The Effect of Inclusive Leadership on Project Success: The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety and Job Meaningfulness

Abstract

The role of leadership is considered critical for project success, however, the leadership style that produces the best results are still under debate. Among different leadership styles, less attention has been paid to the role of inclusive leadership in engaging and motiving the project members and attaining project success. Therefore, apart from direct effect of inclusive leadership on project success, this study has also investigated the mediational mechanism of psychological safety and job meaningfulness in the relationship between inclusive leadership and project success. Data was collected from 337 respondents from different construction organizations in Pakistan. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the results revealed that while inclusive leadership has positive effect on project success, psychological safety and job meaningfulness play partially mediating role between these relationships. The results broaden our understanding of the different paths from inclusive leadership to project success. The study has implications for the project management literature and practice. Limitations of the study and avenues for future research are discussed.