Servant leadership in the South African public sector-Challenges and possibilities in a VUCA world: A Systematic review

In an era when corporate scandals perpetrated by public sector organizational leaders have become increasingly rife, the 21st century has witnessed a sudden and growing interest in more moral and ethical leadership approaches. Increased attention has been directed at, and value placed on an approach termed ‘servant leadership-a form of leadership that captures the dimensions of personal integrity and social responsibility. Amidst the Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, (VUCA), Servant leadership offers a radically different way of leading that nurtures healthy organizational relationships. Challenges precipitated by VUCA require that public service servant leadership practitioners be able to balance stakeholder demands for accountability. The study aims to critically reflect on the potentialities for the application of servant leadership to leadership in SA public sector organisations. This research uses a three-pronged theoretical approach: (Greenfield’s Theory of Servant Leadership (1970); Blau’s (1964) Social Exchange Theory and Bandura’s (1977) Social Learning Theory).
A qualitative research methodology was employed; appropriate ethical considerations for the collection, analysis and reporting of secondary data were followed. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. The research concluded that for public service leadership to be prepared to lead effectively, there is need for the cultivation of a Servant leadership mindset.