Obliged to follow your command: examining how and when servant leadership affects service performance

Purpose This study is undertaken to explain how servant leadership affects employees’ service performance through their felt obligation toward their leaders. Furthermore, the study explores how the relationship between felt obligation and service performance is moderated by performance pressure. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 312 manager–subordinate dyads working in private sector hospitals of Karachi. The data were analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings The study found that employees’ performance is affected by servant leadership and felt obligation toward managers. Furthermore, the study found that felt obligation toward leader mediates the relationship between servant leadership and employees’ performance. Finally, the study found that the relationship between felt obligation toward leader and employees’ performance was not contingent upon perceived performance pressure. Originality/value The study confirms the mediating role of felt obligation toward leaders linking servant leadership to employees’ service performance. The study also tests the moderating role of performance pressure influencing the relationship between relationship between felt obligation toward leaders and employees' service performance.