Collaboration of Servant Leadership and Adversity Quotient Through Work Motivation as a Key Factor in Improving the Performance and Commitment of Employees in Indonesian Public Sectors

The present research explores how servant leadership and adversity quotient (AQ) collectively influence employee performance and organizational commitment in Indonesian public sector, utilizing work motivation as a mediating variable. Using an explanatory sequential design and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis on data from 157 employees, the research aimed to find a strategy to improve employee outcomes. It was found that servant leadership and AQ both exert a statistically significant and positive effect on employee performance and organizational commitment, both directly and indirectly. Work motivation emerged as the strongest predictor and a pivotal mediator, particularly in the relationship between AQ and employee performance, where its indirect effect was more prominent than the direct effect. The novelty of this investigation resides in its integrated model, analyzing the collaborative dynamics of these two variables specifically within the bureaucratic and collectivist context of Indonesian public enterprises. From a theoretical standpoint, this work reinforces motivation and resilience frameworks; from a practical perspective, its outcomes emphasize the imperative for Indonesian public sectors to adopt a collaborative approach to developing servant leaders and nurturing employee resilience through strengthened motivational systems. In conclusion, servant leadership and AQ collaborate through work motivation to enhance performance and commitment. Future research should expand the model to other sectors and employ mixed-methods approaches to deepen contextual understanding.