Inclusive leadership and innovative Behaviour: The mediating role of employee perceptions to inclusion in the Energy Sector in Uganda

Abstract

Leadership plays a very central role in launching a culture where everyone can be heard and feel safe in sharing and airing innovative ideas. The purpose of this study was to establish the mediating effect of the perceptions of inclusion in the relationship between inclusive leadership and innovative behaviours in the energy sector in Uganda. We used a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional research design. The study used primary data collected from a sample of employees from the energy sector, using convenient sampling. The data was analyzed using correlations and regression analysis. Results indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between inclusive leadership, perceptions of inclusion, and innovative behaviour among employees in the energy sector. The study established a mediation effect of perceptions of inclusion in the relationship between inclusive leadership and innovative behaviour. The study was limited by the design which was cross-sectional focusing on a specific point in time; and the convenient method of sampling respondents. The findings indicate that inclusive leadership improves employee relations with the leaders if they perceive that they are included in decision making. The focus is on leadership recruitment and development of inclusive leaders who encourage recognition, respect, and provide fair treatment, and display failure tolerance. These leaders are open, available, and accessible by employees for enhancing their perceptions of inclusion and innovative behaviours. The study contributes to literature related to inclusive leadership, perceptions of inclusion and the dynamics between both inclusive leadership and perceptions of inclusion and employees’ innovative behaviour in the energy sector in Uganda.

Keywords: Inclusive leadership, perceptions of inclusion, innovative behaviour, energy sector, Uganda.