Benefits of servant leadership for teachers: a systematic review

Researchers across various educational organizations are increasingly examining servant leadership, which is often regarded as highly compatible with educational settings. Nevertheless, a clear and comprehensive account of how servant leadership benefits teachers remains limited, constraining both its practical application and theoretical advancement. This systematic review aims to consolidate existing literature on servant leadership in relation to teachers, focusing on studies published from 2018 to April 2024. Using PRISMA-informed identification and screening procedures, along with clearly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 59 English-language, peer-reviewed studies were identified from two major academic databases, Web of Science and Scopus, representing research conducted across diverse geographical regions, including Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. The review examines five thematic areas: model and scale development, physical and mental health outcomes, behavioral outcomes, performance, and harmonious environment, and synthesizes a conceptual framework that maps variables related to servant leadership and the teacher outcomes associated with them. It further outlines future research directions and offers implications for educational practice and leadership development.