Encouraging servant leadership: A qualitative study of how a cause-related sporting event inspires participants to serve

Abstract

A longitudinal, qualitative case study was conducted to explore if a cause-related sporting event could inspire participants to serve others and how the event achieved this. Servant leadership theory, social leverage theory, and social capital theory were used to inform the investigation. Findings revealed the event encouraged servant leadership. The structural mechanisms and social processes which helped to achieve this were: (a) creating event-related social events to build a community; (b) encouraging themes and hosting ceremonies to create a culture of storytelling and safe spaces; and (c) facilitating formal and informal gathering places to foster celebration. These structural mechanisms and social processes then generated individual-level impacts, which helped participants practice servant leadership by: (a) developing broader identities; (b) nurturing participants’ abilities to see they can make a difference; and (c) strengthening awareness of the healing power of service. A conceptual framework emerged from the data to describe how a cause-related sporting event can create a sustainable community of servant leaders.