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The Impact of Servant Leadership on Employee Performance: A Case Study of Five Government Ministries in Sierra Leone, West Africa

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective: This study examines the impact of servant leadership on employee performance across five Sierra Leonean government ministries, addressing critical gaps in African public sector leadership research. As the first empirical analysis in Sierra Leone’s post-conflict context, it tests whether servant leadership principles (empowerment, ethical stewardship) transcend bureaucratic and resource constraints to enhance governance under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16. Methods: A mixed-methods design combined quantitative surveys (N = 460 civil servants) using the validated SL-28 scale (α = 0.92) and qualitative interviews (n = 20) across Trade, Labor, Information, Finance, and Higher Education ministries. Hierarchical regression analyzed moderation effects (power distance, resource scarcity), while thematic coding extracted contextual insights. Results: Servant leadership significantly predicted employee performance (β = 0.62, p < .05, d = 1.32), with strongest effects in Finance (β = 0.71, p < .01) due to higher institutional readiness. Key outcomes included job satisfaction (β = 0.58) and organizational commitment (β = 0.52), though power distance (ΔR² = 0.09) and resource scarcity (ΔR² = 0.12) moderated efficacy. Qualitative data revealed active listening as a catalyst for engagement, while bureaucratic inertia hindered empowerment. Conclusion: The study confirms servant leadership’s viability in fragile states but highlights context-dependent barriers. It advances theory by (i) validating SDG 16 as a framework for leadership reform and (ii) proposing an Institutional Readiness Model for post-conflict settings. Policy recommendations include flatter hierarchies (aligned with SDG 16.7) and targeted training to overcome scarcity constraints.

Source: International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology

DOI: 10.47001/irjiet/2025.906029

Authors: Alie Mohamed Kabia, Sulaiman Arafat Koroma, Idrissa Koroma, Kadiatu Fofanah, Ibrahim Sorie Yillah Turay

Institutions: Xi'an Jiaotong University, Njala University, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics

Language: English

Topic: Employee Performance and Leadership

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W4411896960

FWCI:

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