Leading With Legacy: Culturally Attuned Leadership Models in Brunei’s Public Sector

Idris, Pg Siti Rozaidah Pg Hj

Leading With Legacy: Culturally Attuned Leadership Models in Brunei’s Public Sector

James Alexander Gordon on 30th October 2025

Author Information

Pg Siti Rozaidah Pg Hj Idris, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei

Abstract

This study investigates how culturally grounded leadership practices operate within Brunei Darussalam's public sector, examining the sophisticated integration of traditional values with modern governance imperatives. I employed an interpretivist qualitative approach, collecting empirical data through in-depth interviews with 32 government officers ranging from middle management to ministerial level. The research reveals how leadership frameworks rooted in cultural integrity are systematically operationalised through progressive recruitment and development initiatives, particularly the Executive Development Programme for Senior Government Officers (EDPSGO) and the Executive Development Programmes for Middle Management Officers (EDPMMO). Guided by a multidisciplinary lens integrating faith-based ethics, maqasid shariah, and Bruneian heritage, the analysis demonstrates the productive interplay between tradition and governance that characterises Brunei's distinctive administrative model. My findings highlight how ceremonial traditions, intergenerational mentorship, and narrative identity actively contribute to leadership ethos, creating a culturally embedded approach that enriches cross-cultural leadership scholarship. The study shows that Brunei's culturally attuned leadership model enhances recruitment equity, strengthens intercultural dialogue, and fosters policy resilience within Southeast Asia's evolving administrative landscape. By foregrounding Brunei's progressive legacy-driven governance model, this empirical case offers valuable insights for scholarship on cross-cultural leadership, Islamic management, and public administration.