Beyond the paradox: Understanding how project leader humility and narcissism affect project outcomes

Abstract

The increasing adoption of project structures in a highly competitive business environment brings to the fore the figure of project managers, who are ultimately responsible for the performance of projects in organizations. We investigate how these leaders’ attributes are associated with project outcomes, focusing on project leader humility and narcissism. We also analyze two specific mediating mechanisms through which these behavioral traits promote project performance: team member psychological empowerment and fear of failure. The study was conducted in a multinational conglomerate, based on a sample of 67 project leaders and 190 team members, with team outcomes evaluated by project directors. The findings suggest that leader humility and narcissism both directly and indirectly affect project performance. Project leader humility has a positive, direct effect on project cost and positive indirect effects on project time and quality through team empowerment. Project leader narcissism has a negative, direct effect on project cost, a positive, direct effect on projec quality, and a positive indirect effect on project time through team fear of failure. In addition, team fear of failure has a positive direct effect on project cost. We discuss these findings’ theoretical and practical implications.