LEADING WITH HEART, INSPIRING INNOVATION: THE MINDFULNESS BRIDGE IN SERVANT LEADERSHIP IN BPO INDUSTRY, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Employees love to work and take the labour of work, if they find cooperative & congineal work environment especially with their managers. This creates a kind of expectation and exchange of values in between employees and their managers. This study uses social exchange theory (SET) to examine the link between servant leadership and employee innovation, focusing on the mindfulness as a potential mediator. This study employed the deductive quantitative approach, using both correlational and explanatory designs to examine Pakistan rapidly growing BPO industry. This methodological style eased efficient data collection while maintaining reliability in examining key industry dynamics. The study findings emphasize servant leadership's (SL) role in driving innovative employee behavior (EIB) in Pakistan's BPO sector. SL empowers employees to explore ideas creatively while aligning personal and organizational goals. It fosters mindfulness (MF), enhancing empathy, and collaboration, while building organizational resilience. By reducing micromanagement, SL encourages risk-taking and innovation, a key to viable advantage. Integrating mindfulness into leadership supports employee growth and organizational success, creating a culture conducive to sustained innovation.