Between failure and success: The role of project manager's leadership in achieving project success dimensions

Abstract

Project success is a complex, multidimensional concept in project management, lacking a universally accepted framework for its definition and measurement. Among the numerous factors influencing project outcomes, the leadership role of the project manager has gained increasing academic and practical attention. This paper examines the relationship between project manager leadership competencies and the achievement of five dimensions of project success: project efficiency, team satisfaction, customer/client satisfaction, business success, and future capacity building. The theoretical part systematizes eight key leadership factors - self-awareness, team motivation, human resource management, human resource development, sensitivity, team empowerment, influence on team members, and critical thinking - and analyzes their contribution to effective project management. The empirical part applies a quantitative approach based on a survey conducted among 257 respondents from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro. Descriptive statistical analysis, along with reliability and validity testing, was used to examine the perceived influence of leadership competencies on each success dimension. The findings confirm that leadership competencies significantly influence all examined dimensions of project success, with team satisfaction (M = 4.45) and project efficiency (M = 4.33) emerging as the most strongly affected outcomes.