Long-Term Volunteer Leaders in Sustained Positions of Continuous Leadership: A Grounded Theory Study

Abstract

The purpose of the qualitative study was to develop a theory grounded in perceptions and behaviors of the study participants to explain the ability of long-term volunteer leaders to sustain themselves in positions of continuous leadership. Volunteer and nonprofit organizations provide valuable and essential services to communities, such as volunteer fire departments, homeless shelters, and recreational activities. Long-term volunteer leaders in positions of continuous leadership are critical to keep these organizations viable. A gap existed in research concerning sustaining long-term volunteer leaders in positions of continuous leadership. No theories exist in the literature regarding sustaining long-term volunteer leaders. A systematic qualitative, grounded theory design was used to address this gap in research and theory. Data were gathered from 23 long-term volunteer leaders in positions of continuous leadership at The Mountaineers, a large Pacific Northwest recreational volunteer organization. A total of 46 interviews were conducted. Each interview and the coding process had memos associated with them. Results from the study indicated a number of factors that affect long-term volunteer leaders in sustained positions of continuous leadership. Connectedness to like-minded people sharing a passion was the major sustaining factor. All factors combined to provide the resulting integrated theory. Organizational leaders and volunteer leaders should find the research findings and resulting theory valuable to help long-term volunteer leaders sustain themselves in positions of continous leadership in the vital organizations they serve. Sustaining these leaders is essential to sustaining the social change benefits such volunteer organizations provide to communities