This research aimed to determine the effect of strategic leadership on employee performance among employees of aviation companies in Turkey. A questionnaire consisting of 47 questions, excluding demographic variables, was used to test the model. Out of 350 questionnaires distributed, 316 valid responses were analyzed, representing a significant sample of the workforce in the Turkish aviation industry. The data were analyzed using various statistical methods and test techniques, including frequency distribution, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), t-tests, ANOVA, linear regression, and correlation, with a significance level of 0.05. The research concluded that employees' perceptions of strategic leadership have a 43% effect on their performance, signifying a substantial influence. There is a positive moderate relationship between these two concepts, reinforcing the importance of leadership in organizational outcomes. Furthermore, the study found that perceptions of strategic leadership vary according to some demographic variables, such as age and gender, highlighting the diversity in how leadership is perceived across different segments of the workforce. This research contributes to the strategic leadership literature by offering insights specific to the aviation sector, emphasizing the importance of specialized leadership strategies to enhance employee performance in a dynamic and competitive industry.
