emotional intelligence combined with transformational leadership behaviors creates a powerful synergy that significantly increases the likelihood of construction project success—a discovery with profound implications for an industry historically plagued by cost overruns and delays.

The research, conducted by Dr. Tamer M. Alkadash of Gulf University and Chayanit Nadam of PETRONAS Malaysia, provides empirical evidence that construction project managers who excel in emotional intelligence capabilities—particularly self-awareness, empathy, and relationship management—are substantially more likely to deliver projects on time, within budget, and meeting quality specifications compared to their counterparts with similar technical expertise but lower emotional intelligence.

The Leadership-Project Success Connection

With Thailand's construction sector contributing approximately 6.5% to the national GDP and facing increasing complexity in project delivery, the study addresses a critical industry challenge: why do some projects succeed despite similar resource allocations while others fail?

"Our research confirms that technical expertise alone cannot explain project success variance in the construction industry," explained Dr. Alkadash, lead researcher and Assistant Professor at Gulf University. "What separates successful project managers from struggling ones is their emotional intelligence capacity—specifically their ability to understand and manage their own emotions while effectively navigating team dynamics and stakeholder relationships."

The research team analyzed leadership behaviors across multiple construction projects throughout Thailand, identifying four critical emotional intelligence competencies that most strongly correlate with project success:

Emotional self-awareness: The ability to recognize one's own emotional states and their impact on decision-making

Empathy: Understanding team members' perspectives and emotional responses to project challenges

Conflict management: Navigating disagreements constructively rather than allowing them to escalate

Inspirational motivation: Using emotional connections to maintain team commitment during challenging project phases

Methodology and Key Discoveries

The researchers employed a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis of project outcomes with qualitative assessment of leadership behaviors across Thailand's construction sector. Using structural equation modeling, they isolated the specific contribution of emotional intelligence beyond traditional leadership competencies.

"Previous research often treated leadership as a single construct," noted Ms. Nadam, co-author and industry expert with PETRONAS. "Our contribution is demonstrating how emotional intelligence operates as the critical amplifier of transformational leadership behaviors in construction project contexts. When project managers combine technical expertise with high emotional intelligence, they achieve significantly better outcomes across all success metrics."

The study revealed that emotional intelligence accounts for approximately 37% of the variance in project success outcomes that couldn't be explained by technical competencies alone. Projects led by managers with high emotional intelligence scores were:

42% more likely to be completed on schedule

38% more likely to stay within budget

51% more likely to meet or exceed quality specifications

63% less likely to experience major team conflicts requiring external intervention

"Our findings suggest that emotional intelligence isn't just a 'soft skill'—it's a hard business driver in construction project management," explained Dr. Alkadash. "When project managers can accurately read emotional cues and respond appropriately, they prevent small issues from becoming major delays, maintain team morale during challenging phases, and build stronger relationships with clients and stakeholders."

Strategic Implications for the Construction Industry

The research has immediate practical applications for construction companies seeking to improve project delivery:

Leadership Assessment Overhaul: Organizations should integrate emotional intelligence assessment into their project manager selection and promotion processes rather than focusing exclusively on technical expertise and experience.

Targeted Development Programs: The study identifies specific emotional intelligence competencies that most strongly correlate with project success, allowing companies to develop focused training interventions.

Project Risk Mitigation: Companies can use emotional intelligence profiling to match project managers with projects whose challenges align with their specific emotional intelligence strengths.

"These findings challenge the traditional view of construction leadership as primarily technical," stated Dr. Alkadash. "Our research shows that the most successful construction project managers are those who can balance technical expertise with sophisticated emotional capabilities."

Industry Response and Future Applications

Construction executives across Southeast Asia have already begun applying the study's insights to refine their leadership development strategies. "This research provides the scientific foundation we've needed to justify our investment in emotional intelligence development for project managers," commented a senior executive from a major Thai construction firm who requested anonymity. "We're restructuring our leadership competency models to specifically target the emotional intelligence capabilities identified in this research."

The researchers are developing industry-specific implementation guides and exploring how these dynamics function in international construction projects involving multicultural teams—a particularly relevant question given Thailand's growing role in regional infrastructure development.

As Thailand continues its ambitious infrastructure development plans under the Eastern Economic Corridor initiative, this research offers project stakeholders a scientifically validated approach to improving delivery outcomes. The study ultimately suggests that construction project success isn't merely a function of engineering expertise, but is profoundly shaped by the emotional intelligence capabilities that enable effective leadership in complex, high-pressure environments.

"In an industry where project delays cost billions annually, understanding these leadership dynamics isn't just academically interesting—it's a business imperative," concluded Dr. Alkadash. "Organizations that develop project managers with both technical excellence and emotional intelligence capabilities aren't just creating more effective teams—they're building sustainable competitive advantages in an increasingly complex construction landscape."