Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management 2020, 10(1), 80-86 Leadership Skills, Stakeholder Management and Execution of Fibre Optic Infrastructure James Konya Akhwaba 1 , Omondi Bowa 2 , and Peter Keiyoro 3 1 Doctoral Student, School of Open and Distance Learning, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 7652, Waiyaki way, Nairobi – 00200, Kenya. Email: saulokonya@yahoo.com (corresponding author). 2 Senior Lecturer, School of Open and Distance Learning, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, University way, Nairobi - 00100, Kenya. E-mail: bowa2016@gmail.com 3 Professor, School of Open and Distance Learning, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, University way, Nairobi - 00100, Kenya. E-mail: pkeiyoro@yahoo.com Project Management Received October 18, 2019; revised December 6, 2019; accepted December 8, 2019 Available online December 21, 2019 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to investigate how leadership skills and stakeholder management acting together to influence the execution of fibre optic infrastructure. The study adopted the pragmatism research paradigm, with a cross-sectional survey design. Census was used to select 187 respondents from a target population of 187 functional members of staff in fibre optic infrastructure departments of two mobile telecommunication and four internet service companies in Nairobi County, Kenya. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while an interview guide and document review guide were used to collect qualitative data. Inferential statistical analysis was performed using multiple regression. It was demonstrated that leadership skills and stakeholder management act together to have a significant positive influence on the execution of fibre optic infrastructure. Therefore, there is a need for companies to ensure that stakeholders are involved in all phases of a project from inception to closure. Mobile telecommunication and internet service providing companies should also develop training programs to improve the leadership skills of project leaders and make use of conflict management strategies and communication skills to ensure appropriate management of change. It was suggested that similar and comparable studies should be conducted in other countries across the world. Keywords: Leadership skills, stakeholder management, execution, fibre optic infrastructure, information communication technology. Copyright © Association of Engineering, Project, and Production Management (EPPM-Association). DOI 10.2478/jeppm-2020-0010 _________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction Project planning and management focus on the organization as well as the management of complex arrays of activities that deliver a project such as fibre optic infrastructure (Morris, 1994). In projects, things often do not go according to plans and this can cause conflict among stakeholders. Therefore, there is a real need for project leaders who can manage project tasks as well as people (Qing and Dekker, 2014). Recommended leadership skills include but not limited to: communication, planning, coaching, conflict resolution, team building, delegation, problem-solving and decision-making, coaching and training (Awan et al., 2015). Leadership skills help project managers to empower teams and stakeholders, list down all stakeholders, assess their interest in the project, use influence and communication skills to convey and sell project vision to stakeholders, shape expectations and affirm successful execution of projects (Qing and Dekker, 2014). Leadership skills are, therefore, vital in defining project vision, scope and managing stakeholders throughout the project life cycle. In fibre optic infrastructure, governments, operators, constructors and equipment vendors are the main stakeholders that take major responsibilities (Huawei, 2016). Consequently, the need to strike a balance to see that fibre optic infrastructure has the right response from stakeholders is important to policymakers. However, with multiple stakeholders, the successful execution of fibre optic infrastructure is a challenge (Ilavarasan and Srinivasan, 2014). The inability of project players to address fears of stakeholders in projects also result in myriad project disappointments world over (Bourne and Walker, 2005). Telecommunication and internet service enterprise has drastically evolved in the last 10 years across the globe.