1. Donatella De Paoli
Mrs. Donatella De Paoli is a associate professor at The Norwegian School of Management BI.
This School is one of Norway's largest research based educational institutions, and it represents the country's largest academic milieu within the areas of business economics and administration, marketing and management.
Professor Donatella De Paoli has written a thesis regarding the organisation of big building projects and have also been a visiting scholar at Construction Managment Department at Stanford University in the United States.

2. Leadership from a Norwegian perspective
- The case of the construction industry
by dr. oecon Donatella De Paoli
Norwegian School of Management BI

3. Content Leadership challenges within the construction industry
Historical background of the Norwegian leadership perspective
Central ideas of a Norwegian leadership model
Applying the ‘Norwegian way of leading’ on construction

4. Leadership challenges within the construction industry
Developing leadership abilities
Building trust and teamwork across disciplines
Encouraging client focus in projects
Reevaluating traditional roles and communication patterns
- The hero in construction is Clint Eastwood, talks little and shoot first, time for reevaluating the myth of the macho leader.
Research showing that the main challenges for increased productivity is the handling of humans, ref. my thesis.
- Too much focus on control and management through economic incentives and formalized contracts and project methods decreases trust and teamwork and increases transaction costs.
One of the main challenges is to build trust among parties and develop more teamwork so different parties and disciplines work and communicate better.
- The client considerations comes in the last, too much focus at technical issues. Many times people at the bottom do not know who the client even is. Bringing in client focus and client goal encourage engagement and participation. Is important at all levels, also in construction agencies supporting project execution.
- The construction industry is with the academic and church sector very bound to traditions en engrained roles and behavior. Needs to be evaluated to adapt to new IT and different times.

5. Historical background of the Norwegian leadership perspective
Dugnad - the first widespread Norwegian project
The development of social democracy
Democracy in the workplace
Cooperation between labor groups and employers/managers
The self-directed groups movement
Democratic leadership

6. Central ideas of a Norwegian leadership model
Values : Equality, participation and harmony
Perception of the leader : Counselor or couch
Perception of employees : Students or soccer players
Role models : Political leaders,Leading soccer trainers, Explorers

7. Central ideas of a Norwegian leadership model
Self-directed groups - the beginning of the team movement
Ownership and control to the workers
Open dialogue and participation
From self-directed groups to nowadays empowered teams

8. Applying the ‘Norwegian way of leading’ on construction agencies
Meets the need for greater flexibility and technological change
Meets the need of the ‘new workers’ - the educated professionals
Stimulates the generation of new ideas, cooperation and dialogue
Empower - Give responsibility for job and client

9. Applying the ‘Norwegian way of leading’ on projects
Use of teams and empowering leadership style to revitalize construction projects
Contingent use of teams based on the duration of project, project stages, size, technology and environment

10. Challenges to the ‘Norwegian leadership model’ due to changing economic conditions
Increasing globalization of economy
Drive toward tighter competition and efficiency
Outsourcing of functions and departments

11. Relevance for you as a leader
Impulses to reflect upon the relevance of history, traditions and values for your leadership style
Contribution to rethink your values and leadership style
Inspiration to take the leadership role seriously