Empowering Leadership as a Catalyst for Adaptive Performance: A Systematic Review and Future Research Directions

Abstract

In today’s volatile and technology-driven work environments, employees’ ability to adapt effectively to rapid changes has become a critical determinant of organizational resilience. However, research on how leadership styles foster adaptive performance remains fragmented, with inconsistent findings across contexts. This paper addresses this gap by systematically reviewing the literature on empowering leadership as a catalyst for adaptive performance. The aim was to analyze the research landscape, identify conceptual linkages between empowerment and adaptability, and highlight emerging themes and expert contributions using Scopus Artificial Intelligence (AI) data as of 4 November 2025. Findings reveal that empowering leadership consistently enhances adaptive performance through key mechanisms such as psychological empowerment, leader–member exchange (LMX), and knowledge sharing. The review identifies that empowering leadership not only increases employee autonomy and competence but also fosters engagement and well-being factors essential for flexibility and innovation. Practical implications suggest that organizations should prioritize empowerment-oriented leadership development, focusing on autonomy, participative decision-making, and psychological safety to cultivate adaptive, resilient teams. Nevertheless, the review acknowledges limitations, including database scope, cross-sectional biases, and contextual variability across studies. Future research should employ longitudinal and cross-cultural designs to explore the boundary conditions of empowering leadership and its interaction with other leadership styles, such as ethical or digital leadership. Overall, this review establishes empowering leadership as a multidimensional and context-responsive construct central to fostering adaptive performance in the digital era.