Effect of Leadership Styles on Project Team Performance in Rwanda: A Case of Murram Road Relocation Project, Kicukiro District (2022-2024)

Huguette Umutoni, Ruth Odengo
University of Kigali
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7520-0320
Email: uhuguette17@gmail.com

Abstract: The study assessed how leadership styles influenced project team performance in Murram Road Relocation Project in Kicukiro District. Five leadership approaches were examined: transactional, transformational, democratic, autocratic and laissez-faire. The work was informed by Transactional Leadership Theory, Transformational Leadership Theory, Situational Leadership Theory, Adaptive Leadership Theory and Authentic Leadership Theory. A mixed-methods design combined descriptive and explanatory approaches; however, the manuscript reports the questionnaire-based quantitative results. A universal sampling approach was used for project personnel, and 112 employee questionnaires were returned, giving a 100% response rate. The instrument was piloted with 12 employees of the IDP Model Village Project in Kicukiro District and achieved Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.886 across 37 items. Multiple regression showed that transformational leadership had a positive significant effect on project team performance (B = 0.499, β = 0.484, t = 19.337, p = 0.000), democratic leadership had a significant negative effect (B = -0.078, β = -0.077, t = -5.349, p = 0.000), and autocratic leadership had the strongest positive effect (B = 0.486, β = 0.604, t = 31.251, p = 0.000). Transactional leadership was positive but insignificant (B = 0.012, β = 0.011, p = 0.596), as was laissez-faire leadership (B = 0.013, β = 0.011, p = 0.275). The model was significant (R = 0.995, R² = 0.990, F = 2160.737, p = 0.000). The study recommends leadership development that combines inspiration, disciplined supervision, timely decision-making, clear communication, employee motivation, accountability, and adaptive leadership to strengthen project team performance.