Exploration of servant leadership and volunteers' commitment in the nonprofit and voluntary sector in war zones

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore and understand the influence of servant leadership on volunteers' commitment working in the voluntary sector in war zones.Design/methodology/approachWith a qualitative research design, participants were 16 volunteers from a servant-leadership-led charity who took part in three focus groups.FindingsResults of the present study revealed that (1) the effectiveness of servant leadership in the war environment lies in creating hope, and (2) the overlap between personal ethics of servant leaders and flexible policies in addition to a set of attributes such as honesty; social awareness; listening; a sense of responsibility; emotion; altruism; patience; and leading without power represent the primary reasons that influence volunteers' commitment during war times.Research limitations/implicationsResearch data was conducted during the war on Syria, which has negative implications not only on the participants, but also on the way they responded to questions.Practical implicationsThis paper explores and attempts to understand the influence of servant leadership on volunteers' commitment working in the voluntary sector in war zones, which can shed light on the importance of servant leadership behavior in the voluntary sector during postwar and reconstruction periods.Originality/valueThe study offers data and interpretation regarding servant leadership and its positive outcome in war zones, which can be used as a foundation for future studies in war zones.