Servant Leadership Solutions for Volunteer-Driven Organizations

Introduction and Overview

This essay examines the case of a volunteer-staffed educational gaming company and whether it should change its business model regarding the use of volunteer developers. The central argument is that the company should implement a servant leadership strategy to enable management to be more supportive of and engaged with volunteers, so that the latter can contribute more effectively and efficiently toward their shared goals. The approach taken draws on the ethical culture framework and servant leadership theory, because the company's aim is rooted in a moral cause — the production of non-violent games for users — and it has attracted a strong user and volunteer community base.

Core Problems: Volunteer Management and Leadership Alignment

The main challenges the company faces are its ability to manage volunteers and maintain adherence to its core values and vision. The company's community of supporters is its greatest asset; however, discouraged managers view them as a "risk" and an "inefficiency" (Sutton and Rao, 2014, p. 4). These managers are missing the value of the volunteer community, which helps games go viral through their networks, thereby eliminating marketing costs. Alienating this base by going "corporate" and hiring developers would cost the company more in the long run. Volunteers enjoy being part of the process — as Klaus notes, "Our success depends on keeping these people happy" (Sutton and Rao, 2014, p. 4). Investors will recognize this and be attracted accordingly.

The company must identify how to manage its volunteer community more effectively and in a way that does not aggravate or alienate its support base (Dinh et al., 2014). Equally important, leadership within the company must all be on the same page, as this is a "shared responsibility" (Andriopoulos and Lewis, 2009, p. 696). Leadership needs to come together to project one vision and one voice. If leaders are not moving in the same direction, the company will find it very difficult to clear the hurdles it faces in managing volunteers. The difficulty of managing volunteers is what is causing leadership to question its vision — but it should remember that its community base is its greatest asset.

Because the company's allure for volunteers is based partly in its ethical orientation toward gaming (no violence in its games), its leaders should utilize an ethical theory of leadership and consider the servant leadership approach. This approach would not only remind leaders of the company's core commitment to a new gaming experience and to stakeholders in the gaming community, but it would also help the firm embody its vision of serving the community a fresh, new perspective on gaming.

One of the company's strengths is the diversity among its managers and volunteers, giving it a genuinely global perspective on player demand. This is an effective way to identify what gamers want and how to deliver it, as well as a means for management to avoid stereotyping its support base — an important aspect of cultural sensitivity that can help solidify a firm's workplace culture (McCrae and Terracciano, 2006, p. 156; Kissack and Callahan, 2010). Culture in this context is defined as a system of values and behaviors shared by those within the organization (Wines and Hamilton, 2009, p. 433). By recognizing differences and inviting criticism and creative solutions, the company can find unique approaches to gaming challenges.

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