Service delivery is the most widely used measure of performance in the public sector. This paper is a critical review of literature with a focus on how service delivery is linked to leadership qualities, ethics and accountability. The four concepts explaining the variables under focus in this paper are introduced through a brief presentation. The study discusses theoretical perspectives deemed most appropriate for this work. These are the path-goal theory, resource based view and principal-agent theory. It is evident that there are numerous studies which have taken different methodology approaches and are conducted in diverse contexts. There however exist conceptual, theoretical, methodological and contextual gaps which need to be addressed in future studies. The key emerging knowledge gap is the fact that the available studies have not investigated the link between leadership qualities, ethics and accountability on one hand and service delivery on the other. Given the importance of improving service delivery it is therefore imperative for scholars and practitioners to understand the nature of this link and to explore it to improve especially with regard to the public sector entities. The review has developed a clearer understanding of the concept and how they relate with the theoretical perspectives. The review underscores the need for practitioners to work towards ensuring organisations are aligned with best practices for leadership qualities, ethics and accountability to ensure better service delivery. The review further highlights need for policy makers to put in place regulatory framework to nurture effective leadership, enhance ethics and accountability for better service delivery.