Unveiling the Impact of Servant Leadership on Employee Performance: The Role of Organizational Trust in Mobile Telecom Providers in Iraq

Tara Kader (), Serife Zihni Eyupoglu and Laith Tashtoush
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Tara Kader: Department of Business, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Near East University, Nicosia/TRNC, 99138 Mersin, Turkey
Serife Zihni Eyupoglu: Department of Business, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Near East University, Nicosia/TRNC, 99138 Mersin, Turkey
Laith Tashtoush: Department of Business, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Near East University, Nicosia/TRNC, 99138 Mersin, Turkey

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-19

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of servant leadership on employee performance in mobile telecommunications providers, emphasizing the mediating role of organizational trust and its implications for organizational sustainability. Leadership effectiveness is particularly critical in environments where trust is limited, as it shapes both immediate performance and long-term organizational resilience. Using survey data from 375 employees across three telecom companies in Iraq, the results indicate that servant leadership is positively related to employee performance. Mediation analysis further demonstrates that organizational trust significantly transmits the effect of servant leadership on performance. These results extend current knowledge of leadership dynamics in the telecom sector and underscore the role of trust-based leadership in fostering sustainable organizational outcomes. Based on these insights, a practical framework was developed to integrate servant leadership principles into team-building initiatives, leadership development programs, and organizational systems. This framework not only supports the training of future leaders but also strengthens employee well-being, ethical culture, and long-term sustainability in the telecommunications industry.

Keywords: servant leadership; organizational trust; organizational sustainability; employee performance; telecommunication companies; Iraq (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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