MBA - 592 Advanced Projects in Business Thesis: Research Conducted by Melanie L. Thomas

1. By Melanie L. Thomas
MBA – 592 –W Advanced Projects in Business
Exploring Servant
Leadership Behaviors in
Volunteer-Led Community
Service Projects Benefiting
Veterans

2. Background Information – (What is Servant Leadership?)
Sipe & Frick 7 Pillars Model
6 Areas of a Healthy Organization
Servant Leadership’s Impact on the United States
Servant Leadership’s Impact on the Future of the United
States
Volunteerism
Volunteer Functions Inventory – Motivation to Volunteer
Monetary Value of Volunteering
The Importance of a Volunteer’s Time
Volunteer Impact
Volunteers and the VA
Why Do Our Nation’s Veterans Need Our Help?

3. *The concept of servant leadership has been around since
1970 when Robert K. Greenleaf wrote an essay titled,
“Servant as Leader.”
*Greenleaf’s inspiration for the essay comes from
Hermann Hesse’s Journey to the East. In this story a
band of men on a mythical journey lose a servant named
Leo. The story describes Leo as a servant who sustains
the group, does menial chores, and has a spirit of
extraordinary presence. When Leo disappears, the group
falls into complete disarray and the journey is
abandoned. Years later, Leo is found and becomes a great
and noble leader

4. *“going beyond one’s self-interest,” is the main
characteristic of servant leadership.
*The servant leader can be described as a leader who is
governed by creating opportunities for followers in order
to help them grow.
*Greenleaf describes the servant leader as a leader who
considers themselves to be, “first among equals.” They do
not use their power to get things done. However, they use
persuasion to convince others to get work done.
*In this theory, the servant leader places the leader in the
role of a steward who leads through trust

5. *Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership - “a philosophy
and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals,
builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more
just and caring world”
*The priority must focus on serving others including
supervisors, colleagues, employees, customers and your
community.

6. *Becoming a servant leader starts with creating awareness.
*For the most part, once we are shown what we need to
know we practice this new behavior until it becomes a
habit. This leads to a behavioral change. Sometimes, we
may face obstacles that make learning new information and
developing new habits difficult. Challenges must be
overcome in order to make these new habits stick.

7. *Helps us to understand and comprehend the skills-
oriented approach to Servant Leadership.
*In their seven pillar model they define the characteristics
of a servant leader as being a person of character,
through putting others first, as a skilled communicator, as
a compassionate collaborator, the ability to have
foresight, a systems thinker, and as an individual who
leads with moral authority.

8. *1ST Pillar – Person of Character - one must maintain their
integrity, demonstrates humility, and engage in value driven
behavior. They act in a way that is considered ethical,
trustworthy and credible.
*2nd Pillar – Putting Others First - This entails being service
driven, mentor minded, and showing concern for others. They
help others even when they are not expected to. They focus
on service to all stakeholders, and will go above and beyond to
ensure that others are provided with the best possible service.

9. *3rd Pillar - The Skilled Communicator - One must practice
empathetic listening, invite and deliver feedback, and
communicate persuasively.
*This is accomplished when a servant leader is fully present with
employees. They have a keen awareness of their thoughts,
feelings and needs. The servant leader will express a deep
caring and understanding of their experiences. They will also
ask for and act upon feedback, be able to deliver feedback
appropriately, and will guide their employees to develop
insights of their own. Additionally, they motivate others
through connecting communication with meaningful
experiences.

10. *4th Pillar – Compassionate Collaborator - The compassionate
collaborator is one who builds teams and communicates,
creates psychological safety, and is first among equals. They
will encourage a culture of community in which values mutual
helping relationships, creates a safe environment where it is
ok to have an honest opinion, encourages their employees to
come up with new and improved ways of doing things, and
where an honest mistake will not be held against an
individual. They will also promote inclusiveness and will not
concern themselves with hierarchy.

11. *5th Pillar – Foresight - A person who is considered a
visionary. This person will anticipate consequences and will
take courageous and decisive action when necessary. An
individual who has foresight will develop and share
compelling long-term goals, demonstrates a good
understanding of what will happen in the future base on
what is happening currently, has a high level of intuitive
insight about the past, is willing to take personal risks when
faced with pressure in making the right decision, and
considers all aspects of a situation that will inevitably
impact the future.

12. *6th Pillar - Systems Thinker - One who is comfortable with
complexity, leads change effectively, and exercises stewardship.
A systems thinker seeks to gain an understanding of
relationships within the larger system, is cognizant of complex
factors when making important decisions, they respond to
changes by being flexible, are understanding to how these
changes will affect their employees, will always consider the
greater good when making a decision, and will consider the
future impact on both the organization and the community in
which their decision ultimately are effected by.

13. *7th Pillar - Moral Authority - This behavior is outlined by
sharing power and control, and through creating a culture
of accountability. This individual sees every player as an
important piece of the overall puzzle. They serve by
teaching, nurturing, listening, and encouraging others,
set clear performance standards for their employees, and
holds employees accountable for standards of
performance.

15. *Servant leadership is the basis of this concept.
*The leader of a healthy organization is one who displays
authenticity. The organization encompasses a leader who
is open, real, approachable, and accountable to others.
The leader of a healthy organization is one who is not
higher than others but one who serves their subordinates
by displaying authentic qualities.
*Valuing and Developing People In this type of
organization the gift of trust is given without earning it
at first. People are accepted at their present value not
just their future potential. People in a healthy
organization put others before themselves. They focus on
the needs of others and how to best meet their needs.

16. *Building Community Strong leaders know that people will be
more impacted by the quality of relationships than they will
be by the accomplishment of tasks. Therefore, they are
intentional about building a community in which works
together and learns to serve one another in the process. The
importance of relationship between leaders and workers is
vital in building a community. Collaborating on work is also
important. When leaders and workers spend time and space
working on projects together a dynamic partnership forms.
*Leadership for the good of those being led The initiative to
take appropriate action comes not from being driven by
personal ambition but because one is called to serve the needs
of others. This includes being future oriented. Looking ahead
and envisioning what the future looks like is important to
share with others within an organization. When a vision or
goal is openly shared, it creates a clear direction for workers

17. *Sharing leadership Recognizing that every leader has power
and must make choices with which how that power will be
used in an organization increases the potential influence and
impact on the total organization. Power is described as the
ability to do, to act. In an organization it represents the
ability to make important decisions and allocating resources.
When power is shared it encourages people to act for the
good of the group and toward the mission of an organization.

18. *George Washington - The first president of the United
States was a servant leader. Washington was a surveyor and
a farmer. He was widely respected as a person of good
character and as someone who focused on public service. A
general in the Continental Army, President Washington was
admired and respected by all who he served.
*Westward Expansion – During the 19th century the United
States culture turned toward individualism and away from
community. Values turned from community to individual
initiative, hard work, and material rewards. Many
American’s individual rights and rewards outweighed the
sense of community rights and community needs. Individual
self-reliance is very important today.

19. *Christianity - In many ways the United States started out as a
Christian country and is considered to still be today. The United
States culture, politics, and history have been heavily influenced by
Christianity. 75 – 80 percent of Americans today describe
themselves as being Christian. Jesus clearly defined the Servant
Leadership model in his teachings and has called upon his followers
to be servants.
*Diversity - Prospects for Servant Leadership may improve the United
States in the coming decades. The increase in African-American,
Hispanic, and Asian-American population’s attitudes toward
leadership, though slightly differ, they include the philosophy of
service to their community. In these cultures, the purpose of
leadership is not to acquire power, wealth, or fame for oneself, but
to improve life for community members. This clearly supports the
Servant Leadership model.

20. *Americans are beginning to learn that power, wealth, and fame
are not as meaningful as once thought.
*Writer Gregg Easterbrook wrote The Progress Paradox. In the
book he writes about the end of World War II. The objective is
social welfare in America and Europe. He says that per-capita
income, longevity, home size, cars per driver, phone calls made
annually, trips taken annually, highest degree earned, IQ scores
have all trended upward. However, the trend line for happiness
has been flat for over fifty years. This percentage has gradually
declined since the 1940’s. Easterbrook concluded that,
“Americans and Europeans have even more of everything except
happiness.
*As Americans grow concerned with rediscovering where to find
the most meaning and happiness in life, they will become less
focused on power, wealth, and fame. This will inevitably support
an increased interest in Servant Leadership.

21. *Research on leadership has uncovered that servant
leadership behavior exists in volunteer-led community
service.
* The goal of volunteering is to provide help to others, a
group, an organization, a cause, or the community at large,
without expectation of material reward.
*Volunteering can be described as something done when an
individual or a group of individuals work together to achieve
a common goal.”
*There are many volunteer-led community service programs
that have been developed to help improve veteran’s health
and well-being.

22. American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars
AMVETS
Elks
Korean War Veterans
Knights of Columbus
Eagles
Lions Club
Disabled American Veterans
Wounded Warrior Project
United Service Organization
Department of Veterans Affairs

23. *Volunteerism and servant leadership behaviors impact
both the volunteer and the veteran benefiting from being
provided with service by a volunteer.
*The more ties people have to others, the more support
they expect to receive. Volunteer work means giving
social support rather than taking it, plausible arguments
can be made that doing volunteer work improves both,
the givers and the receiver’s mental health.
*Volunteer work and servant leadership behaviors have an
effect on our social relationships, which oftentimes
changes the way we think about ourselves and others.

24. *Volunteerism and servant leadership behaviors not only impact
the veteran themselves but, the community as well.
*Servant leaders serve by meeting the needs of their followers
and teaching them to become leaders of their own. A sense of
community and common good is developed.
*These leadership behaviors promote a need to service the
community because good community leads to good business.
*This allows followers to be placed above the leader and letting
them take lead. Servant leaders are like parents. They raise
their children by putting the needs of the child above their own,
and helping them become responsible citizens of society
destined to do great things.
*This type of behavior cultivates a never-ending circle that
allows us to grow and achieve more and more. It also helps to
pass along the same attributes to others who may be struggling.
This cycle is why servant leadership leads to improving both,
veterans and the communities in which they live.

25. Helps us to understand what motivates individuals to
volunteer. There are six separate motivations for
volunteering.
*Values is the first motivational factor. When a volunteer
works to achieve a desired goal or values, people remain
true to an ideal conception of themselves. This factor is
attributed to the individual who says, “I can do something
for a cause that is important to me.”
*The second motivating factor is enhancement. An individual
may seek a volunteer opportunity that may teach them a
new skill. A volunteer who is motivated by enhancement
may say, “Volunteering lets me learn things through direct,
hands-on experience. Social factors influence a volunteer’s
motivation as well. A social need to fit in or belong can
influence a volunteer to contribute.

26. *The fourth factor that influences a volunteer’s decision to
donate their time is their career. An individual who wants to
achieve a new work skill, make business contacts, or explore
different career options is motivated by this function.
*The fifth motivating factor is protective. Volunteers who
seek out helping others through this function, typically feel
that volunteering is a good escape from their own personal
problems. Volunteering through this function can be seen as
a form of coping.
*Finally, motivations from understanding propel individuals to
volunteer. People who are motivated to volunteer through
understanding consider it a means towards personal growth.
An individual may say that, “volunteering allows me to gain
a new prospective on things”

27. *According to the Corporation for National and Community
Service a volunteer’s time is valued at $23.07 per hour.
*This value is based on the hourly earnings of all production
and non-supervisory workers on private non-farm payrolls
average provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

28. *The economic value of volunteering is important because it can
emphasize to government and policy makers that voluntary work
does indeed make a significant impact to the economy,
*it encourages others to become volunteers, and it informs the
media and the community about the value of volunteer time.
*It is important to look at both the direct cost of volunteering to
an organization as well as the added value the volunteer brings.
*An easy way to calculate this would be to multiply the amount of
volunteers by the number of hours and then, multiplied by a
wage.
* This would give us a rough estimate of the monetary value. However,
in order to measure the added value a volunteer contributes, this can
be a little bit trickier. You must assess where and how the volunteers
directly affect your organization, communities, service users, and
stakeholders.

29. *The impact of volunteering has several consequences pertaining to
positive physical and mental health. In fact, voluntary association
membership contributes to decreased psychological distress and
buffers the negative consequences of stressors.
*It also increases life satisfaction and decreases depression.
Volunteering is commonly association with better physical health
and lower mortality. These findings are consistent with the idea that
volunteer work is beneficial to a volunteer’s well-being.
*A cross sectional study compared elderly volunteers and non-
volunteers and found that those who volunteered had significantly
higher life satisfaction, a stronger will to live, greater feelings of
self-respect, and fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety
compared to non-volunteers.
*People with greater personal well-being may volunteer more often.
People who are involved in community service have greater life
satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of purpose in life, physical health,
and mental health.

30. *In today’s climate of limited resources It is vital that we
understand the value of a volunteer. Because it costs money to
provide a volunteer service, it is important that we monitor the
positive impact that volunteers have on the Veterans they serve.
*Impact is defined by the extent in which a program has affected
the consumers of the service provided. It refers to the extent in
which people have changed or benefited through services and
programs. It also looks at the effects on participants, clientele,
and the community. When evaluating impact, the goals of the
program i.e. why are the volunteers doing what they do?, what
changes are happening because of these volunteer activities?,
and how are volunteers making a difference for our Veterans?
*Other questions to ask when determining the full impact of a
volunteer are, have participants been helped as a result of a
volunteer?, in what way?, to what degree?, how has the public
been affected by the program?, and what differences have been
made?

31. *A nationwide program which provides Veterans with
volunteer assistance while they are being cared for by VA
health care facilities.
*Since 1946, the VA has had an estimated 140,000
volunteers who gave more than 11 million hours in
service to America’s Veterans. As one of the federal
government’s largest volunteer programs, the VA assists
veteran patients by augmenting staff with end of life care
programs, foster care, community-based volunteer
programs, hospital wards, nursing homes, and veteran
outreach centers

32. *Through volunteer assistance, a Veterans life is impacted in
ways that improve their overall health and well-being. This
ultimately impacts the community in which they live.
*Volunteers assist Veterans in many ways. They provide service
in various areas throughout VA Medical Center’s nationwide.
*Some of the places volunteers provide assistance are in
Recreation Therapy programs, at information desks, and by
providing transportation and escorting services.
*They also provide volunteer assistance in unique ways. Bake
sales, silent auctions, and selling popcorn to raise money for
personal hygiene items are among the many creative ways
volunteers serve.
*In addition, volunteers provide photography assistance, cook
home cooked meals for Veterans in the Community Living
Center, and assist with gardening in order to offer veterans an
opportunity to grow and eat their own fresh fruits and
vegetables.

33. *Volunteers have also helped to make improvements in VA Medical
Centers across the nation. They have helped with culture changes
that include celebrating Black History and holiday socials,
assistance with blood drives, and by providing feedback to
Marketing as well.
*Many volunteers get involved with VA and help veterans by
providing special events and programs that bring cheer to
hospitalized veterans. Some of these programs include a special
Day of Caring/Giving, Guitars 4 Vets, Sports fundraising activities,
community events, and college sporting.

34. Why Do Our
Nation’s
Veterans Need
Our Help?

35. The number of Veterans struggling with behavioral
health issues, financial challenges, and legal issues is
overwhelming.
The need to support our nation’s veterans is great. Due
to their enormous efforts, the United States has gone
through two recent war campaigns with life here in
America largely unchanged.
Americans are really good at putting
yellow ribbons on their bumpers, waving flags and
chanting USA at parades. However,
the need to do more is great.

36. *Revealed profound and enduring effects of the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
*Veteran’s answers revealed an overall sense that United
States leaders deployed them to fight in wars the nation did
not believe in. There is also a sense of alienation from
society that sent them to war.
*Three-quarters of post 9/11 combat veterans believe that
overall Americans appreciate their wartime efforts. However,
69 percent feel that the average American doesn’t
understand their combat experience.
*Of those surveyed, 55 percent report feeling disconnected
from civilian life, and 42 percent dismiss the praise from
civilians who say, “Thank you for your service,” because this
usually does more for the civilian than for veterans

37. *The survey also identifies overall mixed feelings of
veterans toward the government’s support for their
service.
*Veterans view the military as not doing enough to help
their transition back into civilian life. This is primarily
due to the record numbers of veterans claiming
benefits.
*The government may be doing an overall good job with
the veterans they serve but, may not be meeting the
needs of every post 9/11 veteran.
*Despite the survey’s findings, nine out of ten post 9/11
combat veterans agree they would do it all over if given
the opportunity

38. *The unemployment rate for new young veterans is worse
than that, of their young non-veteran peers.
*Veterans aged 18 – 24 have an average unemployment
rate of 20.4%. This is 5 percentage points higher than the
average among non-veterans aged 18 – 24.
*This is staggering considering that young veterans are
entering the workforce with far more skills and
experience than their civilian peers.
*The same is true for older veterans.

39. *In 2012, the unemployment rate for post 911 veterans between the ages
of 45 and 54 was 7.17%.
*The average unemployment rate for their civilian counterparts was 6.2%.
*A period of unemployment may seem like a normal contributing factor
while transitioning from military service. However, a 2013 survey
revealed that the real meaning behind the reason for unemployment is
more than a period of transition.
*In January, 2013 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America surveyed their
membership. A snapshot of 4,000 new veterans indicated a staggering
realization.
* 16% said that they were unemployed.
* Of those unemployed, 33.8% have been unemployed for longer than a year.
* 17% indicated that they have been unemployed for longer than two years.

40. *Today’s business leaders are part of the first generation of
business leaders that largely didn’t serve in the military.
*This poses a significant cultural barrier in understanding military
skills and experience that may help a business owner’s bottom
line.
* There are some legal barriers that prevent veterans from
doing the work they did while serving in the military as
well.
*Veterans return home ready to continue the jobs they did
while in the military. However, they find that they need to
re-train to do the jobs they have been doing in order to
meet requirements for civilian licensing or certification.

41. *260,000 veterans will become homeless this year.
*The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported that,
“Only 8% of Americans can claim veteran status. However,
17% of our homeless population is made up of veterans.
*On any given night there is an estimated 76,000 homeless
veterans nationwide sleeping on the streets

42. *Veterans are 50% more likely to become homeless than other
Americans due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal
living conditions in overcrowded or standard housing.
*Today 1.5 million veterans are considered at risk for
homelessness.
* The greatest veterans at risk for homelessness are those
veterans who have a lack of support and are socially isolated
after discharge.
* 1/5 veterans are living alone. More than half of our veterans are
living with a severe housing cost burden.
*Approximately 45% of the 1.6 million veterans from the Iraq and
Afghanistan Wars are seeking disability compensation. The
average wait to get a disability claim processed is eight months.
*All of these factors are contributing to the increasing amount of
veterans who become homeless

43. *An estimated 22 veterans will commit suicide in
America each day.
*According to a report released by the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs in 2010, the rate of individual
veterans committing suicide is increasing since 1999.
*Nearly 70% of those who committed suicide were age
50 or older

44. *The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that nearly 1 in 4
active duty members show signs of a serious mental health
condition.
*There are three types of mental health concerns that plague our
military.
*Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Traumatic events, such as
military combat, assault, disasters or sexual assault that can have
long-lasting negative effects such as trouble sleeping, anger,
nightmares, being jumpy and alcohol and drug abuse.
*Depression - interferes with daily life and normal functioning and may
require treatment.
*Traumatic Brain Injury or (TBI) - traumatic brain injury is usually
caused by a significant blow to the head or body. Symptoms can
include headaches, fatigue or drowsiness, memory problems and
mood changes and mood swings.

45. *A large portion of the Veteran population is young. Many of
whom lack financial experience and receive steady paychecks
offered by the military. This becomes an issue because they
become prime targets for predatory lending and other
unfavorable practices.
Many Veterans are not familiar with their legal rights regarding
the judicial system, Veterans Courts, and VA claims. Many of
these Veterans suffer from service-related trauma that often
causes them to fall prey to the system.