Servant leadership approach and employee performance in Tanzania Teachers’ Union in Dar es Salaam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34767/SIIP.2025.02.09Keywords:
servant leadership, Servant Leadership Approach, Tanzania Teachers Union, employee performance, TanzaniaAbstract
The study assessed the application of the Servant Leadership Approach (SLA) on employee performance at the Tanzania Teachers Union (TTU). Specifically, it tested TTU employees’ understanding of the application and association of SLA on employee performance improvement. The study used a descriptive design to analyse the characteristics of TTU leaders, servant leadership traits, and their impact on employee performance. Structured and unstructured questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentary reviews were used to collect data. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 21) enabled the descriptive analysis of the data collected. The results indicated that TTU employees understand SLA and its associated traits well. Equally, TTU leaders apply several servant leadership strategies in running their offices. Leaders empower subordinates through task delegations, staff training and development programs, and the sharing of information through different digital platforms including WhatsApp groups. TTU fosters ethical conduct and has a code of ethics that is adhered to by all TTU employees. TTU’s Council enhances participatory decision-making at the micro and macro levels. This study further revealed a direct relationship between the SLA and employee performance by increasing work morale, reducing service time out period, increasing service quality, and enhancing service culture. TTU can increase its employees’ performance through an SLA by providing training programs for TTU leaders regarding servant leadership traits. Against this backdrop, TTU is recommended to promulgate a leadership policy emphasising using the SLA to serve its members properly.
References
Abdallah, A.S. (2023). Servant Leadership Practices and Employee Job Satisfaction in Tanzania’s Banking Sector: A Case of LETSHEGO Bank. MLM Dissertation. Mzumbe University, Tanzania.
Ally, Z.M., John, J., & Arusha, A. (2021). The Effectiveness of Trade Unions in Handling Teachers’ Grievances. MA Dissertation. Mzumbe University, Tanzania.
Baran, M., & Zarzycki, R. (2021). Key effects of mentoring processes – multi-tool comparative analysis of the career paths of mentored employees with non-mentored employees. Journal of Business Research, 124(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.11.032
Blake-Beard, S., Shapiro, M., & Ingols, C. (2021). A Model for Strengthening Mentors: Frames and Practices. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(12), 6465. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126465
Blanchard, K.H., & Broadwell, R. (eds.). (2018). Servant leadership in action: How you can achieve great relationships and results. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
Buick, F., Blackman, D.A., Glennie, M., Weeratunga, V., & O’Donnell, M.E. (2024). Different Approaches to Managerial Support for Flexible Working: Implications for Public Sector Employee Well-Being. Public Personnel Management, 53(3), 377–405. http://doi.org/10.1177/00910260241226731
Canavesi, A., & Minelli, E. (2022). Servant Leadership: a Systematic Literature Review and Network Analysis. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 34, 267–289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10672-021-09381-3
Day, D.V., & Miscenko, D. (2015). Leader–Member Exchange (LMX): Construct evolution, contributions, and future prospects for advancing leadership theory. In: T.N. Bauer & B. Erdogan (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Leader–Member Exchange (pp. 9–28). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199326174.013.8
Erdogan, B., & Bauer, T.N. (2010). Differentiated leader-member exchanges: The buffering role of justice climate. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(6), 1104–1120. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020578
Eva, N., Robin, M., Sendjaya, S., van Dierendonck, D., & Liden, R.C. (2019). Servant leadership: A systematic review and call for future research. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), 111–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2018.07.004
Greenleaf, R.K. (1977). Servant Leadership: A Journey into The Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. New York, NY: Paulist Press.
Irfan, M., Salameh, A.A., Saleem, H., Naveed, R.T., Dalain, A.F., & Shahid, R.M. (2022). Impact of servant leadership on organisation excellence through employees’ competence: Exploring a cross-cultural perspective. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.985436
Jaiswal, A., Dyaram, L., & Khatri, N. (2022). Interplay of diversity, inclusion, and politics: Impact on employee well-being. IIMB Management Review, 34(3), 195–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iimb.2022.08.002
Jana, G. (2020). Servant Leadership and its Relation to Work. Central European Business Review, 9(3), 24–37. https://doi.org/10.18267/j.cebr.236
Karimi, L., Leggat, S.G., Bartram, T., Afshari, L., Sarkeshik, S., & Verulava, T. (2021). Emotional intelligence: predictor of employees’ wellbeing, quality of patient care and psychological empowerment. BMC Psychology, 9, article number 93. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00593-8
Limo, H. (2023). The Relationship Between Servant Leadership Practices and Employee Job Satisfaction in Public Organisations: A Case of Tanzania Postal Corporation. MLM Dissertation. Mzumbe University, Tanzania.
Muzira, D.R., Muzira, R., & Min, D. (2020). The Concept of Servant Leadership in Business Management. East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 1(1), 24–32. https://doi.org/10.46606/eajess2020v01i01.0003
Ndidi, A.M., Amah, A., & Okocha, B. (2022). Micromanaging Behaviour and Employee Productivity in SMEs in Rivers State. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 6(4), 745–755. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2022.6434
Ndimbo, M. (2023). Servant Leadership Practice and Employee Job Satisfaction in Tanzania Police Force: A Case of the Dar Es Salaam Police Special Zone. MLM Dissertation. Mzumbe University, Tanzania.
Northouse, P.G. (2024). Leadership: Theory and practice (10th ed.). Sage Publications.
Odiri, V.I., Aruoren, E.E., & Obieroma, A.A. (2023). Mediating Effect of Job Engagement on the Relationship between Servant Leadership and Employee Performance. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 14(2), 78–91. https://doi.org/10.30845/ijbss.v14n1p8
Pakpahan, M. (2021). Servant Leadership and Performance Employee: The Mediating Effect of Organisational Commitment. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 529, 884–892. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210421.127
Rahmadani, V.G., Schaufeli, W.B., Stouten, J., Zhang, Z., & Zulkarnain, Z. (2020). Engaging Leadership and its Implication for Work Engagement and Job Outcomes at the Individual and Team Level: A Multi-Level Longitudinal Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 776. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030776
Saleem, F., Zhang, Y.Z., Gopinath, C., & Adeel, A. (2020). Impact of Servant Leadership on Performance: The Mediating Role of Affective and Cognitive Trust. SAGE Open, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019900562
Suhardi, S., et al. (2022). The effect of servant leadership and team member exchange (TMX) on employee performance of foreign-owned life insurance: The mediating role of organisational citizenship behaviour. Journal of Economics, Business & Accountancy Ventura, 24(3), 392–407.
Surji, K.M. (2015). Understanding Leadership and Factors that Influence Leaders’ Effectiveness. European Journal of Business and Management, 7(33), 154–167. https://doi.org/10.7176/EJBM/7-33-2015-03
Tanzania Teachers’ Union (N/A.). Tanzania Teachers’ Union official website. https://www.ttu.or.tz (accessed: 29.08.2024).
Tinuoye, A.T., Adamade, S.S., & Ogharanduku, V.I. (2021). Leadership and Followership in the Context of Trade Unionism. In: S. Khan (ed.), Leadership and Followership in an Organisational Change Context (pp. 135–160). Hershey, PA: IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-2807-5.ch006
Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (N/A.). Trade Union Congress of Tanzania official website. https://tucta.or.tz (accessed: 29.08.2024).
Ullah, S., Bano, S., & Zehri, A.W. (2023). Role of Servant Leadership via Emotional Intelligence, Grit, and Compassion on Job Performance. International Journal of Social Science and Entrepreneurship, 3(2), 410–433.
Vrcelj, N., Bevanda, V., & Bevanda, N. (2022). Servant Leadership: Influence of Job Satisfaction and Organisational Commitment. Management: Journal of Sustainable Business and Management Solutions in Emerging Economies, 29(3), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.7595/management.fon.2022.0009
Wang, Z., Liu, Y., & Liu, Y. (2017). Servant leadership as a driver of employee service performance: Test of a trickle-down model and its boundary conditions. Human Relations, 71(9), 1179–1203. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726717738320
Westbrook, K.W., & Peterson, R.M. (2023). Servant Leadership Effects on Salesperson Self-Efficacy, Performance, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intentions. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 29(2), 153–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2022.2068820
Ye, P., Liu, L., & Tan, J. (2022). Influence of leadership empowering behavior on employee innovation behavior: The moderating effect of personal development support. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1022377. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1022377
Zeeshan, S., Ng, S.I., Ho, J.A., & Jantan, A.H. (2021). Assessing the impact of servant leadership on employee engagement through the mediating role of self-efficacy in the Pakistani banking sector. Cogent Business & Management, 8(1), Article 1963029. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2021.1963029
Zhang, Y., Zheng, Y., Zhang, L., Xu, S., Liu, X., & Chen, W. (2021). A meta-analytic review of the consequences of servant leadership: The moderating roles of cultural factors. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 38(1), 371–400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-018-9639-z
