Role of Servant Leadership Conglomerate Conflict Behaviour on Team Performance, Conflict Resolution Efficacy, and Turnover Intentionin Tanzania’s Higher Learning Institutions

Abstract

This paper explores the intricate relationship between servant leadership, conflict management behaviour, and organizational outcomes in the context of Tanzania's higher learning institutions. Through a longitudinal study involving 800 respondents from four public universities, the research investigates the interplay between servant leadership and conflict management styles, specifically focusing on integrating and compromising behaviors. The study employed a comprehensive methodology, utilizing questionnaires distributed over two waves with a one-year time lag. The findings revealed a positive correlation between servant leadership and integrating conflict management styles, specifically avoiding and accommodating. However, the anticipated correlation between integrating and compromising conflict behaviours in servant leadership is not confirmed. The study further examined the prevalence of cooperative conflict management patterns among Tanzanian university leaders, highlighting a combination of problem-solving and compromising strategies. A significant aspect of the research involved cluster analysis, which revealed distinct conflict behaviour patterns in Tanzanian universities. The result showed a preference for compromising and low-integrating (co-operative) patterns, as well as high-integrating and low-compromising (competitive) patterns. Notably, these patterns were not mutually exclusive, indicating a nuanced approach to conflict management. In the second part of the study, the paper delved into the impact of servant leadership's cooperative behaviour on team performance, conflict resolution efficacy, and turnover intention. The results affirmed the positive relationship between integrating and compromising conflict management styles and team performance while forcing behaviour showed a negative correlation. Moreover, the study identified a negative relationship between accommodating and forcing conflict management styles and turnover intention. The paper concluded that servant leaders in Tanzanian universities adeptly combined different conflict management styles, mitigating the adverse effects of conflicts on team performance and turnover intention. Even though avoiding and accommodating conflict behaviours were used together, problem-solving and compromising strategies were used a lot. This showed that servant leadership was used in a more complex way in Tanzanian higher education. The study contributed valuable insights into the dynamics of servant leadership, conflict management, and organizational outcomes, emphasizing the need for a contextual understanding of leadership behaviours and their cultural implications.