Purpose: This study addresses the persistent underperformance and service delivery challenges within Kenyan County Governments. It aims to propose an integrated conceptual framework that examines the relationship between employee Self-Leadership (SL) strategies and County Government Performance (CGP), while analyzing the moderating role of the External Institutional Environment (IE). Design/Methodology/Approach: This is a conceptual paper that relies on a theoretical triangulation of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and Institutional Theory (IT). The study reviews existing literature to construct a multi-level model that bridges micro-level individual behaviors with macro-level organizational outcomes and environmental constraints. Findings: The conceptual analysis suggests that disaggregated SL strategies—specifically Behaviour-Focused strategies, Natural Reward strategies, and Constructive Thought Patterns—are critical drivers of organizational performance. However, the study posits that this relationship is not unconditional. The External Institutional Environment acts as a critical boundary condition: supportive normative isomorphism amplifies the positive impact of SL on performance, whereas high coercive isomorphism and political instability attenuate or nullify these effects. Practical Implications: To enhance public sector performance, the study suggests that County Governments should move beyond traditional top-down leadership training. Instead, administrators should implement interventions focused on behavioral self-management, revise hiring practices to screen for self-leadership traits, and strategically “buffer” technical staff from political interference to allow individual initiative to flourish. Originality/Value: This research contributes to literature by shifting the discourse from formal leadership traits to employee agency. It offers a novel perspective by defining the specific institutional conditions (“road blocks”) that determine when and how individual self-leadership (“the engine”) translates into tangible public sector success in developing economies.
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