UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

La Verne, California

SERVANT LEADERSHIP AT ZAPPOS.COM, INC.

A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education
in
Organizational Leadership

Edward Joshua Cowley

College of Education and Organizational Leadership

Organizational Leadership Department

August 2013
 UMI Number: 3576673

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 ABSTRACT

Servant Leadership at Zappos.Com, Inc.

By Edward Joshua Cowley, EdD

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe servant leadership
characteristics at Zappos and how they influence the organizational culture of the
organization. This study identified how Zappos employees extend and share the
corporate culture with customers, coworkers, and the community they serve.

Methodology. The study used the dynamic narrative approach (DNA) as a method of
collecting soliciting input from 15 associate and 15 supervisor/managers, selected by a
representative of Zappos, Inc., all of whom full time employees employed for at least 6
months at Zappos headquarters in Henderson, Nevada.

Findings. The data provided evidence that all of the 10 servant leadership characteristics
was observed in the actions of executive management at Zappos, and that there is not
statistical difference in the way management personnel and associates perceive the
prevalence and value of those characteristics. The characteristics most prevalent and
impactful were listening, community building, and commitment to growth of people.
The three characteristics were exhibited throughout the Zappos culture through meetings,
feedback, personal development, charity work, and community building. Participants
identified communication and coaching as the two most common approaches for dealing
with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms or fails to perform to
standards expected from the organization.

Conclusions. The research validated the claims of servant leadership practice within
Zappos and provided evidence of the positive influence servant leadership has on an
organizational culture in a for-profit environment.

Recommendations. Additional research is required to determine the effects of servant

leadership on an organization operating in different industries, in both for-profit and
nonprofit sectors. Leaders should evaluate their own organizational culture and
determine if servant leadership characteristics can be integrated to improve their current
environment.

iv
 CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................... iv

FIGURES ................................................................................................................... xii

TABLES ................................................................................................................... xiv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................... xv

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1

Chapter Structure ...................................................................................... 1

Background ............................................................................................... 2

Leadership Is Important to Organizational Success........................... 2

Leadership Definitions ....................................................................... 5

All Definitions Include Common Characteristics .............................. 6

An Emerging Style Called Servant Leadership ................................. 7

Problem Statement .................................................................................... 10

Purpose of the Study ................................................................................. 11

Research Questions ................................................................................... 11

Relevance/Significance of the Study ........................................................ 12

Assumptions .............................................................................................. 12

Definitions of Terms ................................................................................. 13

Organization of the Study ......................................................................... 15

Summary of Chapter I ............................................................................... 15

v
II. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 16

Chapter Structure ...................................................................................... 16

Leadership Defined ................................................................................... 17

Early Leadership ....................................................................................... 18

Sun Tzu .............................................................................................. 18

Plato ................................................................................................... 19

Confucius ........................................................................................... 20

Leadership Theories, Characteristics, and Styles ...................................... 20

Ohio State Studies: Consideration and Initiating Structure ............... 21

University of Michigan: Job-Centered and Employee-Centered

Behavior ...................................................................................... 23

Lewin ................................................................................................. 24

Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid .................................................. 26

Six Styles of Leadership as Proposed by Goleman, Boyatzis,

and McKee .................................................................................. 29

Theory X and Theory Y ..................................................................... 31

Leadership Traits Theory ................................................................... 33

Level Five Leadership........................................................................ 36

Situational Leadership Theory ........................................................... 36

Functional Leadership Theory ........................................................... 38

Formation-Processing Leadership Theory ......................................... 40

Self-Leadership Theory ..................................................................... 40

Transactional Leadership Theory ...................................................... 41

Transformational Leadership Theory ................................................ 43

vi
 Servant Leadership............................................................................. 44

How Servant Leadership Differs From Other Leadership

Theories ...................................................................................... 51

Organizational Culture .............................................................................. 53

Zappos ....................................................................................................... 55

Summary ................................................................................................... 59

III. METHODS ..................................................................................................... 61

Chapter Structure ...................................................................................... 61

Purpose .................................................................................................... 61

Research Questions ................................................................................... 62

Study Design ............................................................................................. 62

Qualitative Methods ........................................................................... 62

Narrative ............................................................................................ 64

Storytelling ......................................................................................... 67

Renga ................................................................................................. 68

Dynamic Narrative Approach ............................................................ 69

Philology ............................................................................................ 70

Etymology .......................................................................................... 71

Sources of Data ......................................................................................... 71

Population and Sample ...................................................................... 71

Interview Instrument .......................................................................... 73

Data Collection.......................................................................................... 74

Strategies ............................................................................................ 74

vii
 Ethical Considerations ....................................................................... 75

Protection of Human Subjects ........................................................... 76

Validity and Reliability ............................................................................. 76

Validity .............................................................................................. 76

Reliability........................................................................................... 77

Interrater Reliability ........................................................................... 78

Data Analysis ............................................................................................ 80

Content Analysis ................................................................................ 80

Coding ................................................................................................ 80

Data Display .............................................................................................. 81

Limitations ................................................................................................ 81

Summary ................................................................................................... 82

IV. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS ........................................................................ 85

Overview ................................................................................................... 85

Chapter Structure ...................................................................................... 86

Purpose .................................................................................................... 86

Research Questions ................................................................................... 86

Participants ................................................................................................ 87

Participant Criteria .................................................................................... 87

Participant Classification .......................................................................... 88

Data Collection.......................................................................................... 88

Data Analysis ............................................................................................ 90

viii
 Content Analysis ................................................................................ 90

Coding ................................................................................................ 90

Interrater Reliability ........................................................................... 91

Research Findings ..................................................................................... 93

Research Question 1 and Corresponding Survey Question ............... 93

Research Question 2 and Corresponding Survey Questions.............. 106

Research Question 3 and Corresponding Survey Question ............... 129

Summary ................................................................................................... 134

V. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS............................................................... 136

Chapter Structure ...................................................................................... 137

Overview of the Study .............................................................................. 137

Review of the Problem....................................................................... 137

Restatement of the Purpose ................................................................ 138

Restatement of the Research Questions ............................................. 138

Methods Overview .................................................................................... 139

Population .......................................................................................... 139

Sample................................................................................................ 139

Data Collection Overview ......................................................................... 141

Strategies ............................................................................................ 141

Ethical Considerations ....................................................................... 143

Data Analysis Overview ........................................................................... 144

Content Analysis ................................................................................ 144

Coding ................................................................................................ 144

ix
 Interrater Reliability ........................................................................... 145

Results and Conclusions ........................................................................... 146

Findings Related to the Literature for Research Question 1 .............. 146

Conclusions for Research Question 1 ................................................ 148

Findings Related to the Literature for Research Question 2 .............. 148

Conclusions for Research Question 2 ................................................ 167

Findings Related to the Literature for Research Question 3 .............. 168

Conclusions for Research Question 3 ................................................ 172

Unanticipated Discoveries ........................................................................ 172

Summary of Results .................................................................................. 173

Implications ............................................................................................... 173

Zappos ................................................................................................ 173

Zappos Employees ............................................................................. 174

Servant Leadership in a For-Profit Organization ............................... 174

Recommendations for Further Research ................................................... 175

REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 176

APPENDICES ........................................................................................................... 191

A. COMBINED RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 1 ........................................ 192

B. MANAGEMENT RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 1 ................................. 194

C. ASSOCIATE RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 1 ........................................ 196

D. COMBINED RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 2 ........................................ 198

E. MANAGEMENT RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 2 ................................. 200

x
F. ASSOCIATE RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 2 ........................................ 202

G. ZAPPOS CONSENT TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ....................................... 204

H. ZAPPOS CONSENT TO USE NAME IN STUDY ........................................ 206

I. CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH ............................................. 208

J. INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE ................................................................... 212

K. EXPERT PANEL REVIEW FORM ................................................................ 214

L. INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL ...................................... 219

xi
 FIGURES

Figure Page

1. Harmony table comparing servant leadership characteristics to characteristics

of other leadership styles ............................................................................... 54

2. Alignment of Zappos core values to servant leadership: Harmonizes the

characteristics of servant leadership with the ten core values that guide
Zappos ............................................................................................................ 59

3. Employment classification of participants ........................................................... 89

4. Visual display of mean rank score responses from managers, from associates,
and from the composite group indicating the prevalence of each servant
leader characteristic by management at Zappos ............................................ 97

5. Visual display of mean rank score responses from managers, from associates,
and from the composite group indicating the relative importance of each
servant leadership characteristic to the organizational culture of Zappos ..... 103

6. Theme 2.1: Meetings .......................................................................................... 150

7. Theme 2.2: Feedback .......................................................................................... 151

8. Theme 2.3: Personal development ...................................................................... 152

9. Theme 2.4: Charity ............................................................................................. 154

10. Theme 2.5: Downtown revitalization ................................................................. 155

11. Theme 2.6: Communication/relationship building ............................................. 156

12. Theme 2.7: Relationship building (customer) .................................................... 157

13. Theme 2.8: Relationship building (customer) .................................................... 159

14. Theme 2.9: Personal development (coworkers).................................................. 161

15. Theme 2.10: Personal development (customers) ................................................ 163

xii
16. Theme 2.11: Charity (coworkers) ....................................................................... 164

17. Theme 2.12: Team building (coworkers)............................................................ 166

18. Theme 3.1: Communication................................................................................ 169

19. Theme 3.2: Coaching .......................................................................................... 170

xiii
 TABLES

Table Page

1. Cross-Tabulation Analysis of Rank, Mean, and Difference of Responses

Describing the Demonstrated Prevalence of Each of the Servant
Leadership Characteristics Exhibited by Management Staff at Zappos ........ 95

2. Results of Mann-Whitney U Test for Independent Samples to Determine if the

Responses From the Two Groups Are Statistically Different ....................... 98

3. Minimum and Maximum Ranking Values for Each of the Servant Leadership
Characteristics, by Response Group .............................................................. 100

4. Cross-Tabulation Analysis of Rank, Mean, and Difference of Responses

Describing the Servant Leadership Characteristics Thought to Have the
Greatest Impact on the Organizational Culture of Zappos ............................ 101

5. Results of Mann-Whitney U Test for Independent Samples to Determine if the

Responses From the Two Groups Are Statistically Different ....................... 104

6. Minimum and Maximum Ranking Values for Each of the Servant Leadership
Characteristics, by Response Group .............................................................. 105

7. Servant Leadership Characteristic Theme Recap ................................................ 173

xiv
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To Dr. Casey Goodall for your willingness to take this journey with me. This was

a new frontier for you and you allowed me to take you on a journey that had an unclear

destination. Thank you for keeping your faith and allowing me the freedom to discover

something much larger than the study itself.

To Dr. Paul Figueroa for your support and friendship for the last four years. I

often came to you confused and frustrated, and you gracefully restored my confidence

and put me back on the right track. You are an amazing police officer, teacher, leader,

and friend. You are a true servant leader and the communities in which you serve are

much better off because of your involvement.

To Dr. Antonio Serna for taking a chance and agreeing to sit on my committee.

You challenged me to go beyond what I felt was “good enough” and forced me to look

deeper into my talents and create work that I will always be proud of. Thank you for

bringing your expertise and passion to this study. I am eternally grateful.

To Dr. Laura Hyatt and Dr. Doug Devore for making year three memorable, and

more importantly, applicable. The environment that you both created allowed me to feel

comfortable sharing my business perspective while being surrounded by brilliant

educational professionals. Thank you for helping me create a place for my experiences

and perceptions to fit.

xv
 To Dr. Greg Plutko, my learning group leader for reminding me to focus on the

journey and to allow myself grace.

To my Comfort Inn classmates, professionally known as Team Blackout, Paul

Figueroa, Obed Magney, Linda Williams, Nick Richter, Richard Savage, Esmirna

Valencia, Ritchie Romero and Jasmine Ruys for bringing a tremendous amount of laughs

and support. I could not have gone through this without laughing and it would not have

been the same without each of you. I will value our friendships forever.

To my lunch crew Shana, Annamarie, Cindy, Rosario, and Curtis. Thank you for

making me an honorary member of the Foothill LG lunch crew. The memories will live

with me forever. Thank you all for making this program fly by.

I was once a wolf pack of one . . . but along the way I picked up two more. Martin

Yousef and George Matamala, you have both made this program memorable, and if I

walked away with nothing more than your friendships, then it would be worth every

penny, and every moment. Brothers until the end, I could not imagine completing this

program with two better people. I look forward to the adventures that are ahead of us.

Costco should lock their doors.

To my parents, Scott and Patti Cowley. You both have supported me in pursuit of

all of my dreams from the moment I was born and continue to do so today. You have

given me unconditional love, taught me an unmatched work ethic, given me an amazing

sense of humor . . . and humility. Thank you for believing in me and I hope to continue

to make you proud.

To my grandparents, William and Nancy Huffstutler for teaching me that love

conquers all and for being amazing role models.

xvi
 To my mother-in-law Olga Ceniceros for welcoming me into your house, and

more importantly, your family from the very beginning. You taught me what it means to

have faith and to never lose focus on what is important in life.

To my brother Juan Tello, who must have a sixth sense, because you always knew

when I was down and needed someone to kick me in the rear while giving me works of

encouragement. You have always been there for me and been an inspiration. I am

blessed to be able to call you brother. There is so much more that I would like to say, but

I know that you are aware of how much your friendship means to me. So I will only say

what we always say . . . ONE.

To the rest of my family who have continued to encourage me throughout the

process, Joe Huffstutler, Lani Huffstutler, Kelly Petty, Shelley Corzine, Robert

Huffstutler, Adam Cowley, Jeremy Cowley, William Treul, Michael Petty, Justin Treul,

Joe Petty, Katie Henderson, Sara Huffstutler, Kimberly Huffstutler, Shelley Huffstutler,

Laura Figueroa, Lorena Ceniceros, Angela Tello, Connie Guerrero, and Joe Guerrero.

Thank you all for your kind words and actions of support.

To my nieces and nephews, Ernesto Figueroa, Omar Figueroa, Kathryn Petty,

Tommy Petty, William Petty, Christina Petty, Arianna Guerrero, Isaiah Guerrero,

Damian Espinoza, Xavier Figueroa, London Cowley, Lizandra Espinoza, Leilani Tello,

Alex Cowley, Luke Petty, Tyler Petty, Alana Tello, and Malia Tello. You are all

wonderfully bright and caring. The future is yours; don’t be afraid to create something

special.

xvii
 To my amazing wife, Leticia Cowley. You truly are my better half. Nothing I’ve

done worth mentioning does not have your handprint on it. Since the day we met, you

have always been my biggest supporter. I could not have accomplished this without your

love and support. You have spent the last ten years supporting my educational goals and

I will spend the rest of my life and every ounce of energy I have trying to make every

dream of yours come true. Every moment I spend with you is precious. You are my best

friend and I will love you forever.

xviii
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to identify servant leadership characteristics in a

for-profit organization and to identify specific instances, as shared by Zappos employees,

in which these characteristics have been experienced. The literature review includes a

history of early leadership, a variety of leadership styles, and an introduction to

organizational culture, servant leadership, and finally, Zappos. Early leadership dates

back to Sun Tzu, Plato, and Confucius (Low & Ang, 2011; Takala, 1998; Williams,

1998). Theories from this historical time period led into the modern leadership studies

beginning with the studies at the University of Michigan and Ohio State University

(Halpin & Winer, 1957). The development of leadership traits and the categorization of

these traits into leadership styles have defined the methods by which many leaders

operate. Servant leadership has been identified as a specific set of leadership

characteristics with a specific intent (Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Chapter Structure

Chapter I of this study presents the background of the topic, outlines the problem,

and states the purpose of the study. In addition, the research questions are listed along

with the conceptual framework. The design of the study is briefly described and

1
 2

followed by the significance of the problem. This chapter concludes with an outline of

the limitations of the study, the operational definitions, and a chapter summary.

Background

Leadership Is Important to
Organizational Success

The topics of effective leadership remain at the top of business discussions and

bestselling books today, but the concepts behind the words leader and leadership are

timeless. Historically, words like emperor, king, and chief were used to identify

individuals in positions of power and influence of a group. The Oxford English

Dictionary noted the appearance of the word leader as early as the 1300s. The study of

leaders has progressed throughout the rise of civilization (Bass & Bass, 2008; Maxwell,

1998; Rarick, 1996; Zaccaro, Kemp, & Bader, 2004). Throughout history, research has

shown that there has never been a society without a leader, although some have

functioned with a structure of collective leadership. Leadership models of the past have

shaped shared leadership models of the present (Bass & Bass, 2008). The importance of

leadership has been documented throughout history. Napoleon is quoted as stating that

“he would rather have an army of rabbits led by a lion than an army of lions led by a

rabbit” (Bass & Bass, 2008, p. 8).

While the modern study of leadership based on individual and group psychology,

the statistical measure of sources and uses of power and the promotion of leadership

theories based on personality, style, and roles was essentially a product of the 20th

century (Bass & Bass, 2008). Leadership itself might be considered “the world’s oldest
 3

profession” (p. 3). Fukuyama (2011) argued that Lincoln learned from the civil war

“what the Chinese had learned 2300 hundred years earlier,” that the selection of leaders is

an essential element of organizational success, that leaders should be selected “based on

talent and proven qualifications rather than friends or family” (p. 272).

Bass and Bass (2008) summarized a long history of principles identified and

studied in leadership research over many centuries:

Written principles of leadership go back nearly as far as the emergence of

civilization, which shaped its leaders as much as it was shaped by them. Written
principles of leadership can be found in Egypt in the Instruction of Ptahhotep
(2300 B.C.E.). Confucious and Lao-tzu of the sixth century B.C.E discussed the
responsibilities of leaders and how leaders should conduct themselves. (p. 4)

Most theories prior to the 1940s focused on the personal traits of leaders (Bass &

Bass, 2008). From the 1960s into the 1980s, the focus of leadership theories combined

the traits of leaders and followers when placed in certain situations. Theories regarding

transformation appeared in the 1980s and have carried into the 21st century.

Bass and Bass (2008) classified current leadership theories into three categories:

instrumental, informational, and informal. Instrumental theories focus on the leader’s

orientation to the task or to the person, on leaders’ direction or followers’ participation,

on leaders’ initiative or consideration of their followers, and on leaders’ promises and

rewards or threats and disciplinary action. Inspirational theories of leadership include

charismatic, transformational, and visionary theories. These focus on emotional and

ideological appeals; displaying exemplary behavior, confidence, and symbolism; and

concentrating on intrinsic motivation. Informal leadership theories deal with the

emergence and service of effective leaders who lack formal positions and authority (Bass

& Bass, 2008).

 4

Early theories of leadership focused on power and military effectiveness. For

example, approximately 500 B.C., Sun Tzu (Sunzi, 2011) offered a lengthy series of

axiomatic guidelines with which a powerful leader could achieve success on the

battlefield, which he ultimately expressed as five key factors, which were updated and

paraphrased for modern organizational leaders by Shlosberg (2010) (reads like seven

elements):

1. The right people in the right positions,

2. Mission and vision of the great leader,
3. Coaching to get to the vision,
4. Tools needed to execute, and
5. The leader out of the way of those that do.
6. Add passion and awareness
7. And you cannot be beaten! (p. 9)

Anticipating theories to be expressed thousands of years in the future, Sun Tzu

argued that organizational success is dependent on a skilled, trained, confident, loyal, and

properly equipped group of subordinates assigned to specialized roles. Each subordinate

is passionately focused on achieving a specific goal or set of goals, communicated by a

powerful, influential, and visionary leader who is wise enough to allow each member of

the organization the autonomy to effectively perform his or her own assignment.

In about 374 B.C., Plato described a very different theory of leadership, not based

on the goal of military effectiveness. Rather, in his Republic, Plato (380 B.C.)

characterized the ideal leader as a servant to the public. Far from being motivated by

power or wealth, “The true ruler pursues his subject’s interest and not his own;

consequently all wise men would prefer the benefit of this service at the hands of others

rather than the labour of affording it to others themselves” (Lee & Choi, 2003, p. 347d).
 5

While these early authors analyzed leadership from a practical military

perspective or from a philosophical perspective, the subject did not become the subject of

systematic academic study until the culmination of scientific management in the late

1950s.

The modern study of leadership began in 1904 with Terman’s investigation of the

psychology and development of leadership, Kohs and Irle’s 1920 predictions of U.S.

Army officers, Freud’s 1922 work dealing with group psychology, Weber’s 1927

introduction of charismatic leadership, Cox’s 1926 analysis of the biographies of leaders,

Moreno’s 1924 invention of sociometry, and Benne and Sheat’s 1948 classification of

roles in small groups (Bass & Bass, 2008). Research in leadership eventually led to the

creation of assessment centers first in 1923 in Germany, in Britain during WWII, and

finally in the United States in 1948.

The phenomenon of the Confederate army defeating a better equipped Union

opponent is often attributed to the competent, creative, and inspirational leadership of

Robert E. Lee (Bass & Bass, 2008). Since the early 1920s, surveys have continued to

confirm the important role leadership plays in the success of organizations and the

satisfaction and performance of employees.

Leadership Definitions

There are many different definitions of leadership that have been developed and

supported by researchers. Some researchers define leadership by its role in group

processes (Paglis & Green, 2002; Krech & Crutchfield, 1948). For others, the definition

of leadership lies with the ability to influence others (Bass, 1990; Katz & Kahn, 1966).
 6

Bennis (1989a) stated in On Becoming a Leader, “To an extent, leadership is like

beauty; it’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it” (p. 1). When asked about his

definition of leadership, John Sculley (as cited in Bennis, 1989a) stated,

Leadership is often confused with other things, specifically management. But

management requires an entirely different set of skills. Leadership revolves
around vision, ideas, direction, and has more to do with inspiring people as to
direction and goals than with day-to-day implementation. . . . One can’t lead
unless he can leverage more than his own capabilities. . . . You have to be capable
of inspiring people to do things without actually sitting on top of them with a
checklist—which is management, not leadership. (p. 139)

Peter Drucker (1995) stated that “the only definition of leadership is someone

who has followers” (p. 95). In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Maxwell (1998)

defined leadership as “influence, nothing more, nothing less” (p. 11). Yukl (1998) stated

that “most definitions of leadership reflect the assumption that leadership involves a

social influence process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over

other people to structure the activities and relationships in a group or organization” (p. 3).

All Definitions Include Common

Characteristics

Despite the many different definitions, theories, and styles of leadership, there are

three common elements that all share, as noted by Nahavandi (2012):

First, leadership is a group phenomenon; there can be no leaders without

followers. As such, leadership always involves interpersonal influence or
persuasion. Second, leadership is goal directed and action oriented; leaders play
an active role in groups and organizations. They use influence to guide others
through a certain course of action or toward the achievement of certain goals.
Third, the presence of leaders assumes some form of hierarchy within a group. In
some cases, the hierarchy is formal and well defined, with the leader at the top; in
other cases, it is informal and flexible. (p. 3)
 7

According to Sample (2002), “The art of leadership, as well as all individual practitioners

of that art, are a work in progress. They are never finished and complete; rather, they are

always evolving, always changing, never static” (p. 10).

An Emerging Style Called

Servant Leadership

While there has been a slow transition from leadership theories focused on traits

of powerful and influential men to theories based on the premise that effective leadership

may be better expressed by characteristics that enhance teamwork, creativity, and

organizational nurturance. Perhaps the natural culmination of this trend is expressed in

an emerging style called servant leadership. Robert Dockson (as quoted in Bennis,

1989a) claimed,

The leader guides people, he doesn’t force them and he always treats them
fairly. . . . Too many people claim that our only responsibility is to our
shareholders. I believe we are responsible to them, but we are also responsible
to our employees, our customers, and the community at large. There is something
wrong with the private enterprise system if it doesn’t recognize its responsibility
to the community. (pp. 139-140)

Max DePree (1989) stated, “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.

The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a

debtor” (p. 11). The measure of a great leader is not in the personal accomplishment of

the leader himself, but in the accomplishments and development of those who follow.

DePree encouraged asking the following questions to determine effective leadership:

 Are the followers reaching their potential?

 Are they learning?
 Are they serving?
 Do they achieve the required results?
 8

 Do they change with grace?

 How do they manage conflict? (p. 12)

Servant leadership and the characteristics of servant leadership are often

associated with nonprofit organizations and organizations with theological goals and

histories. While research and writings on servant leadership have only begun to manifest

in research and academic writings, there are some examples of servant leadership in the

business sector.

Many questions arise about the feasibility of a leader also being a servant,

especially in the ability to seek, learn, and continue to hope. The hope is for something

better, something improved, for growth (Greenleaf, 1977/2002). Greenleaf stated, “A

fresh critical look is being taken at the issues of power and authority; and people are

beginning to learn, however haltingly, to relate to one another in less coercive and more

creatively supporting ways” (p. 23).

A servant leader is a servant first (Greenleaf, 1977/2002). Servant leaders have

the desire to serve before anything else. A servant leader is significantly different from

someone who is a leader first. The difference between the two could possibly be the

desire of the leader first to acquire power and material possessions above the desire to

serve. This comparison of the servant first versus leader first is a comparison of two

extremes.

Being a servant leader is not easy. It often contradicts what the masses preach

and often expect from a traditional leader. Being a servant leader is a leap of faith, but a

servant leader is more likely to persevere through difficult times (Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Servant leadership theory is rooted in moral righteousness. As described, choosing to be

 9

a servant leader often forces the leader to search his or her soul for guidance. According

to Greenleaf, “The forces of good and evil in the world are propelled by the thoughts,

attitudes, and actions of individual beings. The very essence of leadership, going out

ahead to show the way, derives from more than usual openness to inspiration” (p. 28).

The requirements of all forms of leadership impose some intellectual demands

that are not measured by academic intelligence ratings (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009).

The leader needs to have a sense for the unknowable and be able to foresee the

unforeseeable. Leaders know some things and foresee some things that those they are

presuming to lead do not know or foresee as clearly. Greenleaf (1977/2002) stated, “This

is partly what gives leaders their ‘lead,’ what puts them out ahead and qualifies them to

show the way” (p. 35).

A servant leader does not simply demonstrate the characteristics of servant

leadership, but creates an environment for servant leadership characteristics to be present

and to grow. A servant leader will listen first when a problem is discovered (Greenleaf,

1977/2002). The key to powerful communication is first listening. A servant leader

empathizes by always accepting followers, but not having to always accept the

performance or effort of a follower.

A servant leader creates an environment of healing. The meaning of heal is to

make whole. Servant leaders create opportunities for others to become whole, benefiting

from the process as well (Greenleaf, 1977/2002). Allowing for followers to experience

awareness opens the doors to perception, enabling a clear vision of what is available for

sensory experience. Awareness strengthens the effectiveness of a leader.

 10

Greenleaf (1977/2002) asserted, “Leadership by persuasion has the virtue of

change by convincement rather than coercion” (p. 44). In order to create an environment

utilizing persuasion, a servant leader will engage the followers and have a complete

understanding of what motivates them. A servant leader must be able to conceptualize

the vision of the organization. This is done by creating relationships and engaging the

follower to share and embrace the vision as their own (Greenleaf, 1977/2002). An ability

to conceptualize demonstrates an important trait also prevalent in servant leadership—

foresight.

Stewardship in an organization is created through “walking the talk.” Followers

want to be part of something bigger. A servant leader is committed to helping and

serving the followers and, in turn, supports the stewardship efforts of the followers as

well (Spears, 1995, 2005). Commitment to growth of people and building community go

hand in hand. A servant leader will focus efforts on the development of followers

through challenging the followers and supporting the activities for growth and by

building a support team. The support teams continue to challenge and encourage growth,

thus building the community in which they operate (Spears, 1995, 2005).

Problem Statement

Servant leadership is predominantly associated with educational environments,

religious-based organizations, and not-for-profit groups. The literature review in Chapter

II shows a gap between servant leadership and the impact and presence in the for-profit

world. As organizations enter global economies, it has become increasingly important to

effectively match leadership styles to organizational goals. In order to accomplish this,

 11

organizations must be able to clearly identify the current culture and be able to determine

which leadership style best matches the goals of the organization. Because there has

been limited research on servant leadership in the for-profit world, determining if this

leadership style is good for something other than educational, religious, and not-for-profit

groups has been difficult. This study identifies key servant leadership characteristics and

provides examples of how those characteristics materialize and affect the organizational

culture of a for-profit organization.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to determine if the characteristics of servant

leadership, as described by Spears (2005), are evident within the culture of Zappos and

how those characteristics affect organizational culture. In addition, the study sought to

identify in what ways those characteristics are evident, which characteristics are most

prevalent, which characteristics are least prevalent, and in what words and actions they

are evident. Finally, this study identified how Zappos employees extend and share the

corporate culture with customers, coworkers, and the community they serve.

Research Questions

1. Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful servant leadership is conducted at

Zappos?

2. How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of

employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in

which they serve?

 12

3. How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms,

or when he or she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?

Relevance/Significance of the Research Study

The conclusions drawn from this study may result in Zappos being able to

identify which servant leadership characteristics have had the most positive influence on

their organization. The results may also assist in identifying where certain servant

leadership characteristics fall short on the desired impact to the organization. In the

business world, conclusions may result in organizations being able to better understand

how servant leadership builds and impacts a corporate culture and how that culture

affects employees in how they deal not only with each other, but with customers and the

communities in which they serve as well. Finally, from an educational standpoint, the

conclusions drawn will provide more depth in the research of servant leadership

characteristics and the role they play in the business world.

Assumptions

1. The executive leadership team at Zappos actively recognizes and demonstrates servant

leadership characteristics to proactively shape the corporate culture.

2. The employees at Zappos are given opportunities to demonstrate the corporate culture

of Zappos in the community in which they operate and serve.

3. Participants were able to effectively communicate in written form.

4. Participants answered interview questions openly and honestly.

 13

Definitions of Terms

Awareness. A servant leader needs to gain general awareness and especially self-

awareness and has the ability to view situations from a more integrated, holistic position.

The result is a better understanding about ethics and values (Spears, 1995, 2005).

Building community. A servant leader identifies means to build a strong

community within his or her organization and wants to develop a true community among

businesses and institutions (Spears, 1995, 2005).

Commitment to the growth of people. A servant leader is convinced that people

have an intrinsic value beyond their contributions as workers. Therefore, he or she

should nurture the personal, professional, and spiritual growth of employees (Spears,

1995, 2005).

Conceptualization. A servant leader thinks beyond day-to-day realities. That

means he or she has the ability to see beyond the limits of the operating business and also

focuses on long-term operating goals (Spears, 1995, 2005).

Empathy. An attempt to understand and empathize with others. Workers may be

considered not only as employees, but also as people who need respect and appreciation

for their personal development. As a result, leadership is seen as a special type of human

work, which ultimately generates a competitive advantage (Spears, 1995, 2005).

Foresight. Foresight is the ability to foresee the likely outcome of a situation. It

enables the servant leader to learn about the past and to achieve a better understanding

about the current reality. It also enables the servant leader to identify consequences about
 14

the future. This characteristic is closely related to conceptualization (Spears, 1995,

2005).

Healing. A servant leader tries to help people solve their problems and conflicts

in relationships, because he or she wants to encourage and support the personal

development of each individual (Spears, 1995, 2005).

Leadership. Focusing a group or others to accomplish a common goal (Bass,

1990; Bennis, 1989b; DePree, 1989; Drucker, 2008; Katz & Kahn, 1966; Krech &

Crutchfield, 1948; Paglis & Green, 2002).

Listening. The motivation to listen actively to subordinates and support them in

decision identification. The servant leader needs to pay close attention to what remains

unspoken in a management setting. This means relying on an inner voice in order to find

out what the body, mind, and spirit are communicating (Spears, 1995, 2005).

Persuasion. Servant leaders do not take advantage of their power and status by

coercing compliance; rather, they try to convince those they manage (Spears, 1995,

2005).

Servant leadership. The process of leading and achieving results by focusing

and giving priority to the needs of the organization members and customers they serve

(Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Stewardship. CEOs, staffs and trustees have the task to hold their institution in

trust for the greater good of society. In conclusion, servant leadership is seen as an

obligation to help and serve others (Spears, 1995, 2005).

 15

Organization of the Study

This study is organized into five chapters, references, and appendices. Chapter I

provided an introduction and the background of the study. Chapter II presents a review

of the literature related to the study. Chapter III describes the methodology of the study.

Chapter IV provides a synthesis of the analyzed data. Finally, Chapter V includes a

summary of the findings, implications for action, recommendations, and final remarks.

Summary of Chapter I

This chapter briefly summarized the concepts and definitions of leadership and

leadership styles and explained the importance of leadership to organizational success.

Additionally, this chapter defined and described servant leadership and servant leadership

in business (Greenleaf, 2002; Spears, 1995, 2005), followed by a brief description of

organizational culture.
 CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

The purpose of this study was to identify servant leadership characteristics in a

for-profit organization and to identify specific instances, as shared by Zappos employees,

in which these characteristics have been experienced. This literature review includes a

history of early leadership, a variety of leadership styles, and an introduction to

organizational culture, servant leadership, and finally, Zappos. Early leadership dates

back to Sun Tzu, Plato, and Confucius (Low & Ang, 2011; Takala, 1998; Williams,

1998). Theories from this historical time period led into the modern leadership studies

beginning with the studies at the University of Michigan and Ohio State University

(Halpin & Winer, 1957). The development of leadership traits and the categorization of

these traits into leadership styles have defined the methods by which many leaders

operate. Servant leadership has been identified as a specific set of leadership

characteristics with a specific intent (Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Chapter Structure

This chapter provides a background of the literature that introduces leadership

styles, servant leadership, organizational culture, and Zappos. The first section examines

the contributions of Sun Tzu, Plato, and Confucius. The second section defines

leadership. The third section reviews leadership styles, traits, and characteristics,

16
 17

including servant leadership. The fourth section details the differences between servant

leadership and the previously described leadership styles. The fifth section describes

organizational culture. The final section introduces Zappos and its culture.

Leadership Defined

There are many different definitions of leadership developed and supported by

researchers. Some researchers defined leadership by its role in group processes (Krech &

Crutchfield, 1948; Paglis & Green, 2002). For others, the definition of leadership lies

with the ability to influence others (Bass, 1990; Katz & Kahn, 1966).

Bennis (1989a) stated in On Becoming a Leader, “To an extent, leadership is like

beauty; it’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it” (p. 1). When asked about his

definition of leadership, John Sculley (as cited in Bennis, 1989a) stated,

Leadership is often confused with other things, specifically management. But

management requires an entirely different set of skills. Leadership revolves
around vision, ideas, direction, and has more to do with inspiring people as to
direction and goals than with day-to-day implementation. . . . One can’t lead
unless he can leverage more than his own capabilities. . . . You have to be capable
of inspiring people to do things without actually sitting on top of them with a
checklist—which is management, not leadership. (p. 139)

Peter Drucker (1995) stated that “the only definition of leadership is someone

who has followers” (p. 95). In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Maxwell (1998)

defined leadership as “influence, nothing more, nothing less” (p. 11). Yukl (1998) stated

that “most definitions of leadership reflect the assumption that leadership involves a

social influence process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over

other people to structure the activities and relationships in a group or organization” (p. 3).
 18

Early Leadership

Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu’s The Art of War has been described as a manuscript for mastering

leadership (Williams, 1998) and the bible of military strategy (Wong, Maher, & Lee,

1998). The importance to leadership in Tzu’s work lies in the analysis of political,

psychological, strategic, and material factors involved in conflict (Cleary, 1998).

According to Rarick (1996), “The Art of War stresses the importance of a shared sense of

organizational purpose. When all employees embrace the mission of the organization,

the firm gains a competitive advantage” (p. 42). Yeo (2005) stated, “A leader must be

committed to learning, unlearn old habits, relearn new skills, rally their employees to a

shared vision, and restructure organizational systems to promote continuous and

collaborative learning, in order to fully embrace the teachings of Tzu” (p. 27).

According to Michaelson and Michaelson (2003), The Art of War addressed

effective leadership directly:

If a general regards his men as infants, than they will march with him into the
deepest valleys. He treats them as his own beloved sons and they will stand by
him unto death. If, however, a general is indulgent towards his men but cannot
employ them, cherishes them but cannot command them or inflict punishment on
them when they violate the regulations, then they may be compared to spoiled
children, and are useless for any practical purpose. (p. 32)

Cleary (1998), in his translation of The Art of War, identified five leadership constructs

introduced by Tzu: intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and sternness. In

Cleary’s (1998) translation of The Art of War, he noted how trustworthiness and sternness

are closely tied together:

Trustworthiness and sternness are those by which the leadership wins both the
loyalty and obedience of the troops. Trustworthiness and sternness are both
 19

closely connected to a system of punishment and reward. A great deal of

emphasis is placed on the establishment of a clear system of rewards and
punishments accepted by the warriors as fair and impartial. (p. 21)

Plato

The works of Plato have remained a significant influence on Western thought and

theories in academia (Takala, 1998). Plato was the first philosopher to create a

systematic and administrative model for creating an ideal state (polis) with the purpose of

the state being to educate people on becoming “good” (Takala, 1998, p. 787). Plato

argued that the leader has two primary responsibilities. In Plato’s vision, there is no

conflict between person and state, with the state being a moral function in the lives of

people.

For Plato, an ideal state requires four main virtues: prudence, courage,

temperance, and justice (Takala, 1998). The first responsibility of the leader is to

implement education, and the second is the propagation of thoughts. During classical

Greece (400 B.C.), city-state (polis) was closely linked and ruled societal life of the

Greeks. Plato believed that a lack of competent leaders directly led to the uselessness of

existing state. According to Takala (1998), Plato stated, “At their core, the leaders of

existing states did not have any knowledge about the ultimate purposes of the state, nor

did they have moral strength to act according to common good. Their objects are merely

in individual gains and losses and their will to rule” (p. 792).

Many of Plato’s thoughts on leadership connect directly with modern leadership

debates (Takala, 1998): debates on charisma in leadership; symbols and leadership;

leadership as heroic action; debate on the nature of managerial work and especially the
 20

possibility of being a statesman-leader in business; justice in managerial work; in the

field of organizational theory; the organizational equilibrium versus conflict; the

management of meaning; truth-manipulating and totalitarian aspects of leadership.

Confucius

Confucius believed that leaders were “chosen ones” and were morally responsible

to the people. His belief was that human nature was good (Low & Ang, 2011). In order

to return to a state of orderliness and peace, people must return to virtue. By returning to

virtue and benevolence, a leader must take care of the needs of all of his followers and

supporters (Low & Ang, 2011).

Confucius saw leadership as an obligation: “It is not right to withdraw from

public life. One cannot ignore . . . the mutual obligations between prince and subject. . . .

A gentleman has a moral obligation to serve the state, even if he can foresee that the Way

will not prevail” (Leys, 1997, p. 48). The directions Confucius called for were to steer

straight, guide and encourage subordinates, enrich and educate subordinates, and overall

ensure the prosperity of the country.

Leadership Theories, Characteristics, and Styles

A number of studies were completed during the 1950s that introduced the idea

that perhaps leadership style may be more important than the physical, mental, moral, or

behavioral traits of any given leader. Halpin and Winer (1957) asserted, “The two most

famous behavioral leadership studies took place at Ohio State University and the

University of Michigan in the late 1940s and 1950s. These studies sparked hundreds of
 21

other leadership studies and are still widely used” (p. 41). The Ohio State studies

concluded that there are two distinct aspects of leadership that describe how leaders carry

out their role: consideration and initiating structure (Halpin & Winer, 1957). Initiating

structure, sometimes called task-oriented behavior, involves planning, organizing, and

coordinating the work of subordinates. Consideration involves showing concern for

subordinates, being supportive, recognizing subordinates’ accomplishments, and

providing for subordinates’ welfare.

Studies conducted at the University of Michigan during the 1950s found three

critical characteristics of effective leaders (Likert, 1961):

 Task-oriented behavior: Tasks of managers differed from those tasks of their

subordinates. Managers were involved in guiding direct reports in setting challenging,

yet achievable goals.

 Relationship-oriented behavior: Managers who were effective were also focused on

the relationships with their direct reports. This style is often seen as more considerate,

helpful, and supportive to their subordinates.

 Participative leadership: Effective leaders adopt a participative style, managing not

just for the group, but for the individual as well. The manager is responsible for

inclusion of all team members.

Ohio State Studies: Consideration

and Initiating Structure

Due to a lack of satisfactory results from studies in the trait theory of leadership, a

group of researchers from Ohio State University researched the behavioral indicators of
 22

effective leadership (Stogdill, 1950). While many indicators were examined, the two that

were isolated by the Ohio State research group were consideration and initiating

structure. Consideration is the degree to which leaders show concern and respect for

their followers and show appreciation and support (Bass, 1985). Initiating structure is the

process by which leaders define their role and that of their followers, orientation toward

goal attainment, and the establishment of channels of communication (Fleishman, 1973).

For many years, consideration and structure were the dominant constructs in

leadership research (Judge, Piccolo, & Ilies, 2004). Once transformational leadership

theory was introduced, consideration and structure began to come under scrutiny.

Fleishman (1973) argued that the validities for consideration and structure are curvilinear

and that usage results in diminishing returns for the leader. Due to its reliance on

common source data for leadership ratings and criteria, the research was also criticized

(Kerr & Schriesheim, 1974). Additionally, how consideration and structure is measured

has also fallen under scrutiny. Several instruments have been developed, but each has its

own set of concerns. Overall, research on consideration and structure has been criticized

for both methodology and conception (Judge et al., 2004).

Despite the scrutiny that consideration and structure has fallen under, the

constructs are recognized as important factors in modern leadership research (House &

Podsakoff, 1994). From a research standpoint, the Ohio State studies serve as support

and reinforcement for theories that are believed and practiced today (Judge et al., 2004).

These studies served as a foundation for the advancement of other theories of greater

relevance as noted in the following quotes (Judge et al., 2004):

 23

The results show a predominance of low to moderate correlations . . . there is as

yet almost no evidence on the predictive validity of “Consideration” and
“Initiating Structure” (Korman, 1966, p. 360).
Researchers have not been able to establish a consistent link between task
and relationship behaviors and outcomes such as morale, job satisfaction, and
productivity (Northouse, 1997, p. 45).
The results have been weak for most criteria of leadership effectiveness (Yukl,
1998, p. 49).
Overall, the research base on a two-factor conceptualization of leadership
behavior has added little to our knowledge about effective leadership (Yukl &
Van Fleet, 1992, p. 156).
Unfortunately, there was no pattern of leader behavior which was found to
be consistently associated with subordinates’ satisfaction or any criteria of
supervisor or manager effectiveness (House & Aditya, 1997). (pp. 39-40)

University of Michigan: Job-Centered

and Employee-Centered Behavior

Under the leadership of Rensis Likert, the University of Michigan’s Survey

Research Center conducted studies on leadership effectiveness. Utilizing a questionnaire

called “Survey of Organizations,” interviews were conducted to gather research on

leadership styles. The goals of the study were to classify leaders as effective or

ineffective by comparing behaviors of leaders from high-producing units and low-

producing units and to determine the reasons behind effective leadership (Lussier &

Achua, 2010). Researchers identified two styles of leadership behavior, job centered and

employee centered.

Job-centered style has scales measuring two job-oriented behaviors: goal

emphasis and work facilitation. Job-centered behavior refers to the extent to which a

leader takes charge to get the job done (Lussier & Achua, 2010). It is the responsibility

of the leader to guide the followers with clear roles and goals, while a manager provides

specific instruction on what to do and how to do it (Likert, 1961).

 24

Employee-centered style has scales measuring two employee-oriented behaviors:

supportive leadership and interaction facilitation (Likert, 1961). Employee-centered

behavior refers to the extent to which the leader focuses on meeting human needs of the

employees while developing relationships (Lussier & Achua, 2010). An employee-

centered leader is sensitive to the needs of the employee and communicates to develop

trust, support, and respect while looking out for the welfare of the employee.

Lewin

Lewin, Lippit, and White (1939) identified three predominant leadership styles:

authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire. Authoritarian leaders set clear standards and

expectations for their organizations. Decisions are made with little to no input from other

members of the organization. Authoritarian leaders are often seen as dictators, and

creativity is suppressed. Democratic leadership is often referred to as participative.

Democratic leaders often seek input from organization members and participate in group

activities often as a member and not necessarily as a leader. Engagement of organization

members is often higher in companies led by a democratic leader (Bandura, 1977, 1986;

Bass & Riggio, 2006; Lewin et al., 1939). Laissez-faire or delegative leadership offers

very little guidance to organization members. Lewin et al. (1939) conducted research to

answer the following problems:

What underlies such differing patterns of group behavior as rebellion against

authority, persecution of a scapegoat, apathetic submissiveness to authoritarian
domination, or attack upon an out group? How many differences in subgroup
structure, group stratification, and potency of ego-centered and group-centered
goals can be utilized as criteria for predicting the social resultants of different
group atmospheres? Is not democratic group life more pleasant, but
authoritarianism more efficient? (p. 35)
 25

Authoritarian leadership style is characterized by the following: (a) all policy is

determined by the leader; (b) techniques and activity steps are dictated by the authority,

one at a time, so that future steps are always uncertain to a large degree; (c) leaders often

dictate the work tasks of each team member; (d) the leader is personal in praise and

criticism of the work of each member, but remains distant and separated from group

participation with the exception of demonstration; and (e) personality traits are friendly or

impersonal, not openly aggressive or hostile (Lewin et al., 1939).

Democratic leadership style is often referred to as participative leadership.

Characteristics include (a) policy decisions were made by group interaction and

consensus, which was supported by the group leader; (b) vision of activity was

determined in the first interaction; (c) steps toward group goal were discussed and when

needed, the leader provided multiple options for achievement for discussion; (d) group

members were free to select partners, and division of work load was determined by the

group; (e) leader practiced objectivity and was “factual” in individual praise or criticism;

(f) leader remained on equal footing in regard to stature within the group without

becoming a task master (Lewin et al., 1939).

Laissez-faire leadership is often referred to as delegative leadership.

Characteristics of laissez-faire leadership include (a) complete freedom and autonomy for

group and individual members; (b) zero participation from group leadership; (c) support

material provided by leader; (d) participation and support of leader limited to only when

being asked for guidance and participation; (e) leader’s nonparticipation during project

and work-related discussions; (f) minimal feedback on group member performance and
 26

activities; (g) no attempt to participate in any group or project-related events (Lewin et

al., 1939).

Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid

Similar to results from the earlier Michigan studies, Blake and Mouton (1978)

developed a model based on the degree to which a leader was concerned for production

and the degree to which he or she was concerned for people. The resulting Managerial

Grid characterized leaders as exhibiting one of the five different styles of leadership

(Blake & Mouton, 1978):

• Country club management

• Team management
• Organization man management
• Impoverished management
• Authority obedience management. (p. 11)

Blake and Mouton (1979) claimed that team management, with a high concern for

production coupled with a high concern for profitability was more positively correlated

with “success, productivity, and profitability” than any of the other leadership styles (p.

128). Blake and Mouton suggested:

[The grid] provides a framework for understanding the assumptions managers

make as they compete or cooperate with one another. . . . [The grid indicates] the
positive motivations that a manager may strive for and the negative motivations
he seeks to avoid. The consequences of each style in terms of subordinate
reactions to them are examined. Numerous experiments also have shown
significant correlations between Grid styles practiced throughout an organization,
actual productivity achieved, and corporate profitability. (p. 15)

Blake and Mouton (1978) introduced the New Managerial Grid, a tool used to

assist people in recognizing assumptions when working with people. The object of the

tool is to recognize assumptions in an effort for leaders to see themselves and others in an
 27

objective state, communicate more clearly, understand where differences come from,

recognize how to change themselves, and to guide others to rewarding and productive

experiences. In order to understand management, it is important to understand what is

being managed. Since management takes place within an organization, it is important to

understand what an organization is (Blake & Mouton, 1978).

There are several universal characteristics of an organization that are universal

(Blake & Mouton, 1978). First of the universal characteristics is purpose. In many cases,

purpose is difficult to identify, with many instances simply having the purpose of

production. The next universal characteristic is people. There is not an organization in

existence that does not have people. In connecting the two universal characteristics

discussed so far, it is not possible to achieve purpose without people. The next universal

characteristic is power. Some people have power over others, and some are under the

powers of others. Every organization has a power hierarchy (Blake & Mouton, 1978).

The three universal characteristics interact with each other on the grid (Blake &

Mouton, 1978). The grid measures the level of concern in production, level of concern

for people, and finally, level of concern for power—more specifically, how one uses

power to achieve production through people. Concern for production may manifest itself

in organizational development, entering new markets, or heavily investing in research

and development; while concern for people can be revealed by recognition, employee

development, and attempts to ensure the employees like the leaders (Blake & Mouton,

1978).
 28

Concern for production and people are measured on the grid by a nine point scale:

1 represents minimum concern; 5 represents intermediate or maximum concern; and

9 represents maximum concern (Blake & Mouton, 1978). Numbers 2 through 4 and 6

through 8 represent varying degrees of concern. The manner in which these concerns are

linked together by a manager defines the use of power.

There are five theories that are identified on the grid (Blake & Mouton, 1978):

 1,9 Country Club Management: top left corner of grid; thoughtful attention to
needs of people for satisfying relationships leads to a comfortable friendly
organization atmosphere and work tempo; minimum concern for production.
 9,9 Team Management: top right corner; work accomplishment is from
committed people; interdependence through a “common stake” in organization
purpose leads to relationships of trust and respect; production and people
concerns are integrated at a high level.
 5,5 Organization Man Management: middle of grid; adequate organization
performance is possible through balancing the necessity to get out work with
maintaining morale of people at a satisfactory level; “middle of the road
theory.”
 1,1 Impoverished Management: lower left hand of grid; exertion of minimum
effort to get required work done is appropriate to sustain organization
membership; minimum concern for both people and production.
 9,1 Authority-Obedience: lower right corner of grid; efficiency in operations
results from arranging conditions of work in such a way that human elements
interfere to a minimum degree; concentration on maximizing production
through power and authority. (pp. 11-12)

The dominant style of a leader is determined by many conditions. The

organization is often an influence on the type of management style displayed (Blake &

Mouton, 1978). The situation itself may dictate the management style as well. The

values of the leader often dictate the leadership style. Personality and often chance

impact the leadership style also (Blake & Mouton, 1978).

 29

Six Styles of Leadership as Proposed

by Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee

Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee (2002) introduced a theory that conceptualized

the theories of six distinct leadership styles. Under normal circumstances, a strong leader

will demonstrate the characteristics of one or more of the styles and will be able to

effectively transition from one style to the next should the need arise. Four of the styles

create conditions for improved performance: visionary, coaching, affiliative, and

democratic. The remaining two styles are useful in only select situations: pacesetting and

commanding. According to Goleman et al. (2002), “Great leaders move us. They ignite

our passion and inspire the best in us. When we try to explain why they are so effective,

we speak of strategy, vision, or powerful ideas” (p. 3). Typically, the best, most effective

leaders act according to one or more of six distinct approaches to leadership and skillfully

switch between the various styles depending on the situation.

The visionary leader has a positive impact on the emotional climate and culture of

an organization. In this style, the leader is able to articulate the vision of the organization

without telling the members of the organization how to accomplish the goals, which

builds commitment from the organizational members (Goleman et al., 2002). Visionary

leaders are often able to retain employees due to the alignment of the goals of the

organization with those of key organizational members. The most appropriate time for

application of this theory is when an organization is in need of a new vision or a clear

direction.

The coaching leader focuses on the personal development of the team members

rather than on accomplishing tasks. The purpose of the coaching leadership style is to
 30

identify strengths and weaknesses and to connect those to the personal and career goals of

the individual (Goleman et al., 2002). Coaches tend to be good at delegating and will

tolerate short-term failures if it furthers the advancement of the individual. This style

works best with self-motivated individuals who show initiative. Overall, this leadership

style helps individuals develop long-term capabilities.

The affiliative leader tends to value people and their feelings much more than

accomplishing goals, by putting the feelings of the individual first. The goal of the

affiliative leader is to keep individuals happy and to create harmony throughout the team

(Goleman, et al., 2002). This particular style is not strong when driving group

performance but does well when creating employee loyalty and team connectedness.

This style is best executed when the organization is in need of improved organizational

harmony, increased morale, improved communication, or repairing broken trust in an

organization (Goleman et al., 2002).

A democratic leader is open to ideas from organizational members when a

decision to be made is unclear. This style often works well when the organization is in

need of a new vision and guidance on executing the vision (Goleman et al., 2002). This

style also has drawbacks. Democratic leaders may become too dependent on the ideas

and feedback from others and may not be able to come to a consensus on an idea. It is

important that the leader understands who is providing the ideas and feedback, as the

employees might be uninformed, which could lead to disaster (Goleman et al., 2002).

The pacesetting leadership style has value in a leaders’ skill set but should be

used sparingly. It works best during the entrepreneurial phase of an organization when
 31

growth is most important (Goleman et al., 2002). This style is characterized by the

leaders exemplifying excellence and expecting nothing less from organizational

members. This style can be overused and can lead to team members feeling as though

they are being pushed too hard, leading to burn out.

The commanding leadership style often soothes fears in a time of emergency but

can have a negative impact on an organization by being misused and poorly executed.

The style usually works well with an employee in need of corrective behavior or when an

organization is in need of a turnaround (Goleman et al., 2002). This style, when

compared to the other five, is often the least effective. This style is often deployed in

organizations with military-style hierarchy structures.

Theory X and Theory Y

McGregor (1960) classified motivation of employees into two categories: Theory

X and Theory Y. The foundation of the theories focus on the perception of the

management, not the actions of the employees. McGregor believed the successful

management of people relies heavily on the ability to predict and control the behaviors of

employees. McGregor recognized that the success of an organization relies not upon the

ability of the employee but upon the ability of management to harness the full potential of

the employee.

Theory X states that employees inherently dislike work and must be coerced and

manipulated into completing necessary job duties (McGregor, 1960). Because of this

behavior, management must micromanage and institute tight control over systems of
 32

management. According to the theory, employees must be heavily incentivized to get

positive results and, if possible, they will avoid responsibility.

McGregor (1960) theorized that employees prefer to be directed, controlled, and

overall lack ambition. Because of this, managers who believe Theory X tend to limit the

amount of responsibility of an employee and often limit the growth potential of the

individual. Osgood (1981) stated that management who embrace Theory X view

employees as “time, energy, and interest to be purchased” (p. 224). McGregor (1960)

pointed out that in rare cases Theory X might work, but for the most part, the application

is counterproductive to the individual, the management, and the organization.

Theory Y is the polar opposite to Theory X (McGregor, 1960). Theory Y

assumes that employees are self-motivated and exercise self-control. Employees have

immense capabilities, but are often underutilized by the organization. Under ideal

circumstances, employees will seek responsibility and exercise self-control in an effort to

accomplish the goals of the organization. In his own words, McGregor stated, “The

expenditure of physical and mental effort is as natural as play or rest” (p. 47).

Theory Y management practitioners believe that even without the threat of

punishment, employees will strive for excellence in achievement to meet goals that they

believe in (McGregor, 1960). This belief is connected to the theory that employees will

naturally seek responsibility and exercise self-control. The achievement of goals is a

self-fulfilling action, more so than that of the organization. McGregor noted this by

stating, “Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their

 33

achievement” (p. 47). Through the achievement of personal goals, achievement of

organizational goals is often met indirectly.

In contrast to Theory X, Theory Y practitioners believe that bad habits, such as

the avoidance of responsibility, are direct results of a poor work environment and are

therefore taught to the employee (McGregor, 1960). McGregor supported this by stating,

“The average human being learns under proper conditions, not only to accept, but to seek

responsibility. Avoidance of responsibility, lack of ambition, and emphasis on security

are generally consequences of experience, not inherent human characteristics” (p. 48).

Overall, McGregor believed employees will ultimately find success when management

changes the perception into a positive one.

Leadership Traits Theory

Leadership traits are defined as a series of personal characteristics that lead to

effective leadership throughout an organization (Zaccaro et al., 2004). Leadership trait

theory developed through research designed to discover the attributes that separate

leaders from nonleaders. According to Galton (1869), many scholars believe leadership

traits cannot be developed and are only possessed by a select group. Understanding the

traits and behaviors of effective leaders allows organizations to successfully select and

develop leaders (DeRue, Nahrgang, Wellman, & Humphrey, 2011). Bass (1990) stated

that the following nine behaviors are the most effective at driving employee commitment:

 Inspires and motivates others

 Drives for results

 Provides a strategic perspective

 34

 Collaborates

 Walks the talk

 Trusts

 Develops and supports others

 Builds relationships

Early 20th-century research sought to determine the traits and characteristics that

make leaders great (Zaccaro et al., 2004). Initial beliefs were that leaders in possession

of these traits were born with them and they could not be developed. During this time,

research focused on the identification of the specific traits that clearly separated the

leaders from the followers (Bass, 1990; Jago, 1982). Leadership traits theory has evolved

and sparked the interest of current researchers in the charismatic and visionary leadership

arenas (Bass, 1990; Bennis & Nanus, 1985; Nadler & Tushman, 1989; Zaccaro, 2007;

Zaleznik, 1977).

Additional research by Stogdill (1948) suggests there is no difference in traits

among leaders and followers throughout a continuum of situations. Individuals who

demonstrate leadership characteristics in one setting may not demonstrate leadership

characteristics in a different situation. Instead, the situation often determines how an

individual reacts and is dependent upon the relationship of the group (Zaccaro et al.,

2004).

Leadership traits theory continued to expand as Stogdill (1948, 1974) completed

research using two different surveys. The first survey analyzed more than 124 trait

studies conducted between 1904 and 1947, while the second survey analyzed an
 35

additional 163 studies completed between 1948 and 1970. The first survey identified

eight traits: intelligence, alertness, insight, responsibility, initiative, persistence, self-

confidence, and sociability (Stogdill, 1948; Zaccaro et al., 2004). Further research

revealed that possession of the aforementioned traits were not enough to be classified as a

leader, but rather the traits possessed must be relevant to the situation (Zaccaro et al.,

2004).

The second survey results were compared to the first survey results and published

in 1974 (Stogdill, 1974). Results of the second survey revealed the importance and

correlation of both personality traits and the situational factors in determining leadership

(Stogdill, 1974; Zaccaro et al., 2004). The second survey also revealed 10 leadership

characteristics that were positively associated with leadership (Stogdill, 1974; Zaccaro et

al., 2004):

1. Drive for responsibility and task completion

2. Vigor and persistence in pursuit of goals

3. Risk taking and originality in problem solving

4. Drive to exercise initiative in social situations

5. Self-confidence and sense of personal identity

6. Willingness to accept consequences of decision and action

7. Readiness to absorb interpersonal stress

8. Willingness to tolerate frustration and delay

9. Ability to influence other people’s behavior

10. Capacity to structure social interaction systems to the purpose at hand

 36

Level Five Leadership

Level five leadership is a phrase introduced by Collins (2001) to describe the type

of leadership discovered when his team researched organizations, which were evaluated

in his work, Good to Great. This type of leadership is defined by leaders who “channel

their ego away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. It’s

not that Level Five leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly

ambitious—but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves” (p.

21). The five levels of leadership expressed by Collins are the following:

 Level 5: Level 5 Executive: Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical

blend of personal humility and professional will.
 Level 4: Effective Leader: Catalyzes commitment to a vigorous pursuit of a
clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards.
 Level 3: Competent Manager: Organizes people and resources toward the
effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.
 Level 2: Contributing Team Member: Contributes individual capabilities to the
achievement of group objectives and works effectively with others in a group
setting.
 Level 1: Highly Capable Individual: Makes productive contributions through
talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits. (p. 20)

Leadership plays an important role in the success of all organizations. Of the companies

included as subjects in Good to Great, all displayed characteristics of level five

leadership during critical transitional years (Collins, 2001).

Situational Leadership Theory

Situational leadership theory was introduced by Hersey and Blanchard in 1972.

The focus of this theory is the behavior of the leader and the reaction of the followers.

The results of the interaction determine the effectiveness of the leader. Situational
 37

leadership theorists believe no one style is best and effective leaders must be able to

adapt to the specific needs of constantly changing situations.

Hersey and Blanchard (1972) stated that all situational elements have significant

influence and impact on the behavior of a leader. They claimed, “Situational Leadership

is based on an interplay among (1) the amount of guidance and direction (task behavior) a

leader gives, (2) the amount of socio-emotional support (relationship behavior) a leader

provides, and (3) the readiness level that followers exhibit in performing a specific task,

function or objective” (p. 170). Relationships between leader and follower should

consider not just the superior/subordinate relationship, but all organizational

relationships, including superiors, subordinates, and coworkers.

Hersey and Blanchard (1972) categorized leadership behaviors into four areas:

telling, selling, participating, and delegating. The four leadership styles were developed

to match the readiness and development levels of followers. The purpose of these levels

and the matching developmental levels of followers is to determine the level of focus the

leader should put into task and relationship development with the followers.

Telling stage is where the leader seeks to identify the reasons the follower is not

motivated and determine if a skill deficiency exists (Hersey & Blanchard, 1972). In this

stage, the leader is highly directive in focusing on the task, with little regard to the

relationship. To ensure success at this stage, the leader must clearly state requirements to

the follower. At this stage, the leader is committed to task completion, and the follower

often demonstrates low competence.

 38

Selling stage is often referred to as the coaching stage and is the stage in which

the leader demonstrates a listening skill (Hersey & Blanchard, 1972). Oftentimes the

follower possesses false confidence in his or her ability to perform; and rather than risk

resistance, the leader seeks to provide recommendations for improvement. The follower

often has motivation but lacks the necessary skill set to perform, while the leader remains

focused highly on both the task and the relationship.

Participating stage often requires the leader to discover roadblocks to cooperation

and commitment in the follower (Hersey & Blanchard, 1972). Skills demonstrated by the

leader include listening and complimenting the follower. At this stage the leader is

highly focused on the relationship, with minimum focus on the task. The follower has

the necessary skills for success but often suffers from lack of commitment and insecurity.

Delegating stage usually requires the least amount of involvement from the leader

(Hersey & Blanchard, 1972). The follower has the skill set and motivation to perform

and no longer requires frequent guidance and expects minimal recognition. Leaders

remain relatively low on both task and relationship focus.

Functional Leadership Theory

According to McGrath (1962), functional leadership theory suggests that the

leadership role is “to do, or get done, whatever is not being adequately handled for

group needs” (p. 5). The role of a leader in functional leadership theory is of support—

someone who can be all things in situations of need (Morgeson, Lindoerfer, & Loring,

2009). Functional leadership theory shares similar fundamental beliefs in situational

 39

leadership, in that multiple leaders can emerge depending upon the situation (Hackman,

2005; Hackman & Walton, 1986; McGrath, 1962).

Leadership functions have been identified and placed into two categories:

transitional and action (Morgeson et al., 2009). The transition phase of this theory

focuses on team performance within the function of leadership. The focus during this

phase consists of structuring the team, planning work, and evaluating the performance of

the team (Marks, Mathieu, & Zaccaro, 2001). Primary focus during this phase is not

necessarily task focused, but rather establishing and developing the structure of the team.

Morgeson et al. (2009) listed the following functions during this phase:

 Compose team

 Define mission

 Establish expectations and goals

 Develop structure and plan

 Train and develop team

 Ensure sense making

 Provide feedback

The action phase of functional leadership theory is the effort that is put forth in

accomplishing the team goals (Marks et al., 2001). Important functions include

monitoring team progress and performance (Morgeson et al., 2009). Functions during

this phase consist of the following:

 Monitor team

 Manage team boundaries

 40

 Challenge team

 Perform team task

 Solve problems

 Provide resources

 Encourage team self-management

 Support social climate

Formation-Processing
Leadership Theory

Leadership perceptions can be based on two alternative processes, as identified by

Lord and Maher (1991). Inference-based perceptual process can be used to develop

conclusions regarding leadership based on observed events and outcomes. These

processes rely on attribution of success to leadership (Den Hartog, House, Hanges, Ruiz-

Quintanilla, & Dorfman, 1999). Recognition-based perceptual processes rely upon the

degree of fit of observed leader behavior and the implicit theory of what a leader should

be (Lord & Maher, 1991).

Self-Leadership Theory

Self-leadership is a leadership theory with foundational roots in self-management,

which itself is branched off of self-control theory (Cautela, 1969; Manz, 1983, 1986;

Manz & Sims, 1980). Self-leadership is a process in which individuals control their own

behavior, influencing and leading themselves through application of specific cognitive

and behavioral strategies designed to influence personal effectiveness (Manz, 1986;

Manz & Neck, 2004). Strategies are categorized into behavior focused, natural reward,
 41

and constructive thought (Manz & Neck, 2004; Manz & Sims, 1980; Prussia, Anderson,

& Manz, 1998).

The purpose of behavior-focused strategies is to increase the level of self-

awareness in order to execute behavioral management, specifically the management of

behaviors associated with necessary yet unpleasant tasks (Manz & Neck, 2004).

Strategies include self-observation, self-goal setting, self-reward, self-punishment, and

self-cueing. Natural reward strategies are designed to create situations in which the

person is rewarded or motivated by the task or activity itself (Manz & Neck, 2004; Manz

& Sims, 1980). There are two primary strategies. The first requires building rewarding

features into the task so the task itself becomes organically more rewarding. The second

consists of altering the perceptions by removing focus from unpleasant and unrewarding

tasks and diverting attention to the pleasant tasks (Manz & Neck, 2004; Manz & Sims,

1980). Constructive thought pattern strategies intend to create constructive thought

patterns and habitual ways of thinking, potentially leading to a positive impact on

performance (Manz & Neck, 2004; Neck & Manz, 1992). Strategies include positive

self-talk, removal of harmful thoughts and perceptions, and mental imagery.

Transactional Leadership Theory

Transactional leadership utilizes a system of rewards and punishment when

dealing with followers. Structure is fundamental to transitional leadership, and leaders

who practice this style tend to be passive since the rewards and punishment for

compliance or noncompliance are known. This leadership style is reactive, and leaders

appeal to the self-interest of the followers for compliance (Hackman & Johnson, 2009).
 42

Transactional leadership, in its purest form, addresses the basic levels of need

satisfaction. This style was introduced by Maslow in 1943 and further developed by Max

Weber in 1947 (Bass, 1985). Leaders practicing transactional leadership make minimal

efforts to develop followers and generate innovative ideas (Bass, 1985; Hackman &

Johnson, 2009).

Transactional leadership theory is based on the concept of rewarding actions of

followers based on desired performance of leaders (Bass, 1985; Burns, 1978). In an ideal

state, the needs of the follower are met by performing to the standard set by the leader

(Bass, 1985). Burns (1978) described this process as an exchange for services between

the leader and the follower. Burns described the role of the leader in the work life of the

follower as being “responsible for the necessary resources for effective performance, the

exchange of rewards for desired performance, and recognition of followers’ self-interest

upon completion of work” (p. 11).

This leadership theory is often associated with laissez-faire leadership (Bass &

Avolio, 1994; Lewin et al., 1939). Transactional leadership builds upon laissez-faire

leadership and is addressed in exchange approaches to leadership in theories such as

path-goal (House, 1977). Contingent reward consists of leaders negotiating with

followers in exchange for desired performance and management by exception; passive is

described as a leader only taking action when a follower fails to perform to expectations

(Bass & Avolio, 1994).

 43

Transformational Leadership Theory

Transformational leadership was first introduced by Downton (1973) and is

described as a style in which leaders and followers interact in a manner leading to

increased motivation levels and morality. Transformational leadership, as described by

Burns (1978), strives to “convert self-interest into collective concerns” (p. 19).

Transformational leadership is described as a relationship where both the followers and

the leaders elevate each other for the purpose of making all of their lives better.

Transformational leadership theory is described by Burns (1978) as leaders and

followers helping each other to reach higher levels of morale and motivation. This theory

was first used by Burns to describe political leaders. Transformational leadership is

“thinking outside the box” and often brings fresh ideas to the organization. Bringing

change to the organization is done through the traits and behaviors of the leaders, and not

the self-interests of the followers (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Bass (1985) further developed

the work of Burns (1978) by explaining the psychological mechanisms of

transformational leadership. Further development by Bass (1985) includes measurement

of transformational leadership and how transactional leadership impacts the motivation

and performance of followers. Bass (1985) theorizes the need for leaders to operate at

higher need and value levels of their followers. Characteristics of transformational

leaders include the following (Tichy & DeVanna, 1986):

 Identify themselves as change agents

 Courageous
 Belief in people
 Value driven
 Lifelong learners
 44

 Deal with complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty

 Visionaries. (p. 28)

Burns (1978) added that transformational leaders possess strong values, and these

values often lead to transforming forces. Transformational leadership also has the

potential to motivate followers. Bass (1990) described a transformational leader as

someone who can “motivate others to do more than they originally intended and often

even more that they thought possible. They set more challenging expectations and

typically achieve higher performance” (pp. 24-25).

Servant Leadership

A servant leader, as defined in the literature, is a person who has an innate desire

to lead by serving, serves out of alignment to one’s own beliefs, and strives to meet the

highest priorities of others (Farling, Stone & Winston, 1999; Greenleaf, 1977/2002;

Russell & Stone, 2002; Sendjaya & Sarros, 2002; Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears &

Lawrence, 2004).

Servant leadership is a theory introduced by Robert Greenleaf (1977/2002) and

was developed during his tenure at AT&T. With a background in organizational

management, upon retiring from AT&T, Greenleaf consulted for various industries. In

1964, Greenleaf founded the Center for Applied Ethics, which became the Robert K.

Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership in 1985. The foundation of servant leadership is

rooted in Greenleaf’s observations during his 40 years at AT&T and while consulting for

various other large organizations and in the novel, Journey to the East (Hesse, 1956;

Greenleaf, 1977/2002).
 45

Greenleaf (1977/2002) introduced the concept of servant leadership by defining

the characteristics of a servant leader and not necessarily servant leadership itself.

Greenleaf described a servant leader:

 A servant first; someone wanting feeling compelled to serve.

 Someone who puts the needs of followers above all else.

 Success is defined as ensuring followers become wiser, healthier, autonomous, and

eventually becoming servant leaders themselves.

 A servant can only become a leader if a leader remains a servant.

It was in Journey to the East that Greenleaf (1977) was struck by the character

Leo. The following excerpt describes Leo’s role within the group:

Leo accompanies the group as the servant who does their menial chores, but who
also sustains them with his spirit and song. He is a person of extraordinary
presence. All goes well until Leo disappears. Then the group falls into disarray
and the journey is abandoned. They cannot make it without the servant Leo. The
narrator, one of the party, after some years of wandering finds Leo and is taken
into the Order that had sponsored the journey. There he discovers that Leo, whom
he had first known as a servant, was in fact the titular head of the Order, its
guiding spirit, a great and noble leader. (p. 27)

It is here that Greenleaf (1977/2002) recognized the contradiction that is servant

leadership and recognized that the greatness in Leo as a leader was attributed to him

being a servant first and a leader second. In addition, Greenleaf pointed out that the

ultimate goal of the servant leader extends beyond service to the organization and lies

ultimately with the desire to develop the leadership of followers.

Larry Spears championed the work of Greenleaf in his role as CEO of the Robert

K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership from 1990-2007. During his time as CEO,
 46

Spears studied the works of Greenleaf and identified the 10 principles of servant

leadership (Spears, 1995, 2005):

Listening in servant leadership is important because the servant leader relies

heavily upon honest and open communication with followers (Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Strong communication begins with first being a strong listener. Greenleaf quoted an

Italian proverb: “From listening comes wisdom, from speaking comes repentance” (p.

313). Purposeful listening demonstrates intent and desire to understand what is being

communicated.

Listening is a skill developed through motivation. A servant leader is motivated

not just to hear, but to understand and feel the message the follower is attempting to

communicate (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). Listening to oneself is as

important as listening to others, as one’s inner voice will often connect feelings of the

mind and spirit. According to Smith, Montagno, and Kuzmenko (2004), “Servant

leadership stresses a leader’s concern for the followers’ well-being reflective in receptive

non-judgmental listening and willingness to learn from others” (p. 85). Within the

organization, a servant leader is constantly listening, seeking, and observing ways to

accomplish shared organizational objectives (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence,

2004).

Empathy is described by Greenleaf (1977/2002) as “the imaginative projection of

one’s own consciousness into another being” (p. 33). The role of the servant leader is to

always accept and empathize and never reject. Empathy in servant leadership is about

seeking to understand the followers and under no circumstances rejecting them.

 47

Empathy in servant leadership is a path to understanding the perspective of the

follower (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). This characteristic is reflective

of the importance of personal development of followers in servant leadership. Goleman

et al. (2002) described empathy as “the ability to sense the feelings, needs, and

perspectives of others” (p. 65). Empathy allows a leader to care for the whole person, not

just the person as they exercise their responsibilities within an organization.

Healing is defined as “to make whole” (Greenleaf, 1977/2002, p. 50). In servant

leadership, healing is a process in which a leader seeks to “make whole” the followers,

while at the same time making themselves whole as well. In general, healing and the

journey to wholeness is a process that is shared between both leader and follower.

Healing is a fundamental foundation of developing an organizational culture of

servant leadership (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). In a transformational

situation, healing often brings together the leader and the follower. The importance of

healing in servant leadership was noted by Greenleaf (1977/2002): “There is something

subtle communicated to one who is being served and led if, implicit in the compact

between servant-leader and led, is the understanding that the search for wholeness is

something they share” (p. 50).

Awareness in servant leadership enables the leader to absorb all that is available

within the environment in the form of sensory perception (Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Awareness strengthens the effectiveness of a leader through more alertness than usual,

more intense contact with the situation, and more stored away in the unconscious.

Greenleaf stated, “The opening of awareness stocks both the conscious and unconscious
 48

minds with richness of resources for future need” (p. 41). In addition, awareness allows

for leaders to detach themselves from the situation and see themselves within the context

of their own experience.

Awareness is a characteristic specific to the leader, more commonly referred to as

self-awareness (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). The perspective of the

leader is much broader in regard to the holistic view of situations. The fear with

awareness is the unknown—what might be discovered. A benefit of awareness is the

way in which it aids the leader in understanding issues involving ethics and values.

Being able to manage emotions as a leader, specifically as a servant leader, is not

possible without awareness (Goleman et al., 2002).

Persuasion is the practice of convincing followers rather than abusing power and

coercing followers (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). This characteristic,

more so than all of the others, differentiates servant leadership from traditional and

authoritarian leadership styles. A servant leader is effective at creating consensus among

groups by exercising persuasion. The emphasis of persuasion is likely due to the religion

known as the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), which Greenleaf most closely

aligned himself with (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004).

Persuasion is linked closely to relationship management and connected to self-

awareness and self-management (Goleman et al., 2002). Persuasion is the careful art of

handling the emotions of followers. Exercising persuasion in servant leadership is about

finding common ground among the followers and building rapport within the group.
 49

Conceptualization in servant leadership is being able to see the holistic view of

the situation and beyond the day-to-day activities within an organization (Spears, 1995,

2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). The focus of the servant leader becomes the long-term

organizational goals and less on the day-to-day transactions of the organization.

Conceptualization manifests itself as the servant leader sets specific goals and

implementation strategies based on personal vision (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears &

Lawrence, 2004). Servant leaders seek to nurture their abilities to “dream big dreams”

(Spears, 1995, p. 4). This characteristic requires the leader to have discipline and is

developed through practice. Within organizations, conceptualization is primarily the

responsibilities of boards of trustees and directors.

Foresight is described by Greenleaf (1977/2002) as being able to “foresee the

unseeable [and] sense the unknowable” (p. 35). These intellectual capabilities are not

measurable by traditional academic intelligence ratings. Additionally, Greenleaf

described foresight as a “wholly rational process, the product of a constantly running

internal computer that deals with intersecting series and random inputs and is vastly more

complicated than anything technology has yet produced” (p. 39).

Foresight is closely related to conceptualization (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears &

Lawrence, 2004). It is difficult to describe in words but is easily identifiable. In an ideal

situation, foresight allows a servant leader to understand and reflect upon lessons of the

past, realities of the present, and possible outcomes of future decisions (Spears, 2005). It

can be argued that this servant leadership characteristic is something born into the leader,

while all others can be developed (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004).
 50

Stewardship was defined by Block (1993) as holding something in trust for

another. Greenleaf (1977/2002) viewed organizations as being held responsible for the

greater good of society by all members of the organization. Stewardship, like servant

leadership, assumes a commitment to meeting the needs of others (Spears, 1995, 2005;

Spears & Lawrence, 2004).

Commitment to growth in servant leadership is the belief that followers hold much

more value beyond their contributions to the company in an organizational setting

(Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). Servant leaders are committed to the

growth of each member of the organization. Recognizing this responsibility, the servant

leader is committed to nurturing the personal, professional, and spiritual growth of their

followers (Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004).

Building community is the commitment in servant leadership to identifying the

means of building a strong community within the organization and strengthening the

relationship between the organization and community the organization serves (Spears,

1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004). Greenleaf (1977/2002) said of building

community:

All that is needed to rebuild community as a viable life form for large numbers of
people is for enough servant-leaders to show the way, not by mass movements,
but by each servant-leader demonstrating his own unlimited liability for a quite
specific community-related group. (p. 53)

Spears (1995) described the transition from traditional leadership theories toward

servant leadership in his work Reflections on Leadership:

We are beginning to see that traditional autocratic and hierarchical modes of

leadership are slowly yielding to a newer model—one that attempts to
simultaneously enhance personal growth of workers and improve the quality and
 51

caring of our many institutions through a combination of teamwork and

community, personal involvement in decision making, and ethical and caring
behavior. This emerging approach to leadership and service is called servant-
leadership. (p. 2)

Servant leadership has been described as both transforming and transactional and

is considered valuable when attempting to create both a moral and ethical organizational

culture that can moderate relationships ‘‘between an individual’s moral reasoning level

and ethical/unethical behavior’’ (Brown & Trevino, 2006, p. 601). As a servant leader,

the ultimate goal is to guide followers into roles as servant leaders themselves,

anticipating they will reciprocate and develop followers in the same manner (Greenleaf,

1977/2002). Graham (1995) argued that servant leadership encourages followers’

development so that they can function with enhanced moral reasoning and ‘‘become

autonomous moral agent[s]’’ (p. 1).

How Servant Leadership Differs From

Other Leadership Theories

Servant leadership shares commonalities with the theories discussed, but also

differs from them. The leadership traits listed all connect directly with the servant

leadership characteristics; the only real difference is semantics. The difference between

servant leadership and contingency and situational leadership is that in servant

leadership, the characteristics of the leader do not change based on the situation. The

core characteristics of servant leadership remain in all situations (Greenleaf, 1977/2002;

Hersey & Blanchard, 1972; Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004).

The most significant difference between functional leadership and servant

leadership is that a servant leader has a defined role; it is that of a leader. While tasks
 52

may transition between leader and follower, there is never a question of the role of the

servant leader. The overall needs of the group or organization may by met through many

different roles, all being supported by the servant leader (Fleishman et al., 1991;

Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Hackman & Wageman, 2005; Spears, 1995, 2005; Zaccaro,

2001).

Servant leadership differs from information processing theory in that perceptions

are not important to servant leaders. There is transparency as a servant leader, and the

actions of the servant leader directly influence the perceptions of the followers. There is

not a conscious decision or effort to influence or analyze perception, only action to create

a culture of servant leadership (Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Lord & Maher, 1991; Spears,

1995, 2005).

Servant leadership shares the characteristics of self-leadership but expands upon

development by demonstrating an expanded list of characteristics. It is possible to

practice self-leadership and not be a servant leader, but it is not possible to be a servant

leader and not practice self-leadership (Bandura, 1977, 1986; Greenleaf, 1977/2002;

Kraft, 1998; Prussia et al., 1998; Satterfield & Davidson, 2000; Schunk, 2001; Spears,

1995, 2005; Yun, Cox, & Sims, 2006).

There is a significant difference in servant leadership and transactional leadership.

Transactional leadership is focused on the action of the followers and is controlled by a

system of rewards and punishment. Servant leadership utilizes persuasion to encourage

and a commitment to the growth of people to obtain the desired organizational goals

(Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Hackman & Johnson, 2009; Spears, 1995, 2005).

 53

Transformational leadership and servant leadership share many of the same

characteristics, and there are very few differences in leadership characteristics between

the two. Servant leadership and transformational leadership are often confused with each

other. The only difference is that transformational leadership is often focused on an

organizational change, while servant leadership is a culture (Bass & Riggio, 2006; Burns,

1978; Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Spears, 1995, 2005).

According to Day (2001), leadership is more than just a skill set of an individual;

it is a process in which the social interactions of a group are defined and categorized as

leader and follower. Day distinguished between “leader development” as the

development of skills for an individual and “leadership development” as the social

setting in which leadership takes place. Organizations are acknowledging the importance

of leadership, as evident by their increasing efforts and focus directly on leadership

development (McCall, 1998; Vicere & Fulmer, 1998). As the development of leaders

becomes more focused and direct, specific leadership styles will be sought after and

developed to match the needs of an organization. Figure 1 shows a harmony table

referencing specific leadership styles with servant leadership characteristics.

Organizational Culture

Responsible leaders owe it to their organization to identify, develop, and nurture

future leaders (DePree, 1989). Leaders are responsible for developing an organizational

culture which is open to change and contrarian thoughts. Leaders owe a covenant to the

organization, which is, after all, a group of people. Leaders owe the organization a new
 54

Commitment
Building to Growth of
Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Community People
Style
Visionary x x x x x
Coaching x x x x x x
Affiliative x x x x x x
Democratic x x x
Pacesetting x
Commanding x x x
Theory X x
Theory Y x x x
Leadership Traits x x x x x x x x x
Level Five x x x x x x
Situational x x
Functional x x x
Info-Processing x
Self-Leadership
Transactional
Transformational x x x x x x x x

Figure 1. Harmony table comparing servant leadership characteristics to characteristics of other

leadership styles.

reference point for what caring, purposeful, committed people can be in the institutional

setting. The actions of the organization members are a direct reflection of the vision the

leader creates for the organization.

Organizational culture is often viewed as the most important aspect and influence

on knowledge management for an organization, despite the fact it is often unwritten and

intangible (Davenport & Prusak, 1998; Lee & Choi, 2003). Organizational culture is

often the reason for ineffectiveness with an organization. Barriers leading to

ineffectiveness include fear of failure, resistance to input from others, resistance to

change, and resistance to inclusion and acceptance of ideas from others (Hansen &

Nohria, 2004). The most common positive trait of a strong organizational culture is trust

(Davenport & Prusak, 1998; Lee & Choi, 2003; Renzl, 2008; Ribiere & Tuggle, 2005).
 55

Schein (2001) described organizational culture as a pattern of basic beliefs and

assumptions learned and shared by a group that is taught to new members as the accepted

way to perceive, think, and feel when interacting with other members of the group. The

culture of an organization reflects the norms, morals, and beliefs of an organization.

More often than not, the leadership style and beliefs of a leader or group of leaders will

reflect in the culture of an organization.

Zappos

Zappos is an ecommerce organization specializing in online shoe and apparel

sales. Through the growth of sales and exposure of its organizational culture, Zappos has

grown to include Zappos Insights, a division of Zappos specializing in organizational

development and culture. Zappos was selected for this study because of its documented

success in creating a positive organizational culture and work environment, as

demonstrated and noted in their multiple selections as a top 100 organization to work for

(“100 Best Companies to Work For,” 2009).

The idea behind zappos.com was developed in 1999 during the Internet bubble,

by Nick Swinmurn, a Bay Area entrepreneur, after he was not able to find a pair of

Airwalk tennis shoes at his local mall (Jacobs, 2009). That same year, Swinmurn

approached Tony Hsieh and Alfred Lin about venture capital investment through their

firm, Venture Frogs. Initially unimpressed with the pitch, Hsieh was going to delete the

voice mail until Swinmurn mentioned retail footwear being a $40 billion industry, with

5% already being handled through mail order catalog service. Hsieh and Lin decided to
 56

invest $500,000 in the site and in June 1999, officially launched web domain

shoesite.com (Young, 2009).

Shortly after the launch of shoesite.com, the domain was changed to zappos.com.

Zappos is a play on the Spanish word zapatos, meaning “shoes.” This strategy was

adopted to avoid pigeonholing the site into only being able to sell shoes (Young, 2009).

In January 2000, Venture Frog invested additional capital into Zappos, and Hsieh joined

the organization full time as co-CEO with Swinmurn.

While 1999 saw minimal success for Zappos, 2000 saw revenue increase to $1.6

million. A year later, as noted on the Zappos.com website, revenues topped $8.6 million,

which prompted Zappos in 2002 to open its own order fulfillment center in Shepardsville,

Kentucky. During this growth period, Hsieh and Zappos executives set the long-term

organizational goals of achieving $1 billion in annual sales and inclusion on Fortune’s list

of The Best Companies to Work For (Nie & Lennox, 2011).

In 2003, Zappos achieved $70 million in sales and changed its business model

from a drop-shipment model, which accounted for 25% of their business. Moving from a

drop-ship model to the current direct-to-consumer distribution model allowed Zappos to

control the entire supply chain process, providing Zappos with complete control and

visibility from the first interaction with the customer through to the final delivery. This

was decided because Zappos executives wanted complete control of the customer service

experience.

In 2004, Zappos moved their corporate headquarters from San Francisco,

California, to Henderson, Nevada. It was also during this year that Zappos received its
 57

first round of venture capital, $35 million from Sequoia Capital (Marshal, 2004). In

2004, Zappos achieved $184 million in sales. By 2007, revenue had grown to $870

million, and the merchandise line now included handbags, eyewear, watches, clothing,

and kids’ merchandise (McDonald, 2006).

In 2008, Zappos achieved its long-term goal of hitting $1 billion in sales and

debuting at number 23 on Fortune’s The Best Companies to Work For (Mitchell, 2008).

In 2008, Zappos launched Zappos Insights, which aims to help other businesspeople

refine their company culture and customer service. For $40/month, participants are

offered access to a subscription video service that lets companies ask questions to Zappos

employees. Zappos Insights also offers a two-day bootcamp where participants visit the

headquarters and have meetings with Zappos executives (Morrisey, 2008; Palmeri, 2009).

On July 22, 2009, Amazon.com announced the acquisition of Zappos.com in a

deal valued at approximately $1.2 billion. Tony Hsieh, one of the original founders of

Zappos, is said to have made at least $214 million from the sale, not including money

made through his former investment firm, Venture Frogs (Jacobs, 2009). As reported in

the New York Times, Hsieh released Delivering Happiness in 2010, a book about his

entrepreneurial endeavors.

On the Zappos website, there is a list of the 10 core values that define its culture,

brand, and business strategy:

Deliver WOW Through Service:

To WOW, you must differentiate yourself, which means doing something a little
unconventional and innovative. You must do something that is above and beyond
what is expected. And whatever you do, you must have an emotional impact on
the receiver. We are not an average company, our service is not average, and we
don’t want our people to be average.
 58

Embrace and Drive Change:

If you are not prepared to deal with constant change, then you are probably not a
good fit for the company. We must all learn not only to not fear change, but to
embrace it enthusiastically, and perhaps more importantly, to encourage and drive
it.
Create Fun and A Little Weirdness:
One of the things that makes Zappos different from other companies is that we
value being fun and a little weird. We don’t want to become one of those big
companies that feels corporate and boring. We want to be able to laugh at
ourselves. We look for both fun and humor in our daily work.
Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded:
We do not want people to be afraid to take risks and make mistakes. We believe
that if people are not making mistakes, then they are not taking enough risks.
Pursue Growth and Learning:
It is important to challenge and stretch yourself and not be stuck in a job where
you don’t feel like you are learning and growing.
Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication:
We believe in strong relationships in all areas: with managers, direct reports,
customers (internal and external), vendors, business partners, team members, and
co-workers.
Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit:
We want to create an environment that is warm, friendly, and inviting. We
encourage diversity in ideas, opinions, and points of view.
Do More With Less:
While we may be casual in our relations with each other, we are focused and
serious about the operations of our business. We believe in operational
excellence and realize that there is always room for improvement in everything
that we do.
Be Passionate and Determined:
We value passion, perseverance, and the sense of urgency. We are inspired
because we believe in what we are doing and where we are going.
Be Humble:
We believe that no matter what happens, we should always be respectful of
everyone.

These core values espoused by Zappos share similarities with the characteristics which

constitute servant leadership. The similarities are highlighted in Figure 2.

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Building community
Commitment to the
Conceptualization

growth of people
Stewardship
Awareness

Persuasion
Listening

Foresight
Empathy

Healing
Deliver WOW through service X X X X X X

Embrace & deliver change X X X X X X X X

Create fun & a little weirdness X X X

Be adventurous, creative, & open

X X X
minded

Pursue growth & learning X

Build open & honest relationships

X X X X X
w/ communication
Build a positive team & family
X X X
spirit

Do more w/ less X X X

Be passionate & determined X X X

Be humble X X X X X X

Figure 2. Alignment of Zappos core values to servant leadership: Harmonizes the

characteristics of servant leadership with the ten core values that guide Zappos.

Summary

Leadership and its importance were addressed early in history as mention by Sun

Tzu (Michaelson & Michaelson, 2003). Plato followed up with leadership discussions

regarding the charisma of a leader and acts of heroism (Takala, 1998). The contributions

of Confucius were based on the moral responsibilities of leaders and belief that leaders

were “chosen” (Low & Ang, 2011). These contributions shaped the development of
 60

leadership style research and framework. Definitions of leadership vary from discipline

to discipline, professional background, and experience. Leadership styles range from

determining how leaders motivate employees (McGregor, 1960) to transformational

leadership methods (Downton, 1973). Servant leadership introduced a collection of

specific characteristics with a focus on individual development (Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Organizational culture defines how an organization acts when directed by the leadership

of the organization (DePree, 1989). Zappos, an Internet-based retail company has

evolved into an organization that has become one of the top 100 companies to work for.
 CHAPTER III

METHODS

Chapter Structure

This chapter details the methods used to identify which, if any, servant leadership

characteristics are demonstrated and nurtured by the executive team of Zappos, which

identified servant leadership characteristics have the most impact on the Zappos culture,

which servant leadership characteristics are most frequently demonstrated at Zappos, how

the servant leadership culture at Zappos has affected efforts and actions within the

organization, and how Zappos deals with conflicts when an employee disregards

acceptable servant leadership norms or when he or she fails to perform to standards

expected from the organization. It contains the purpose of the study, research questions,

population, sampling procedures, qualitative and quantitative research methods, ethical

considerations, research validity, and research reliability. In addition, the researcher

introduces the use of the dynamic narrative approach and concepts similar to or directly

related to the dynamic narrative approach (Hyatt, 2011b). The chapter concludes with a

brief summary of the entire chapter.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine if the characteristics of servant

leadership, as described by Spears (2010), are evident within the culture of Zappos and

61
 62

how those characteristics affect organizational culture. In addition, the study sought to

identify in what ways those characteristics are evident, which characteristics are most

prevalent, which characteristics are least prevalent, and in what words and actions they

are evident. Finally, this study identified how Zappos employees extend and share the

corporate culture with customers, coworkers, and the community they serve.

Research Questions

1. Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful servant leadership is conducted at

Zappos?

2. How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of

employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in

which they serve?

3. How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms,

or when he or she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?

Study Design

Qualitative Methods

Qualitative research methods are used to understand social phenomena from the

perspectives of those involved (Glesne, 2006). Often, qualitative research is used to

influence, transform, or change social conditions. Qualitative researchers seek to

understand how the participants of their study construct the world around them. In order

to make interpretations, researchers must gain access to multiple perspectives of

 63

participants, and their studies must focus on in-depth interactions with relevant

participants (Glesne, 2006).

Qualitative research consists of four distinct phases. Those areas are research

planning, gathering data, data analysis, and communicating results (Stringer, 2007).

Research planning consists of focusing and framing the study, completing a thorough

literature review, identifying the stakeholder, identifying data sources, ensuring that the

study follows ethical guidelines, and ensuring the research methods meet all validity

standards (Glesne, 2006; Stringer, 2007). The gathering of information phase can include

surveys, focus groups, interviews, observations, reviewing and creating records and

reports, and additional review of literature. During the analysis of data, the researcher

identifies any new discoveries or epiphanies, codes identified themes, and develops the

theoretical framework. Finally, during the communication phase, the researcher prepares

to report the data, create presentations, and recommend future studies.

Researchers have developed a broad continuum of research approaches that is

commonly divided into those which are primarily qualitative and those which are

primarily quantitative (Krathwohl, 2004). Quantitative research was described by

Stringer (2007) as research based on “the precise definition, measurement, and analysis

of the relationship between a carefully defined set of variables (p. 19). Conversely,

qualitative research is described as “gathering information about participants’

experiences and perspectives and to define the problem/issue in terms that ‘make sense’

in their own terms” (Stringer, 2007, p. 65). While these two approaches may seem to

describe two distinct options, the truth is that a variety of methods exist across a spectrum
 64

from qualitative to quantitative with many methods, including methods characteristic of

both approaches.

The term qualitative inquiry is used to describe a broad set of approaches (Glesne,

2006). These approaches include case studies, exploration for explanation, verbal

description, unstructured and spontaneous data collection, ethnographic research, ethical

theory, grounded theory, critical social research, and philosophical research (Glesne,

2006; Stringer, 2007). Because of the multitude of research approaches and the

advantages and disadvantages associated with each, a broad menu of approaches is

available for researchers to select from, one of which suits the particular subject of

inquiry.

Narrative

The Oxford Dictionary defines narrative as a constructive format (as a work of

speech, writing, song, film, television, video games, photography, or theatre) that

describes a sequence of nonfictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin

verb narrare, meaning “to tell,” and is related to the adjective gnarus, meaning

“knowing” or “skilled.” Parker and Shotter (1990) described narrative as the verbal

recounting of life events as a story. Narratives are life-based stories told by one person to

another person or a group of people (Shacklock & Thorp, 2005). Narrative has become

an increasingly popular method of research for a number of years (Kim, 2008).

Atkinson (2002) trusts the validity of narrative because of the value it brings to

the storyteller. An example of this comes from Overcash (2004) who found that

participants responded to the opportunity to retell their story of experiencing cancer and
 65

that the stories added an increased sense of self-worth and personal validation.

Additionally, people sharing their story have feelings of resolution, improved health,

cognitive function, and psychological well-being (Klein, 2003; Pennebaker & Seagal,

1999). Some experts may go as far as labeling narrative as personal theory construction

(Frawley, Murray, & Smith, 2003).

Despite the recent resurgence in the use of narrative, many feel as though the field

is still in the developmental stage (Chase, 2000; Kim, 2008). Despite the recent

popularity of utilizing narrative as a research method, the National Research Council has

questioned the validity of the method, calling for evidence-based educational research

that uses “rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain knowledge, [such as]

experimental or quasi-experimental designs” (Maxwell, 2004, p. 3). Because of this,

academic researchers will find it difficult to establish their research, as is evident by

Amia Lieblich’s statement (as quoted in Clandinin & Murphy, 2007):

I would be very careful in advising people to go only in their narrative or

qualitative way. I would make it very clear that with all the richness and the real
complexity that one can touch with this matter, there are also many, many risks
and dangers involved in pursuing this manner of research. (p. 640)

Elbaz-Luwisch (2007) described the difficulty a narrative researcher faces when trying to

prove rigor in the realm of academic research. Organizational researches have noticed

the importance of turning narrative inquiry into narrative practice (Boje, 1991;

Czarniawska, 1997; Gabriel, 2000).

Narrative analysis can be used to focus on the content of the stories without taking

into consideration the usefulness of the story to the study (Gubrium, 2010; Hardy,

Gregory, & Ramjeet, 2009). According to Polkinghorne (1988), in narrative analysis

 66

“researchers collect descriptions of events and happenings and synthesize or configure

them by means of a plot into a story or stories” (p. 12). From a constructivist perspective,

a perspective which focuses on the way people create meaning in the world, the

researcher shifts focus to how people relate their story to others (Glaser & Strauss, 1967;

Hardy et al., 2009; Strauss & Corbin, 1998). This is an example of discovering how

people relate their story, experiences, and view of their environment in relation to their

existence in their own world (Holstein & Gubrium, 2002). When analyzing narratives,

Peterson and Langellier (2006) detailed four necessary understandings:

1. Narrative is embodied in communicative practices

2. Constrained by situational material conditions
3. Embedded in and ordered by fields of discourse
4. Strategically distributed to reproduce and critique existing relations of power
and knowledge (pp. 175-178)

The goal of narrative inquiry is to analyze the narrative material in search of

narrative patterns. Therefore, narrative inquiry is more than simply listening to stories.

Beyond the information expressed in the story itself, additional information is expressed

in the way the narrative is organized. For example, the narrator makes choices, including

which phenomena were selected from reality to be included in the narrative, the order in

which those phenomena are expressed, how they are described, and so forth. The study

of the way narratives are constructed is called narrativity: the formalized process of

studying the details of how stories are constructed, conveyed, and received as the

participant (Gubrium, 2010; Hyvärinen, 2008). The goal of narrative inquiry is to

analyze narrative material in search of narrative patterns.

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Storytelling

Boje and Baskin (2010) described storytelling as “retrospective narrative, living

stories in the emergent now, and antenarratives with which people transform those living

stories into knowable discourse” (p. 3). Storytelling is simply a person reflecting on the

past, recreating a memory relative to present events, and speaking intelligently about the

event. The ability to create and tell stories has been determined to be an evolutionary

advantage as the only hominid species transitioning from the forests to savannas, two

million years ago (Gabriel, 2000). The ability to create meaning behind symbols enabled

important messages and historical data to be communicated. Storytelling represents a

way for people to transmit values and beliefs within the community (Figueroa, 2012;

Gubrium, 2010; Lai, 2010; Phelan, Kellogg, & Scholes 2006; Sanchez, 2009).

For centuries, storytelling has been a form of historical recordkeeping and

recollection (Gubrium, 2010; Lai, 2010; Sanchez, 2009). This tradition of storytelling

transcends cultures. In ancient cultures, the storytellers were often elders, high-ranking

tribesmen, or other highly respected individuals within the culture (Hyatt 2011a, Lai,

2010). Because the stories are told with a personal bias, oftentimes stories lack certain

details depending on the understanding, memory, and framework of the storyteller. The

personal bias of the storyteller is derived from personal experiences and beliefs (Lai,

2010).

Within an organizational setting, narrative takes multiple forms that include

stories, both group and individual, inquiry, and research (Boje, 1991; Connell, Klein, &

Meyer, 2004; Gabriel, 2000; Hyatt, 2011b). Narrative within an organization serves
 68

multiple purposes. Stories passed on from group to group, employee to employee, and so

forth serve as a historical reference of the organization, detailing past successes and

failures, norms and goals, and organizational vision (Hyatt, 2011b; Linde, 2001). Within

an organization, fact and fiction are often left to the interpretation of both the storyteller

and the listener (Hyatt, 2011b).

Renga

Renga is an Asian form of linked narrative that dates back more than a thousand

years (Hyatt, 2011b). The term Renga is Japanese and means linked verses (Akkermans,

2001, Hyatt, 2011b). The origin of Renga is unclear, as some believe that it originated as

a game while others believe it was utilized to share news and events between villages

(Akkermans, 2001; Horton, 1993; Hyatt, 2011b). Contributors worked in groups, taking

turns as they added their portions (Akkermans, 2001; Hyatt, 2011b). Thirty-six lines is

the preferred length of Renga, known as Kasen (Hyatt, 2011b).

The first stanza of Renga is written with a certain number of syllables and lines

(Akkermans, 2001; Hyatt, 2011b). A second person adds the second stanza, also with

specific syllables and lines, and continues with the third person writing the third stanza

with the same requirements of the first, and a fourth person writing the fourth stanza

following the same structure as the second. This pattern continues until the Renga is

complete.

The power of Renga lies within the emergence of thematic elements (Hyatt,

2011b). In order for Renga to continue in its intended format, each contributor must be

able to successfully build upon the previous stanza while maintaining the continuous
 69

themes. A form of Renga known as Free Renga has emerged and has eased the

traditional requirements in regard to structural standards. Practitioners may now adjust

line and text requirements as they see fit.

All forms of Renga share multiple essential characteristics, as described by

Akkermans (2001):

 Group interaction and improvisation: Renga were developed spontaneously by

multiple participants, with the improvisational element essential to the final
composition.
 Multiple levels of abstraction: Renga are pieces of art at multiple levels of
abstraction.
 Rules and vigor: Each Renga is constrained by many rules. (pp. 182-183)

Dynamic Narrative Approach

Dynamic narrative approach (DNA) is a method of research which takes the rich

tradition of narrative and combines it with emerging technological methods of research

(Hyatt, 2011b). Theories of narrative, constructs of Renga, and technological advances in

communication combine to form the foundation of DNA. The purpose of DNA as a

research method is to combine the historical data of the past, merge it with current data,

and provide insight and guidance into the future. In essence, DNA combines the history

of campfire storytelling with technology that enables the researcher to quickly and

accurately collect and record data.

DNA requires data collection, theme coding, analysis, and display of the data

(Hyatt, 2011b). Due to the nature of the research method, the research must consider

factors such as “experience, temporal elements, context, setting, potential for participant

collaboration, and restorying relative to the teller (Creswell, 2005; Patton, 2000)” (Hyatt,
 70

2011b, p. 198). DNA shares many methods and processes with qualitative research

methods with the exception of two major deviations. First is the inclusion of elements

from Renga which involves participants providing data through alternating contribution,

with all responses visible to all participants (Hyatt, 2011b). Second, DNA utilizes virtual

technology as the preferred method of data collection.

Concerns regarding DNA include the lack of interpersonal cues, permission from

the organization to conduct the research, and the protection of the identity and

confidentiality of the participants (Hyatt, 2011b). Those concerns can potentially be

offset by the benefits of DNA such as “accessibility, costs, time, ease of transfer and

storage of text, global reach, and reducing researcher bias (Bunting, Russell & Gregory,

1998; Creswell, 2005; Galinsky, Schopler, & Abell, 1997; Miller & Gergen, 1998; Mann

& Stewart, 2000; Selwyn & Robson, 1998)” (Hyatt, 2011b, p. 199).

Philology

Philology is the study of language in written historical sources (Peile, 1877). The

focus of philology is not just words and their meanings, but the history of the words as

well. Philology is also defined by Merriam Webster as the study of literature and of

disciplines relevant to literature or to language as used in literature and by the Oxford

Dictionary as the branch of knowledge that deals with the structure, historical

development, and relationships of a language or languages. Philology is closely related

to etymology.
 71

Etymology

Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form

and meaning have changed over time. According to the Etymology Online Dictionary,

the word etymology is derived from the Greek etymon, meaning true sense, and the suffix

-logia, denoting “the study of.” Etymologists seek to make use of texts within languages

and texts about language to gather knowledge about how words were used during their

history and how they entered the language (Liberman, 2005). Etymologists also use

comparative linguistics to reconstruct information about languages which are too old for

direct information to be available (Liberman, 2005). Etymologists utilize comparative

methods to make inferences about shared parent vocabulary.

Sources of Data

Population and Sample

A research population consists of a group of people or phenomena which are the

primary focus of a research inquiry (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008; Glesne, 2006; Stringer,

2007). The target population of this study was the entire employee base of Zappos.

According to its website, Zappos is organized into multiple departments consisting of

customer service, human resources, facilities, information technology, merchandising,

and purchasing. Because of the total size of the research population, the researcher

identified a sample to fulfill the needs of the study.

A sample is a subset of the research population (Glesne, 2006; Stringer, 2007).

The sample is important, because in qualitative research it is difficult to test all members

of the research population. When conducting a survey using a sample, the sample should
 72

be purposeful (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008; Glesne, 2006). Purposive sampling consciously

selects participants on the basis of a particular set of attributes (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl,

2004). Participants were identified by their ability to recognize servant leadership

characteristics being demonstrated during their normal course of work responsibilities;

interactions with management and coworkers; and interaction with individuals, groups, or

organizations outside of Zappos.

A sample size is determined by the researcher’s ability to refine concepts, obtain

depth from the data, and define categories and properties of the categories (Charmaz,

2004). In Fortune magazine, Zappos was selected as an organization to research due to

its reputation as one of the top companies to work for (“100 Best Companies to Work

For,” 2009). The organizational culture at Zappos has been documented and continues to

be a model for success for organizations seeking culture changes and environments which

fan the flames of innovation (Brady, 2005; Hsieh, 2010; Jacobs, 2009; Mitchell, 2008).

In selecting the sample population, participants were selected based on their

understanding of the organizational culture at Zappos (Glesne, 2006; Stringer, 2007).

When selecting a potential sample, it is important to consider the willingness and

availability of the participants (Rowley, 2012). In some cases, identifying a quality

sample base might become difficult, and “snowballing” might be the best alternative to

combat this issue (Glesne, 2006; Rowley, 2012). Because it is important the sample

participants at least have an understanding of the organizational culture of Zappos, once a

key group of sample participants are identified, “snowballing” becomes a useful tool as

many participants will recognize other potential participants who demonstrate similar
 73

characteristics as themselves (Rowley, 2012; Stringer, 2007). Rowley (2012) described

snowballing as “existing research subjects recruiting future subjects from their

acquaintances” (p. 265).

Interview Instrument

Interviews have been described as face-to-face verbal exchanges in which one

person, the interviewer, attempts to gain knowledge and insight from another person, the

interviewee (Glesne, 2006; Rowley, 2012; Stinger, 2007). Interviews are not limited to

face-to-face interaction, as interviews can take place via phone, virtually, or through

electronic forms of communication. Interviews are generally used in qualitative research,

but in some cases are involved in quantitative research as well (Glesne, 2006; Rowley,

2012; Stringer, 2007). Interviews can be classified based on their structure (Rowley,

2012). In some cases, interviews ask many questions, with short, concise answers; in

other cases, interviews consist of fewer questions, with opportunity for the participants to

provide a more in-depth response. In this research study, the questions were broad.

It is important to take into consideration the development of the interview

questions when developing the interview instrument. Interview questions seek to gain

insight into or answer the research questions (Glesne, 2006; Rowley, 2012). The

interview questions were designed to gather information from employees of Zappos

regarding servant leadership characteristics, how those characteristics manifested

themselves within their organizational culture, and how those who did not meet

acceptable standards of performance were dealt with within the organizational culture,

utilizing DNA (Hyatt, 2011b). This method of research allowed the participants to share
 74

their thoughts and experiences while building upon and understanding the perspectives of

other participants (Hyatt, 2011a). The researcher understood that the perspectives and

experiences of participants might be different based on their tenure with the organization,

the department they work in, and their position within the organization (Denzin &

Lincoln, 2008; Glesne, 2006; Stringer, 2007). Due to the use of DNA as a research

method, extensive steps were taken to ensure that each question presented to the

participants was uniform (Glesne, 2006; Rowley, 2012).

Data Collection

Strategies

The interview instrument was designed to gain insight into and answer the

research questions (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Rowley, 2012; Stringer, 2007). The

instrument was issued to each participant in writing, and the results were gathered in

writing as well. The purpose of administering the instrument and obtaining the responses

in writing was to ensure the instrument was uniform to all participants and to ensure the

responses of the participants were captured in their intended manner. All participants

were assigned an alphanumeric code randomly. Upon receipt of all responses from the

participants, the results were combined into a single document and returned to the

participants for an additional opportunity to review and respond or build upon the

responses of other participants. This process, based upon the protocol and process of

DNA, was shared with all participants prior to the consolidation and return of the

responses (Hyatt, 2011b). In alignment with protocol for conducting DNA, the following

steps were followed to conduct the research:

 75

1. Employees of Zappos were identified to participate.

2. Participants were assigned alphanumeric identification codes.

3. The researcher sent out the interview instrument electronically.

4. Using their alphanumeric identification codes, participants responded to the interview

instrument and returned it to the researcher electronically.

5. The researcher compiled the responses and again sent them to the participants for an

additional opportunity to respond to or build upon their previous responses.

6. The first and second responses were stored for analysis.

7. At the conclusion of the study, the participants and the organization were provided

with an executive summary.

Ethical Considerations

The researcher made every possible effort to ensure that all information, thoughts,

and ideas were given proper credit through the APA citation process (Denzin & Lincoln,

2008; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004). The results of the study were stored for

confidentiality purposes and were not released without written consent from the

participants (Creswell, 2008; Krathwohl, 2004). Booth, Colomb, and Williams (1995)

provided three requirements for ethical studies:

 Ethical researchers do not steal by plagiarizing or claiming the results of others.

 Researchers do not lie by misreporting sources or by inventing results.

 Researchers do not destroy sources or data for those who follow.

 76

Protection of Human Subjects

In an effort to protect the participants of the study, the researcher followed the

five basic principles outlined by the institutional review board (IRB) in approving a

research study. As noted by Glesne (2006), those guidelines are as follows:

 Research subjects must have sufficient information to make informed decisions

about participating in a study.
 Research subjects must be able to withdraw, without penalty, from a study at
any point.
 All unnecessary risks to a research subject must be eliminated.
 Benefits to the subject or society, preferably both, must outweigh all potential
risks.
 Experiments should be conducted only by qualified investigators. (p. 130)

It was explained to all subjects that participation was voluntary, withdrawal from the

research study could occur at any time, and all personal and indentifying information was

kept confidential (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Rowley, 2012).

Validity and Reliability

Validity

Trustworthiness and validity are concerns to be addressed in a research design and

throughout the process of collecting data. Creswell (2008) listed eight verification

procedures often used in qualitative research:

1. Prolonged engagement and persistent observation—extended time in the field

so that you are able to develop trust, learn the culture, and check out your
hunches.
2. Triangulation—use of multiple data-collection methods, multiple sources,
multiple investigators, and/or multiple theoretical perspectives.
3. Peer review and debriefing—external reflection and input on your work.
4. Negative case analysis—conscious search for negative cases and unconfirming
evidence so that you can refine your working hypotheses.
5. Clarification of research bias—reflection upon your own subjectivity and how
you will use and monitor it in your research.
 77

6. Member checking—sharing interview transcripts, analytical thoughts, and/or

drafts of the final report with research participants to make sure you are
representing them and their ideas accurately.
7. Rich, thick description—writing that allows the reader to enter the research
context.
8. External audit—an outside person examines the research process and product
through “auditing” your field notes, research journal, analytic coding scheme,
etc. (pp. 201-203)

The process of validation determines, to a degree, the likelihood of results being

replicated if the study were administered to similar groups (Glesne, 2006; Denzin &

Lincoln, 2008; Krathwohl, 2004).

The participants of the study were given time to review, analyze, ask questions,

and respond to the survey virtually. The identities of all participants were kept

confidential throughout the entire process. Once the responses were complied, the

participants were sent the collection of responses and given an opportunity to reply,

revise, or expand upon any given response, including their own, as described in the DNA

process (Hyatt, 2011b). Secondary responses and the expansion of other ideas, including

their own, were encouraged, as described in the DNA process.

Reliability

Reliability in research is founded in commonly established routines for

establishing the reliability and validity of the research (Stringer, 2007). Reliability

checks are designed to ensure the researcher has established the veracity, truthfulness, or

validity of the information. As noted by Lincoln and Guba (1985), reliability and

trustworthiness can be established through procedures that assess the following attributes

of a study:
 78

 Credibility: the plausibility and integrity of the study

 Transferability: the possibility of applying the outcomes of the study to other contexts

 Dependability: research procedures that are clearly defined and open to scrutiny

 Confirmability: evidence that the procedures described actually took place

Interrater Reliability

A secondary rater was utilized to verify reliability and increase the credibility of

the research. According to Krathwohl (2004), the goal of the second rater is to compare

and verify the coding of the primary researcher. After data had been collected, the

primary researcher and secondary rater met to establish coding protocol. Common

themes were identified and provided guidance for further inquiry and research

recommendations. For the purpose of this study, the researcher and secondary coder

utilized the following 15 steps to ensure interrater reliability:

1. The primary researcher analyzes the transcripts using bracketing for reduction,

horizontalization, and synthesis for textual description and conclusions.

2. The primary researcher meets with the rater(s) and reviews coding process for

identifying themes.

3. The primary researcher selects a transcript for the purpose of teaching the rater(s) the

coding process.

4. The researcher maintains the highlighted/analyzed version of the transcript.

5. The rater(s) is provided with a clean copy of the selected transcript.

 79

6. Prior to analysis, the researcher and rater(s) will each read a transcript three times.

The purpose of the initial reading is to merely familiarize the rater(s) with the data

from the transcripts.

7. The purpose of the second reading is to further familiar[ize] the rater(s) with the

information and to answer any questions about the transcript.

8. The purpose of the third reading is to analyze the data by bracketing for reduction,

horizontalization, and synthesis of the text for structural descriptions and

conclusions.

9. The researcher assists the rater(s) in completing the analysis of one selected

transcript.

10. Meaning units are entered in the left margin. Structural descriptions and conclusions

are entered into the right margin. This completes analysis of the transcript.

11. The additional rater(s) applies the same process to the remaining transcripts

independent of the primary researcher. If there are multiple raters, each works

independently.

12. After completion of the process for all transcripts, the primary researcher and rater(s)

reconvene. The primary researcher and the rater(s) review their identified

conclusions.

13. An analysis form may be used to identify the agreed-upon themes and help to

discover any areas of disagreement.

14. The primary researcher and rater(s) discuss differences and come to a consensus on

the conclusions. A categorizing form may be created to identify overall themes.

 80

15. For [the] purposes of this study, criteria for themes are met when a minimum of [6 of

10 (60%)] participants provide supportive data. (Figueroa, 2012; Hyatt, 2011a).

Data Analysis

Content Analysis

There are multiple approaches to analyzing qualitative data. Linguistic tradition

focuses on word and conversations, treating “text as an object of analysis itself” and

includes formal narrative analysis, discourse analysis, and linguistic analysis (Ryan &

Bernard, 2000, p. 770). The most widely used method of data analysis in sociological

tradition is thematic analysis, which involves coding and segregation by codes into data

clumps for further analysis and description (Glesne, 2006). The process of data analysis

involves organizing what has been seen, heard, and read in an effort to make sense of

what has been learned. In order to create explanations, theories, and hypotheses, data

must be categorized and synthesized and patterns identified and interpreted (Glesne,

2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Stringer, 2007).

Coding

As data are collected, units of meaning are sorted into related groups or categories

(Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Stringer, 2007). As the data are analyzed, categories

emerge. As categories emerge, they also divide and subdivide (Glesne, 2006; Stringer,

2007). Coding is a process of sorting and defining categorized data (Glesne, 2006;

Krathwohl, 2004). This process creates an organizational framework of the research

(Glesne, 2006). When coding data in qualitative research, each data code should
 81

represent a concept or central idea (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Stringer, 2007).

Basic coding was described by Creswell (2008) in five basic steps:

1. Read through text data.

2. Divide text into segments of information.
3. Label segments with codes.
4. Reduce overlap and redundancy of codes.
5. Collapse codes into themes. (p. 251)

The researcher utilized bracketing to identify themes, followed by clusters, which

led to further theme identification (Creswell, 2008; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004;

Stringer, 2007). A second rater conducted independent coding to provide interrater

reliability (Figueroa, 2012; Hyatt, 2011a).

Data Display

Miles and Huberman (1994) described data display as an “organized assembly of

information that permits conclusion drawing and action taking”; making the analogy to

“you are what you eat,” they claimed that “you know what you display” (p. 11). Figures,

tables, graphs, and flowcharts assist in making meaning of the data (Glesne, 2006). As

data analysis and coding continues and evolves, data display will continue to change.

Throughout this study, figures and tables are used to present data.

Limitations

The sample population of this study was limited to employees of Zappos.

Purposeful sampling was used because this study was specific to employees of Zappos

and the effects of servant leadership on the organizational culture of Zappos (Denzin &

Lincoln, 2008; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004). This type of sampling was utilized
 82

because of the specific nature of the study. Because of the size of the population, the

sample had to be controlled in order to manage the data. This study is limited to the

current and relevant literature pertaining to servant leadership in business (Block, 1993;

Braye, 2002; Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Spears, 1995, 2005; Spears & Lawrence, 2004).

Interview questions were designed to define servant leadership characteristics for

the participants during the first wave of communication. The purpose was to determine

which servant leadership characteristics, if any, are present and influencing the

organizational culture. As noted by Glesne (2006), “Important sources of questions is the

theory, implicit or explicit, underlying some behavior’ (p. 81). The interview questions

were designed to provide insight into the research questions. The definitions of servant

leadership characteristics were provided, because understanding is often based on

experience, and it was important that the characteristics were not open to interpretation

(Krathwohl, 2004). The use of e-mail for communication between the researcher and

participants eliminated the face-to-face contact. The researcher was unable to recognize

and identify body language cues. It is common during face-to-face interviews for the

interviewer to observe the participant’s body language to determine the effects of the

questioning, which often leads to further probing (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004).

Summary

The purpose of this study was to identify which servant leadership characteristics

impact the organizational culture and how they impact the culture at Zappos. The depth

of the research seeks to identify the most commonly encountered servant leadership

characteristics within Zappos (Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Spears, 1995, 2005). Once these
 83

characteristics were identified, additional research discovered how these characteristics

impacted the organizational culture at Zappos (Hsieh, 2010). Finally, the research

discovered how the organizational culture impacted the efforts and actions of Zappos

employees and how the organizational deals with employees who fail to perform as

expected within the organizational culture.

Qualitative methods were used to discover the servant leadership characteristics at

Zappos (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Stringer, 2007). Narrative was the umbrella

approach utilized as the qualitative research method of research, due to the opportunity

for the storyteller to interject personal meaning into the story (Kim, 2008). The use of

narrative evolved further into forms of storytelling, Renga, and DNA. For many years,

storytelling has been the method of passing on historical data in organizations (Hyatt,

2011a; Linde, 2001). Renga, a Japanese form of linked verse, is a form of

communication in which participants build upon contributions of previous participants

(Akkermans, 2001; Horton, 1993; Hyatt, 2011b). DNA is a qualitative research method

which takes the theoretical framework of narrative, storytelling, and Renga and combines

it with a specific technique for collecting and presenting data, while embracing

technological advances in communication (Hyatt, 2011b). Etymology is the study of the

origin and history of words, which is important when analyzing the responses of the

research participants (Liberman, 2005; Skeat, 2007; Snoj, 2005).

The research population was the employees at Zappos. Purposive sampling was

utilized to ensure that participants had an understanding of the organizational culture of

Zappos (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008; Glesne, 2006). The interview instrument was designed
 84

to define the characteristics of servant leadership and to answer the research questions

(Glesne, 2006; Rowley, 2012). E-mail was utilized to communicate the research

questions and responses to the research participants. Special steps were utilized to ensure

interrater reliability (Figueroa, 2012; Hyatt, 2011b). Data were coded and themes were

identified for presentation and analysis purposes (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004;

Stringer, 2007).
 CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

Overview

There is currently a lack of research showing the effects of servant leadership on a

for-profit organization. The majority of research on servant leadership has been done in

nonprofit organizations (Boyum, 2012; Semler, 2007; Silvers, 2010). An extensive

review of literature introduced early leadership studies, leadership definitions, current

leadership styles, theories, and characteristics. The literature also introduced the theory

of servant leadership and finally, a brief introduction to Zappos, Inc. This study

identified the top three servant leadership characteristics demonstrated by management,

demonstrated as an organization as a whole, how those characteristics influence

interactions between coworkers and customers, and finally, how situations are handled

when an employee fails to meet performance and cultural expectations set by Zappos.

Using the dynamic narrative approach, or DNA, data were gathered from both

associates and management of Zappos, from a wide range of departments, including but

not limited to maintenance and facilities, customer loyalty group, purchasing, human

resources, accounting, information technology, and legal. This method of research

utilizes the strengths of storytelling and narrative that have been used in various cultures

for years (Gubrium, 2010; Hardy et al., 2009; Hyatt, 2011b). Once the initial responses

were collected, all responses were combined into a single document and sent back to the

85
 86

participants to allow for secondary responses from all participants. A second rater was

utilized to increase reliability of the analysis of the data (Booth et al., 1995; Glesne, 2006;

Krathwohl, 2004).

Chapter Structure

This chapter provides an overview of the study and research questions. Basic

information regarding the participants is provided. A detailed report and analysis is

provided for each research question, based on the responses provided by each participant.

The chapter concludes with a summary of the findings.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine if the characteristics of servant

leadership, as described by Spears (2005), are evident within the culture of Zappos and

how those characteristics affect organizational culture. In addition, the study sought to

identify in what ways those characteristics are evident, which characteristics are most

prevalent, which characteristics are least prevalent, and in what words and actions they

are evident. Finally, this study identified how Zappos employees extend and share the

corporate culture with customers, coworkers, and the community they serve.

Research Questions

1. Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful servant leadership is conducted at

Zappos?
 87

2. How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of

employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in

which they serve?

3. How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms,

or when he or she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?

Participants

The sample population of this study consisted of associates and management

personnel from the Henderson, Nevada, headquarters of Zappos, Inc. Employees from

both categories serve in various roles in maintenance and facilities, customer loyalty

group, purchasing, human resources, accounting, information technology, and legal.

Because of the wide range of representation from the participants, the responses allowed

for an in-depth analysis of servant leadership characteristics and how they influence the

organizational culture of a for-profit organization.

Participant Criteria

All participants were current employees at the Henderson, Nevada headquarters

for Zappos, Inc. Participants were selected by the research contact at Zappos, a senior

member of the Zappos public relations team. All participants were allowed to opt out of

participation at any point during the research study. The survey instrument was initially

distributed to 15 associates and 15 managers. The initial response from the 15 associate

participants was not encouraging, as only six participants responded to the first two

survey questions. After 10 days, a second group of associate participants was provided,
 88

and three of those associates responded immediately. A third group of participants was

provided, and the remaining seven responses were received. All of the initial 15

management participants responded to the first two questions.

The results from the first two questions were compiled, and the remaining four

survey questions were updated. Responses from the management participants were

received from 14 of the 15 participants within the first 5 days of the launch of the second

portion of the survey instrument. The final response from management participants was

received on the last day the survey was open to participants. The first nine responses

from the associates came in within the first 7 days of the launch of the second survey

instrument, while three associate participants opted out of the survey. A second group of

associate participants were provided, and three responses to part two of the survey were

received within 2 days of receiving the survey instrument. The final three responses from

the associate participants were received on the last day of the survey being open to

participants.

Participant Classification

Figure 3 identifies the employment classification of each participant.

Data Collection

The interview instrument was designed to gain insight into and answer the

research questions (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Rowley, 2012; Stringer, 2007). The

instrument was issued to each participant in writing, and the results were gathered in

writing as well. The purpose of administering the instrument and obtaining the responses
 89

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5
Management X X X X X
P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
X X X X X
P11 P26 P27 P28 P29
X X X X X
P12 P13 P14 P15 P16
Associate X X X X X
P17 P18 P19 P20 P21
X X X X X
P22 P23 P24 P25 P30
X X X X X

Figure 3. Employment classification of participants.

in writing was to ensure the instrument was uniform to all participants and to ensure the

responses of the participants were captured in their intended manner. All participants

were assigned an alphanumeric code randomly. Upon receipt of all responses from the

participants, the results were combined into a single document and returned to the

participants for an additional opportunity to review and respond or build upon the

response of other participants. This process, based upon the protocol and process of

DNA, was shared with all participants prior to the consolidation and return of the

responses (Hyatt, 2011b). In alignment with protocol for conducting DNA, the following

steps were followed to conduct the research:

1. Employees of Zappos were identified to participate.

2. Participants were assigned alphanumeric identification codes.

3. The researcher sent out the interview instrument electronically.

4. Using their alphanumeric identification codes, participants responded to the interview

instrument and returned it to the researcher electronically.

 90

5. The researcher compiled the responses and again sent them to the participants for

additional opportunity to respond or build upon their previous responses.

6. The first and second responses were stored for analysis.

7. At the conclusion of the study, the participants and the organization were provided

with an executive summary.

Data Analysis

Content Analysis

There are multiple approaches to analyzing qualitative data. Linguistic tradition

focuses on word and conversations, treating “text as an object of analysis itself” and

includes formal narrative analysis, discourse analysis, and linguistic analysis (Ryan &

Bernard, 2000, p. 770). The most widely used method of data analysis in sociological

tradition is thematic analysis, which involves coding and segregation by codes into data

clumps for further analysis and description (Glesne, 2006). The process of data analysis

involves organizing what has been seen, heard, and read in an effort to make sense of

what has been learned (Glesne, 2006). In order to create explanations, theories, and

hypotheses, data must be categorized and synthesized and patterns identified and

interpreted (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Stringer, 2007).

Coding

As data are collected, units of meaning are sorted into related groups or categories

(Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Stringer, 2007). As the data are analyzed, categories

emerge. As categories emerge, they also divide and subdivide (Glesne, 2006; Stringer,
 91

2007). Coding is a process of sorting and defining categorized data (Glesne, 2006;

Krathwohl, 2004). This process creates an organizational framework of the research

(Glesne, 2006). When data are coded in qualitative research, each data code should

represent a concept or central idea (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Stringer, 2007).

Basic coding was described by Creswell (2008) in five basic steps:

1. Read through text data.

2. Divide text into segments of information.
3. Label segments with codes.
4. Reduce overlap and redundancy of codes.
5. Collapse codes into themes. (p. 251)

The researcher utilized bracketing to identify themes, followed by clusters, which

led to further theme identification (Creswell, 2008; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004;

Stringer, 2007). A second rater conducted independent coding to provide interrater

reliability (Figueroa, 2012; Hyatt, 2011a).

Interrater Reliability

A secondary rater was utilized to verify reliability and increase the credibility of

the research. According to Krathwohl (2004), the goal of the second rater is to compare

and verify the coding of the primary researcher. After data had been collected, the

primary researcher and secondary rater met to establish coding protocol. Common

themes were identified and provided guidance for further inquiry and research

recommendations. For the purpose of this study, the researcher and secondary coder

utilized the following 15 steps to ensure interrater reliability:

1. The primary researcher analyzes the transcripts using bracketing for reduction,

horizontalization, and synthesis for textual description and conclusions.

 92

2. The primary researcher meets with the rater(s) and reviews coding process for

identifying themes.

3. The primary researcher selects a transcript for the purpose of teaching the rater(s) the

coding process.

4. The researcher maintains the highlighted/analyzed version of the transcript.

5. The rater(s) is provided with a clean copy of the selected transcript.

6. Prior to analysis, the researcher and rater(s) will each read a transcript three times.

The purpose of the initial reading is to merely familiarize the rater(s) with the data

from the transcripts.

7. The purpose of the second reading is to further familiar[ize] the rater(s) with the

information and to answer any questions about the transcript.

8. The purpose of the third reading is to analyze the data by bracketing for reduction,

horizontalization, and synthesis of the text for structural descriptions and

conclusions.

9. The researcher assists the rater(s) in completing the analysis of one selected

transcript.

10. Meaning units are entered in the left margin. Structural descriptions and conclusions

are entered into the right margin. This completes analysis of the transcript.

11. The additional rater(s) applies the same process to the remaining transcripts

independent of the primary researcher. If there are multiple raters, each works

independently.
 93

12. After completion of the process for all transcripts, the primary researcher and rater(s)

reconvene. The primary researcher and the rater(s) review their identified

conclusions.

13. An analysis form may be used to identify the agreed-upon themes and help to

discover any areas of disagreement.

14. The primary researcher and rater(s) discuss differences and come to a consensus on

the conclusions. A categorizing form may be created to identify overall themes.

15. For [the] purposes of this study, criteria for themes are met when a minimum of [6 of

10 (60%)] participants who respond to a specific theme provide supportive data

(Figueroa, 2012; Hyatt, 2011a).

Research Findings

Research Question 1 and Corresponding

Survey Question

Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful servant leadership is conducted at

Zappos?

To address Research Question 1, respondents were asked the following:

Please rank the following servant leadership characteristics 1-10, with 1 being the
most demonstrated servant leadership characteristic by management and 10 being
the least demonstrated servant leadership characteristic by management at
Zappos.

Listening: The motivation to listen actively to subordinates and support them

in decision identification

Empathy: An attempt to understand and empathize with others

Healing: Helping people solve their problems and conflicts in relationships

 94

Awareness: Gaining general awareness and especially self-awareness and has

the ability to view situations from a more integrated, holistic position

Persuasion: Convincing those they manage

Conceptualization: Ability to see beyond the limits of the operating business

and also focuses on long-term operating goals

Foresight: Ability to foresee the likely outcome of a situation

Stewardship: Holding their institution in trust for the greater good of society

Community Building: Identifies means to build a strong community within his

organization and wants to develop a true community among businesses and
institutions

Commitment to the growth of people: Nurture the personal, professional, and

spiritual growth of employees

Appendix A presents the combined ranking of all respondents for Research

Question 1, Appendix B presents the ranking responses by management respondents for

Research Question 1, and Appendix C presents the ranking responses by associate

respondents for Research Question 1. The data from these appendices are summarized in

Table 1, which displays a cross-tabulation analysis of the ranking response data collected

from managers (manager group), associates (associate group), and from the composite

group (composite group) formed from the combination of respondents comprising the

manager and associate groups. For each of the three groups, the table presents a mean

and rank for each of the 10 servant leadership characteristics.

The data in the columns labeled mean represent the average rank assigned by the

pool of respondents comprising each of the three respondent groups (manager, associate,

or the composite group formed by managers and associates) to each of the 10

 95

Table 1

Cross-Tabulation Analysis of Rank, Mean, and Difference of Responses Describing the

Demonstrated Prevalence of Each of the Servant Leadership Characteristics Exhibited by
Management Staff at Zappos

Prevalence or servant leadership characteristics

Composite Manager Associate
group group group
Servant leadership characteristic Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank

Listening 3.73 1 4.33 2 3.13 1

Building community 4.40 2 3.80 1 5.00 3
Commitment to growth of people 4.47 3 4.93 3 4.00 2
Stewardship 5.37 4 5.27 4 5.47 5
Awareness 5.57 5 5.73 5 5.40 4
Empathy 5.73 6 5.80 6 5.67 6
Conceptualization 5.87 7 6.00 7 5.73 7
Foresight 6.30 8 6.07 9 6.53 8
Persuasion 6.57 9 6.00 8 7.13 10
Healing 7.00 10 7.07 10 6.93 9

characteristics when asked to rank the prevalence of each of the 10 servant leadership

characteristics exhibited by management at Zappos. For example, the mean score for the

characteristic of listening by the composite group is 3.73 and was calculated from the raw

response data for the composite group exhibited in Appendix A. Participant 1 ranked

listening as the eighth most prevalent characteristic, Participant 2 ranked it as the ninth

most prevalent characteristic, and so forth. The sum of responses for the 30 respondents

equaled 112. Dividing 112 by 30 respondents results in a mean of 3.7333.

The rank data in Table 1 represent the ordering of each of the 10 characteristics

based on the calculated mean in the adjacent cell of the table, with 1 representing the

servant leadership generally considered by that group to be most demonstrated by

 96

management at Zappos and 10 representing the servant leadership characteristic

considered by that group to be least demonstrated by management.

The composite group ranked listening as the most prevalent servant leadership

characteristic demonstrated at Zappos (with a mean rank of 3.73), building community as

the second most prevalent (4.40), and commitment to growth of people as third most

prevalent (4.47), and so forth. The manager group ranked building community as the

most prevalent characteristic (with a mean rank of 3.80), listening as the second most

prevalent characteristic (4.33), and commitment to growth of people as third most

prevalent (4.93), and so forth. The associate group ranked listening as the most prevalent

characteristic (with a mean rank of 3.13), commitment to the growth of people as the

second most prevalent (4.00), and building community as third most prevalent (5.00), and

so forth.

The similarity of the ranking data from the three groups can be quantified in two

ways, visually in Figure 4, and mathematically in a statistical test of differences in Table

2. Figure 4 is a graphical display of the information presented in tabular form in Table 1.

Visually, the response data from the three groups appear to be similar. However, the

intuitive sense that the responses are similar can be confirmed or refuted statistically. In

addition to mean and rank data, Table 2 presents the results of the Mann-Whitney U test

for independent samples to determine if the ranking responses from the management

group and the associate group are statistically different.

 97

Figure 4. Visual display of mean rank score responses from managers, from associates,
and from the composite group indicating the prevalence of each servant leader
characteristic by management at Zappos.

Popham (1993) described the rationale of the Mann-Whitney test:

If two independent samples are involved, then the Mann-Whitney U Test is a

powerful alternative to the t test for treating ordinal data. Briefly, the U test is
predicated on the notion that if scores of two essentially similar groups are ranked
together, as though they were one, there will be considerable intermingling of the
two groups’ rankings. When these pooled rankings are summed separately for
the two groups, if there is no difference between the two groups, then one would
expect the sums of these two sets of individual ranks to be about the same. If the
summed ranks are markedly disparate, then there is likely to be a statistically
significant difference between the two groups. This straightforward test yields a
 98

Table 2

Results of Mann-Whitney U Test for Independent Samples to Determine if the Responses

From the Two Groups Are Statistically Different

Pooled Pooled Mann-

Servant leadership ranking ranking Whitney Manager/associate
characteristic management associates U differences

Listening 245.5 207.5 99.5 No significant

difference
Building community 264.5 182.5 80.5 No significant
difference
Commitment to growth 257.0 204.5 88.0 No significant
of people difference
Stewardship 201.0 241.5 103.5 No significant
difference
Awareness 234.0 225.0 111.0 No significant
difference
Empathy 227.0 229.0 116.0 No significant
difference
Conceptualization 229.9 227.0 116.0 No significant
difference
Foresight 213.5 240.5 104.5 No significant
difference
Persuasion 194.0 262.0 83.0 No significant
difference
Healing 235.5 225.5 109.5 No significant
difference

Note. When U exceeds 64.0, there is no significant difference between groups.

value, U, whose chance probability of occurrence, as with all our other

significance tests, can be determined in the back of a friendly statistics text. (p.
274)

A significant difference between the two groups can be confirmed at the .05 level

of significance when the test value, designated as U in Table 2, is less than or equal to

64.00 (based on a sample size of 15 respondents in each group). Table 2 summarizes the
 99

Mann-Whitney analysis. No significant differences were identified in the responses from

the two participant groups.

In addition to determining the ranked prevalence of each of the servant leadership

characteristics, the data also provide evidence that those characteristics identified as less

prevalent are in fact exhibited by management staff at Zappos. Table 3 displays the

minimum and maximum ranking values for each of the servant leadership characteristics,

by response group. Though foresight, persuasion, and healing were identified as the

characteristics least exhibited by Zappos management, each of those characteristics, and

indeed each of the 10 characteristics, was ranked as most prevalent or second most

prevalent by at least one employee. One can infer, therefore, that at least to some degree,

all of the servant leadership characteristics are demonstrated by management personnel at

Zappos.

To address Research Question 1, respondents were asked the following:

Please rank the following servant leadership characteristics 1-10, with 1 being the
most important servant leadership characteristic to the organizational culture of
Zappos and 10 being the least important servant leadership characteristic to the
organizational culture of Zappos.

Listening: The motivation to listen actively to subordinates and support them

in decision identification

Empathy: An attempt to understand and empathize with others

Healing: Helping people solve their problems and conflicts in relationships

Awareness: Gaining general awareness and especially self-awareness and has

the ability to view situations from a more integrated, holistic position

Persuasion: Convincing those they manage

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Table 3

Minimum and Maximum Ranking Values for Each of the Servant Leadership
Characteristics, by Response Group

Composite Management Associate

group group group
Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.
Servant leadership characteristic rank rank rank rank rank rank

Listening 1 9 1 9 1 8
Building community 1 10 1 9 1 10
Commitment to growth of people 1 10 1 9 1 10
Stewardship 1 10 2 10 1 9
Awareness 1 10 2 10 1 9
Empathy 2 9 2 9 2 9
Conceptualization 2 10 3 10 2 9
Foresight 1 10 1 10 2 10
Persuasion 1 10 2 10 1 10
Healing 1 10 1 10 3 10

Conceptualization: Ability to see beyond the limits of the operating business

and also focuses on long-term operating goals

Foresight: Ability to foresee the likely outcome of a situation

Stewardship: Holding their institution in trust for the greater good of society

Community building: Identifies means to build a strong community within his

organization and wants to develop a true community among businesses and
institutions

Commitment to the growth of people: Nurture the personal, professional, and

spiritual growth of employees

Appendix D presents the combined ranking of all respondents, Appendix E

presents the ranking responses by management respondents, and Appendix F presents the

ranking responses by associate respondents. The data from these appendices are
 101

summarized in Table 4, which displays a cross-tabulation analysis of the ranking

response data collected from managers (manager group), associates (associate group),

and from the composite group (composite group) formed from the combination of

respondents comprising the manager and associate groups. For each of the three groups,

the table presents a mean and rank for each of the 10 servant leadership characteristics.

Table 4

Cross-Tabulation Analysis of Rank, Mean, and Difference of Responses Describing the

Servant Leadership Characteristics Thought to Have the Greatest Impact on the
Organizational Culture of Zappos

Perceived importance of servant leadership

characteristics to organizational culture
Composite Manager Associate
group group group

Servant leadership characteristic Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank

Building community 3.53 1 3.53 1 3.53 1
Commitment to growth of people 3.83 2 3.53 2 4.13 2
Listening 4.63 3 5.07 3 4.20 3
Stewardship 5.10 4 5.73 6 4.47 4
Empathy 5.23 5 5.20 4 5.27 6
Conceptualization 5.37 6 5.37 7 4.80 5
Awareness 5.53 7 5.53 5 5.53 7
Healing 7.10 8 7.47 10 6.73 8
Persuasion 7.23 9 6.00 8 8.47 10
Foresight 7.43 10 7.00 9 7.87 9

The data in the columns labeled mean represent the average rank assigned by the

pool of respondents comprising each of the three respondent groups (manager, associate,

or the composite group formed by managers and associates) to each of the 10

characteristics when asked to rank the prevalence of each of the 10 servant leadership
 102

characteristics exhibited by management at Zappos. For example, the mean score for the

characteristic of building community by the composite group is 3.53 and was calculated

from the raw response data for the composite group exhibited in Appendix D. Participant

1 ranked building community as the eighth most important characteristic to the

organizational culture of Zappos, Participant 2 ranked it as the most important

characteristic, and so forth. The sum of responses for the 30 respondents equaled 106.

Dividing 106 by 30 respondents results in a mean of 3.53.

The rank data in Table 4 represent the ordering of each of the 10 characteristics

based on the calculated mean in the adjacent cell of the table, with 1 representing the

servant leadership generally considered by that group to be most important to the

organizational culture at Zappos and 10 representing the servant leadership characteristic

considered by that group to be least important to the organizational culture at Zappos.

The composite group ranked building community as the servant leadership

characteristic most important to the organizational culture at Zappos (with a mean rank of

3.53), commitment to growth of people as the second most important (3.83), listening as

third most important (4.63), and so forth. The manager group and the associate group

also ranked these three characteristics in the same order.

As with Research Question 1, the similarity of the ranking data from the three

groups can be quantified in two ways: visually in Figure 5 and mathematically in a

statistical test of differences in Table 5. Figure 5 is a graphical display of the information

presented in tabular form in Table 4. Visually, the response data from the three groups

appear to be similar. However, the intuitive sense that the responses are similar can be
 103

confirmed or refuted statistically. In addition to mean and rank data, Table 5 presents the

results of the Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples to determine if the ranking

responses from the management group and the associate group are statistically different.

Figure 5. Visual display of mean rank score responses from managers, from associates,
and from the composite group indicating the relative importance of each servant
leadership characteristic to the organizational culture of Zappos.

The Mann-Whitney U test is a test of two independent samples to determine

whether the two samples are significantly different (Popham, 1993). A significant

difference between the two groups can be confirmed at the .05 level of significance when
 104

the test value, designated as U in Table 5, is less than or equal to 64.00 (based on a

sample size of 15 respondents in each group). Table 5 summarizes the Mann-Whitney

analysis. No significant differences were identified in the responses from the two

participant groups.

Table 5

Results of Mann-Whitney U Test for Independent Samples to Determine if the Responses

From the Two Groups Are Statistically Different

Pooled Pooled Mann-

Servant leadership ranking ranking Whitney Manager/associate
characteristic management associates U differences

Building community 203.5 246.5 98.5 No significant

difference
Commitment to growth 217.0 240.0 105.0 No significant
of people difference
Listening 247.5 200.5 97.5 No significant
difference
Stewardship 242.0 210.5 103.0 No significant
difference
Empathy 221.0 235.0 110.0 No significant
difference
Conceptualization 256.0 205.5 89.0 No significant
difference
Awareness 224.0 234.0 111.0 No significant
difference
Healing 236.5 215.0 108.5 No significant
difference
Persuasion 169.5 276.5 68.5 No significant
difference
Foresight 200.5 260.5 84.5 No significant
difference

Note. When U exceeds 64.0, there is no significant difference between groups.

 105

In addition to determining the ranked importance of each of the servant leadership

characteristics, the data also provide evidence that those characteristics identified as less

important are in fact important to respondents. Table 6 displays the minimum and

maximum ranking values for each of the servant leadership characteristics, by response

group. Though healing, persuasion, and foresight were identified as the characteristics

least important to the organizational culture of Zappos management, each of those

characteristics, and indeed each of the 10 characteristics, was ranked as most important,

as second most important, or as third most important by at least one respondent. One can

infer, therefore, that at least to some degree, all of the servant leadership characteristics

are important to respondents.

Table 6

Minimum and Maximum Ranking Values for Each of the Servant Leadership
Characteristics, by Response Group

Composite Management Associate

group group group
Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.
Servant leadership commitment rank rank rank rank rank rank

Building community 1 10 1 9 1 10
Commitment to growth of people 1 10 1 9 1 10
Listening 1 9 1 9 1 8
Stewardship 1 10 2 10 1 9
Empathy 2 9 2 9 2 9
Conceptualization 2 10 3 10 2 9
Awareness 1 10 2 10 1 9
Healing 1 10 1 10 3 10
Persuasion 1 10 2 10 1 10
Foresight 1 10 1 10 2 10
 106

Research Question 2 and Corresponding

Survey Questions

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of

employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in

which they serve?

During the first two interview questions, the top three servant leadership

characteristics were identified by both groups of participants as listening, community

building, and commitment to growth of people. As a result of that knowledge, an

interview question was derived to correspond with Research Question 2: “Of the

following servant leadership characteristics, listening, community building, and

commitment to growth of people, please provide one or more examples of how these

servant leadership characteristics are demonstrated in the organizational culture of

Zappos, Inc. by management and coworkers.”

Under the servant leadership characteristic of listening, two major themes were

identified: (a) meetings and (b) feedback. Theme 1, meetings, emerged with 17 of 18

(94%) participants providing examples of listening. The following examples from the

participant responses reveal the theme:

A prime example of how listening is demonstrated by Zappos management/

leadership is that we have a quarterly All-Hands Meeting where the leaders of the
company present to the entire company the last quarter’s financial results and
discuss business trends they are seeing and priorities of the company. As part of
the All-Hands, employees are encouraged to provide questions beforehand or
stand up live and ask questions to the top 4 executives of the company in a Q&A
session. First, the fact that we shut down the company for an afternoon each
quarter shows the leadership’s emphasis on communication throughout the
company and the fact that they open in up to a Q&A session shows they are
interested in listening to the employees. (P1, personal communication, February
11, 2013)
 107

Managers are expected to spend 20% of their time offsite with their employees.
(P2, personal communication, February 13, 2013)

We also ask that a manager spend at a minimum 20% of their time outside of the
office with their fellow employees. (P3, personal communication, February 14,
2013).

Also, an example is our Quarterly All Hands Meetings—the entire company

attends and we do an open Q&A with senior leaders and all employees. (P4,
personal communication, February 8, 2013)

We want people to feel like they can ask anything and that is what the town halls
are all about—all of tech is welcome to come and ask the leadership team any
questions they’d like about their work, benefits, culture, etc. (P5, personal
communication, February 11, 2013)

Aside from the “All Hands” meeting, “Tech All Hands,” “Town hall” meetings,
and regular “1 on 1”s, zappos encourages communication across cross functional
teams (groups that work in different disciplines but work on the same
product/project). We also have “skip meetings” which allows team members to
meet with their manager’s manager so they can provide direct feedback about
their manager. (P8, personal communication, February 13, 2013)

An example of this is monthly one on ones with team members in order to better
the work environment. (P10, personal communication, February 15, 2013)

We also have an “Ask Anything” event that allows team members to meet with
management in a group setting and ask any questions they may want. (P12,
personal communication, February 8, 2013)

Listening—multiple avenues to ask questions and provide feedback . . . ask

anything dl, all hands meetings, skip meetings with Supervisors, Zuddles (Zappos
huddles that happen weekly), etc. (P13, personal communication, February 11,
2013)

Listening is important here for both management and associates. It is something

that has to be conscious in order for it to work. There is a difference between
listening and hearing. This happens during various meetings. (P14, personal
communication, February 15, 2013)

Anything from one on one meetings with team members to entire team buildings.
(P17, personal communication, February 14, 2013)
 108

A rep can approach any member of our management team without intimidation.
(P20, personal communication, February 13, 2013)

As a leadership team we have weekly meetings to set goals with each team
member and circle back to make sure goals have been completed the next week.
(P21, personal communication, February 20, 2013)

Zappos leaders, often focus on these characteristics by meeting with team

members for weekly “1 on 1’s” to discuss and listen to anything and everything
that might be on their minds. (P24, personal communication, February 8, 2013).

We also have an email address that employees can send ANY question to called
Ask Anything and they will always get a real response from the right responder.
(P26, personal communication, February 5, 2013)

Then they take the time to give us open and honest feedback based on the results
and make changes as they are able to. (P27, personal communication, February
16, 2013)

An example of, a fellow Zapponian’s birthday was approaching and all she talked
about was wanting to go see the Broadway play “Wicked” at the Smith’s Center.
She’s a huge fan of Broadway plays and musicals a like so, for about 1 month all
we heard her talk about was how excited she was that “Wicked” was coming. She
wasn’t able to buy any reasonably priced tickets so, a fellow Zapponian placed a
wish through our internal Wishes program and the we were able to surprise the
birthday girl with tickets to see “Wicked.” The best part of all, the tickets were
seats in Tony’s personal box and they are the BEST seats in the house. (P30,
personal communication, February 20, 2013)

Theme 2, feedback, emerged with 12 of 18 (67%) of participants providing

examples. The following examples from participant responses reveal the theme:

As part of the process, the leadership had several meetings with employees
seeking employee feedback on the move and suggestions on how to improve the
working conditions and culture of the company in the new facilities. There were
many employee committees formed to provide input. These are prime examples
of how Zappos exemplifies listening to its employees. (P1)

If you are going to know your employees you have to listen to them and process
the information they share. (P2)
 109

One other example is that we love surveys and survey employees frequently from
everything to happiness level to benefits to see what they want, need, are looking
for. (P4)

We want people to feel like they can ask anything and that is what the town halls
are all about—all of tech is welcome to come and ask the leadership team any
questions they’d like about their work, benefits, culture, etc. The ask anything
boxes are put around the areas of tech to allow people to ask anonymous
questions of the tech managers and then responses are sent out via regular emails.
Tech managers take these questions to heart and listen to the concerns in these
questions. (P5)

One of the ways Zappos helps us grow is giving us a chance to pitch new ideas to
them about how we can make our company better as well as make our
community. (P7, personal communication, February 17, 2013)

We also have “skip meetings” which allows team members to meet with their
manager’s manager so they can provide direct feedback about their manager. (P8)

They listen to our concerns and use our suggestions to remedy any of those
concerns. (P10)

It’s very well-known and shared that a great idea can come from anywhere.
Within CLT (Customer Loyalty Team), a lot of ideas have come from team
members on the floor and have been implemented into our department. (P12)

By building open and honest relationships with communication and being

adventurous enough to be creative and open-minded we have become skilled at
doing more with less. This isn’t just a job, it’s our way of life. (P22, personal
communication, February 21, 2013)

We talk to them about their hopes for progression within the Zappos family and
even in their personal lives. We are there for them when they need emotional as
well as professional support and strive to help them achieve and goals they may
have set for themselves. (P24)

We also have an email address that employees can send ANY question to called
Ask Anything and they will always get a real response from the right responder.
(P26)

Then they take the time to give us open and honest feedback based on the results
and make changes as they are able to. (P27)
 110

Under the servant leadership characteristic, growth of people, one major theme

was identified: personal development. Personal development emerged as a major theme

as 20 of 22 (91%) of participants who provided examples of growth of people cited it

directly. The following are examples of participant responses which reveal the theme:

For Commitment to Growth of People, in our All Hands Meetings, there are
generally three outside speakers (generally authors or entrepreneurs) that speak to
our employees about their experiences or specialties. These speakers are
generally very thought-provoking and energetic. The employees typically feel
very inspired and in many cases have led to employees supporting new initiatives.
(P1)

Zappos is committed to promoting from within. This is driving by progression

planning. Each department is asked to provide their employees with a
progression plan. This helps the employee understand what they need to do to get
to the next level. (P2)

I feel the best example of this is the progression plan we have structured for
employees in merchandising. It incorporates constant communication between
the manager and the employee. It also incorporates a commitment to helping that
employee grow through real life experiences with their manager. (P3)

Again, another core value of ours “Pursue Growth and Learning.” All
departments have a progression plan to help employees grow, we have ZapposU,
our internal training team, all new hires go through 4 weeks of onboarding/
training, and teams have a budget component of employee education. (P4)

There is a big focus on development of individuals. In tech, there is budget set

aside for training throughout the year for individuals. We have also created the
APPLE (Applied Performance + Progression + Leadership for Employees)
program as well as the LSP (leadership success profile). APPLE was initiated to
ensure employees and their managers have the information and structure needed
for an objective look at the successes and challenges of their current job and the
specific things on which they need to focus for development and progression. (P5)

Commitment to growth—there is a pipeline team that is dedicated to developing

the skill set of internal employees so they can progress within the company. We
have internally internships where individuals can work in other departments. We
do lunch n learns where people can learn about other disciplines within the
company. (P6, personal communication, February 18, 2013)
 111

At Zappos the commitment to growth is very important they are always pushing
us to better our self’s and gives us the tools to do so. One of the ways Zappos
helps us grow is giving us a chance to pitch new ideas to them about how we can
make our company better as well as make our community. (P7)

Aside from the “All Hands” meeting, “Tech All Hands,” “Town hall” meetings,
and regular “1 on 1”s, zappos encourages communication across cross functional
teams (groups that work in different disciplines but work on the same
product/project). (P8)

Zappos management has always shown commitment in developing us as

employees and being there steadfast for us if we need a bigger push to achieve the
goal at hand. An examples of this can be seen in our zappos university where
employees can learn new skills and excel in the work place. (P10)

Pursuing Growth and Learning is our 5th Core Value and it doesn’t just apply us
individually but, we’re committed as a leadership team to provide growth
opportunities to all our team members. In our Customer Loyalty Department, we
grow our leadership team from within. None of our leaders, including our
Director was hired in a role initially higher than answering calls. (P11, personal
communication, February 19, 2013)

Zappos does an amazing job to help with the growth of their people. We have
classes, that any employee can take, ranging from learning about the Zappos
history, to improving your grammar and spelling! One of our Core Values is to
Pursue Growth and Learning. Zappos does a great job with offering avenues to
do so. (P12)

Core Value #5 reads Pursue Growth and Learning. Zappos encourages its
employees to better ourselves personally and professionally. Classes ranging
from Grammar to Zappos History are offered every month. You are free to take
these classes as you please. Zappos also offers and on-site goals coach.
(Omitted) meets with members from all of the Zappos family. She helps us with
achieving 30 day goals. (P15, personal communication, February 20, 2013)

Commitment to the growth of people is demonstrated by management in

encouraging employees to “pursue growth and learning” (core value #5). They
give us time out of our busy days to take Zappos Classes to help us grow. (P16,
personal communication, February 19, 2013)

Zappos’ fifth core value is Pursue Growth and Learning. We like to think that
everyone has the opportunity to become a leader in this company. We’re not
necessarily talking about a leader that goes into the management field; we’re
talking about a leader and driver of our culture. Here at Zappos, we offer all of
 112

our employees the opportunity to grow and chase their passions. We also offer
classes through our ZapposU Team that focus on our Zappos history, our culture,
and different skills that may pertain to an employee’s job. These classes are
taught by fellow Zapponians, and yes, our employees do get paid for attending
these classes during company work hours. (P20)

As far as the commitment to the growth of people here at Zappos we definitely

make sure we take our time with progression, focus of what our team members
are interested in, and ways we can help them succeed. (P21, personal
communication, February 20, 2013)

We believe that the pursuit of growth and learning coupled with passion and
determination to embrace and drive change allows us to exceed expectations. By
building open and honest relationships with communication and being
adventurous enough to be creative and open-minded we have become skilled at
doing more with less. This isn’t just a job, it’s our way of life. (P22)

We are always encouraging or are encouraged to peruse our own growth and
learning, either in the current positions we are in or if it means the change of a job
title. It is not frowned upon if someone wants to pursue their passions. (P23,
personal communication, February 8, 2013)

We talk to them about their hopes for progression within the Zappos family and
even in their personal lives. We are there for them when they need emotional as
well as professional support and strive to help them achieve and goals they may
have set for themselves. As leaders, part of our job is to help guide our team
members into the direction that may fit them best, even if they may not be sure of
themselves in those roles. (P24)

Whoever you want to be and whatever you want to do Zappos encourages it and
helps you get there. We have several pipeline class (new ones come all the time)
that are open to any employee and encourage growth. You’re also encouraged to
apply for new positions that interest you. (P27)

When one of our team members was interested in applying for a position in
another department he discovered that the job posting had closed. The manager
of the department had the job reposted so this person could apply. Also other
members of that team went out their way to give advice on the interview process
and gave this person a great deal of support. (P28, personal communication,
February 20, 2013)

Under the servant leadership characteristic of community building, two major

themes emerged: (a) charity work and (b) investing in the development of the
 113

neighborhood and participation in the downtown Las Vegas revitalization. The first

theme, charity work, was identified by 10 of 14 (71%) participants who provided

examples of community building. The following example responses from participants

reveal the theme:

Also internally, we have a team in HR called PEACE who coordinates a large

Charity budget which frequently is focused on local organizations. (P4)

Community Building—actively involved in the rebuilding of downtown, hosts

events like Marathon, Color Run and Corporate Challenge, Teams regularly
volunteer for NCC and local food shelters. (P6)

Zappos also goes out into the local and national community to spread are values
of a family unit in the work place. (P10)

Zappos does a great job with helping the community, whether it be through
charity, or even volunteering. (P12)

Community building—our PEACE team puts out monthly “karma adventures” to

volunteer time at three square or the animal foundation. (P13)

Core Value #7 reads to Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit. This doesn’t
only apply to within the company. We want to bring our community together as
one. We want to be one big happy family. (P15)

With regard to community building: In July of 2009 Tony advised us that

Amazon would be purchasing Zappos.com. I had been with the company since
August of 2006. I have to admit I didn’t see that one coming. In retrospect, I
believe that sale was the financial catalyst for what was to come later. We have
always been encouraged to build relationships with those we work with. In
October of 2010 Tony sent us an email with a link to an article by Malcom
Gladwell. Basically the article was about activism and whether or not social
media has the effect on activism that people believe it does. While I enjoyed the
article, the words Tony wrote stayed with me “ Our culture and our relationships
are built through lots of in-person interactions inside and outside the office. The
more true friendships we can build at Zappos (as opposed to just co-worker
relationships), the higher our chances are of changing the world.” “Delivering
Happiness is our revolution.” (P18, personal communication, February 21, 2013)
 114

We build a community together by engaging in team building outside of work.

Examples of this include bowling, game nights at someone’s house, or
volunteering within our community. (P24)

Every month, the PEACE Keepers team sets up several opportunities for all of
Zappos to participate in community events. Example of these events are: to help
the local animal shelter and walk the dogs, read to kids at a near-by elementary
school, or help clean and recycle soap for a worldwide organization. (P25,
personal communication, February 11, 213)

Zappos is a community of individuals brought together by their own passions and

love for one another. The WISHEZ program is an internal platform where
employees can express something that they need in their lives. Other employees
can read the requests (listening) and fulfill them for others. It helps improve the
community and in some cases helps employees meet new people that they
wouldn’t otherwise interact with. (P26)

Theme 2, the downtown revitalization of Las Vegas by relocating corporate

headquarters and investing into the surrounding neighborhood, was identified as a major

theme with 9 of 14 (64%) of participants providing examples. The following examples

from the participant responses reveal the theme:

Community Building is exemplified by the selection of our new Downtown Las

Vegas corporate office campus. Zappos could have selected a secluded corporate
campus in a Las Vegas suburb, but instead wanted to participate in helping
rejuvenate the Downtown area and be a part of the community. The planned
infusion of Zappos 1,500 employees into Downtown is creating a resurgence of
small businesses including restaurants, bars and other service providers. But
more than that, Zappos is working with the government and area businesses to be
a good corporate citizen. (P1)

We always want to give back to our community. We have a whole team

dedicated to community building, specifically in downtown Las Vegas. In fact,
Tony Hsieh, our CEO, has made a new company, Downtown Project, to revitalize
downtown. (P4)

Community Building—actively involved in the rebuilding of downtown, hosts

events like Marathon, Color Run and Corporate Challenge, Teams regularly
volunteer for NCC and local food shelters. (P6)
 115

With our move downtown, it’s going to be great to have Zappos be in the heart of
downtown. We will be able to become intertwined with the community/city. We
will be in the mix of things and bring out culture downtown to contribute and
grow! (P12)

Our CEO, Tony Hshieh, has done a tremendous job of rebuilding Downtown Las
Vegas. He has revitalized downtown and in the fall of 2013, Zappos will call
downtown home. Many employees have moved their living headquarters to near
or in downtown Las Vegas. This has created an initiative to clean-up a historic
part of Las Vegas. Zappos truly does care about the well-being of Las Vegas.
(P15)

In November of 2010, Tony advised us that The future Zappos Campus would be
developed from the current Las Vegas City Hall and before we knew it the
Downtown Project began. I have worked for some amazing companies, and I
may not agree with everything that takes place at Zappos, but I have never seen
the likes of this. If this evolution does not show commitment for growth of the
community I don’t know what would. The Downtown Project will bring and has
brought attention to this city. A city with one economic picture now has the
chance to diversify. Companies from all over the world, companies that offer
employment in many different fields are now interested in bringing offices to Las
Vegas. This will help strengthen our community and help the people of Zappos
and Las Vegas to grow. (P18)

When Zappos announced that we were moving Downtown, our focus quickly
shifted to building our local community. Our CEO, Tony Hsieh, has invested
$350 million dollars from his own pocket to help fund the revitalization of the
downtown community. Us Zappos employees are always being invited to
celebrations, parades, parties, gatherings, and more Downtown. We ultimately
want our employees to embrace and help grow our upcoming headquarters’
location. What better way to do that than to invite employees and their families to
fun and family-friendly activities Downtown. In addition, the community is
getting involved as well. There are a lot of start-up companies that have made
Las Vegas their home. Downtown in growing, and local businesses are opening
on a regular basis. Zappos and its employees are so excited about the opportunity
that we’ve been given to be a part of our changing community! (P20)

Community is huge for Zappos, especially with our efforts to revitalize

downtown. There are always events that Zappos hosts and invites the community
to come down to. (P27)

The most prevalent and appropriate example of a servant leadership characteristic

at this time has to be in the realm of community building. First to mind given
current initiatives is the substantial amount of work being done by Zappos in the
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Downtown Las Vegas community. There are multiple people getting involved in
every aspect of the downtown community to make it an amazing place where
everyone wants to be, not just better for Zappos employees as a result of the full
company move downtown scheduled for October 2013. From our entry level
employees up to our executive levels, there are people involved from almost
every area of the company. The amazing part is that this external community
building is an extra step beyond Zappos’ continuing efforts to build and maintain
a healthy and exciting internal community by providing each department and
team the necessary support to sustain strong personal and professional
connections with each other. (P29, personal communication, February 15, 2013)

The next survey question was, “Please provide one or more examples of how

listening, community building, and commitment to the growth of people influence your

interactions with coworkers at Zappos.” Under the first servant leadership characteristic,

listening, one major theme was discovered: communication/relationship building. The

theme of communication/relationship building was identified by 11 of 14 (79%)

participants who provided examples of listening. The following examples from

participant responses reveal the theme:

I think the company’s emphasis on Listening has influenced my interaction with

co-workers. I feel I spend a lot of time listening to my team and creating a
teamwork environment rather than an autocratic “here is how I want it done”
environment. (P1)

I am driven by communication and listening in my role at Zappos. I find that

listening to others concerns and successes is how I gauge the overall health of
tech and the company. It is good for context setting for me in a lot of discussions.
I ensure that I am available enough so that people feel they are heard. (P5)

Listening is a part of our culture, it doesn’t influence how we act it is just the type
of people we hire. WE only hire people that fit that mold. (P6)

I make sure to have 1 on 1s with all my direct reports. During my 1 on 1s, I’m
not only interested in getting a status update on the project they are working on,
but also I try to find out how they are doing on a personal level (are there any
issues with any other groups or people at work, or outside of work?). I don’t flat
out ask “do you have any problems at work, or at home?” but rather “how are you
doing?” (P8)
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The 10 core values that Zapponians hold dear to their heart allow me to be open
and honest in our communication with one another. (P10)

Listening influences my coworker interactions because I listen to my friends

whether it is work-related or not. This helps me understand not only what my
coworkers do, but the context as to why they do it. (P16)

For me, listening to our employees creates friendships and working relationships.
If there is a solid relationship built from communication and listening, trust
usually comes along with that. If I trust my coworker, then the work that we do
together will be just that much better. For example, one of my coworkers spoke
to me in confidence about a personal issue she was having at home. I simply sat
there and listened to her. That’s all she needed. Sometimes you just need a friend
to hear you and listen, and ultimately, be there for you. (P20)

As a lead it is my job to listen to my team member’s needs. Whether their needs

are stated or not I try to always make myself available and aware of how they are
feeling so I can help them personally or professionally. (P21)

By listening to the input and ideas of one another we are able to communicate
more effectively as co-workers, making identifying problems that may arise easier
to resolve. Keeping open lines of communication aid in passing along accurate
information and this interaction strengthens the team by building trust. (P22)

Zappos employees often have an uncanny ability to listen better than many people
I have encountered at other companies. On top of being coworkers, we are often
friends outside of work and therefore grow bonds that allow us to read deeper into
the words of those around us. Because we are often more than just coworkers, we
are invested in the personal growth of those around us, professionally and
personally. (P24)

By listening intently to what coworkers either say or don’t say (through actions),
I’m able to understand them better, gain a certain level of trust, and ensure I’m
doing my best to add happiness to each individual and maintain. (P29)

Under the servant leadership characteristic of commitment to growth of people,

there was one major theme: personal development. Personal development emerged as a

major theme as 18 of 19 (91%) of participants who provided examples of growth of

people cited it directly. The following are examples of participant responses which

reveal the theme:

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As for encouraging the growth of my employees, I encourage and support their

desires to attend the in-house Zappos classes that I previously mentioned. I also
encourage them to attend an offsite, third party seminar or conference each year to
increase their exposure to their work expertise as well as given them the chance to
travel. The biggest example is the Employee Development and Feedback process
we in the Finance Department developed to provide timely constructive feedback
to our Finance Employees. I found it interesting that there is no company-wide,
consistent format in reviewing employees. It is up to each department to develop
their own system. (P1)

While at Zappos I have grown in my career. There have been people along the
way that have been committed to helping me grow into the position I am in today.
Having this example has helped me do the same for others. In my opinion, the
best way to inspire people is by doing and sharing. If you have a good
relationship with an employee and they see you practicing what you preach they
are more apt to follow that lead. It is very important to find ways to inspire
people vs managing people. (P2)

I believe these above all influence my interactions by making me think about each
individual I interact with. It encourages me to be conscious of my impact on
those individuals and to strive to create deeper relationships with those people. It
encourages me to spend more outside the office time with those people and to
grow relationships to be more collaborative vs top down. (P3)

I oversee Recruiting and ZapposU and on the ZapposU side as mentioned, we

handle internal training. So a large piece of my job is to make sure we continue to
launch classes to help employees grow. We are currently focusing on launching a
leadership training program. (P4)

Because of the training class Zappos provides to all employees no matter what
position you are hired for makes you meet and interact with employees from all
departments and really brings you out of your shell. (P7)

On folks that require a little help, I try to make extra time, to sit with them and
provide them the support they may need. Often times, things are as simple as
giving them pointers on writing effective emails, coaching them before going to a
meeting, sharing with them pointers after a meeting, etc. As far as technical
skills, I try to point them towards folks that can help them do their work, as
opposed to simply providing them documentation (“let me ask so and so if he has
time to show you how to do x”). (P8)

The servant leadership style at Zappos allows me to focus on the individual needs
of coworkers. I am empowered to help people grow and to help them realize their
potential. (P9, personal communication, February 16, 2013)
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One of my main focuses is to help those on my team grow . . . well, actually, to

help anyone grow. They don’t just have to be on my team for me to be a
resource. That’s how it is here for our Leadership team as well. We need to be
approachable so everyone is comfortable coming to us. (P12)

It also allows me to make decisions on how I can assist in developing my team.

(P14)

When you take a class at Zappos, you do so with other team members from all
departments. These classes are designed for you to engage with people you do
not necessarily see or talk to on an everyday basis. Not only am I bettering
myself professionally, I am interacting with other members of Zappos. It is an
awesome experience. (P15)

The commitment to the growth of people has influenced my interactions with

coworkers because I have actually had the opportunity to do presentations to new
hire groups. Months or years later I will meet up with people who attended these
presentations and they will tell me how I impacted them. They feel comfortable
with approaching me because they feel connected to me in some way. If my
ability to take classes and apply for internships was not there, I don’t think these
interactions would happen as frequently as they do. (P18)

In my role as a Lead, in addition to my usual administrative duties, my biggest job

is to cultivate the people under me. The way I do this is by having monthly one
on ones with each of my team members. During these meetings we discuss pretty
much whatever they want whether it be personal or professional goals or any
concerns that they may have. I find that having these one on ones helps me to get
to know them on a more personal level and this helps me when opportunities arise
to recognize if one of my folks would be a great fit for the opportunity. I recently
had an employee who was really passionate about going the leadership path but
one of her areas of opportunity was building relationships. No one seemed to
know who she was even though her work was impeccable. The problem was that
it was very hard her to build relationships due to shyness. A few months later,
another opportunity arose for a position that involved the candidate serving as a
scheduler for all of managements meetings and events. I felt that this was a
perfect opportunity for her because she would get the chance to meet all of the
right people while showcasing her skills needed to do the job. (P19, personal
communication, February 13, 2013)

Because I’m a trainer, this particular category speaks true to what I do. We are
committed to the growth of our employees. For my coworkers who voice their
concerns about feeling “stuck” in a position, I always recommend that they take
some of our ZapposU classes. In addition, our company encourages employees to
shadow with different departments. (P20)
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As a lead it is my job to listen to my team member’s needs. Whether their needs

are stated or not I try to always make myself available and aware of how they are
feeling so I can help them personally or professionally. (P21)

When I had decided to go the leadership path, I always felt comfortable going to
the current leadership team to ask questions and their opinions that would help me
succeed. Because the commitment to help people grow no matter what position
they hold in the company is open to help someone achieve their goals. (P23)

Zappos is all about entrepreneurialism. By having a conversation with developers

in the café, you could find yourself in a focus group for a new site feature or even
a non-Zappos related startup. The fact that so many employees go on to launch
their own businesses and get funding is a testament to employees helping one
another grow and being there for one another whenever necessary. Our offices
have also been designed to create more serendipitous interactions and inspire
people to cowork, even if they are from different teams. (P26)

When team members are interested in moving to another team we encourage them
to do so. We support them and help them weigh the pros and cons. One of our
team members resigned to take a 6 week trip and we had to fill her spot. When
she was ready to come back we created a position within our department for her.
(P28)

Working in the Zappos family, there are many opportunities to pursue growth and
learning. A fellow Zapponian thought I would make an excellent tour guide and
reached out to me about applying when the position opened up. I was really
nervous about moving outside of customer service, which is the department I was
in at the time, and although I’d heard that management will support you in
anything you want to do, I was still nervous about speaking to my supervisor
about the position. When I finally got up the courage to let my supervisor know
that the Culture Guide position was something I was interested in, I was relieved
to have her support and also her help. She mentioned to me that the overall role
of management is to help their team members grow and progress in the company.
Every Zapponian that I know that has received a promotion or has moved to
another team/department in the company, has only been able to do so because of
the support that they have received from management. (P30)

Under the servant leadership characteristic of community building, two major

themes emerged: charity work and team building. The first theme, charity work, was

identified by 7 of 10 (70%) participants who provided examples of community building.

The following responses from participants reveal the theme:

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I love attending charity and community events and encourage my team to get
involved in these frequent events too. (P4)

We also try to partner with groups outside of our own to build a stronger tech
community. And then of course there is the greater LV community—one of our
team events last year was through the working with Habitat for Humanity. It was
a really nice was for us to bond as a team through helping people in the
community. (P5)

I think it’s great to be a part of a company that wants to help grow the connection
with the surrounding community; to be more than just a business. It’s been fun
volunteering while I’ve worked here as well. (P12)

We often build community together when going out on the weekends downtown
and volunteering at several charities. (P15)

I have even had the opportunity to impact people with other companies because
we are encouraged to build relations ships with the community. (P18)

We often build community together when going out on the weekends downtown
and volunteering at several charities. (P24)

Theme 2, team building, was identified as a major theme with 10 of 10 (100%) of

participants providing examples. The following participant responses reveal the theme:

An example of community building with my teammates is that as a manager of

the company, I am expected to spend 20% of my time with my team outside of
the work environment. The company encourages me to take my team out for
happy hours, bowling events, golf, bingo, (whatever my team would like to do
outside the office.) The hope is that we can get to know each other better and
have fun so that we work together better and have each other’s backs. I think it is
very successful and that I have a close-knit group. (P1)

I believe these above all influence my interactions by making me think about each
individual I interact with. It encourages me to be conscious of my impact on
those individuals and to strive to create deeper relationships with those people. It
encourages me to spend more outside the office time with those people and to
grow relationships to be more collaborative vs top down. An example of all of
this is the times we have had team outings (including one over to my house). We
do this regularly and it helps in the bonds between not only management but
between employees. (P3)
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I always keep Community building in mind when setting up team events. I think
community can mean a lot. There is the direct community of the teams I manage
so keeping those relationships strong through team outings to bars, restaurants and
events is important. We also try to partner with groups outside of our own to
build a stronger tech community. (P5)

In ZCLT, (Zappos Customer Loyalty Team) we have over 600 people in our
department so one of the ways our interactions are influenced is with the multiple
team building activities we conduct. One of the many activities we do is meals
with a member of your leadership team. This is where we take team members
from different teams out to a meal to get to know them and for them to get to
know their leadership team. We also do quarterly Z-Mixers, where different
teams get together to get to know each other better. (P11)

I think it’s great to be a part of a company that wants to help grow the connection
with the surrounding community; to be more than just a business. It’s been fun
volunteering while I’ve worked here as well. (P12)

We often build community together when going out on the weekends downtown
and volunteering at several charities. (P15)

They feel comfortable with approaching me because they feel connected to me in

some way. If my ability to take classes and apply for internships was not there, I
don’t think these interactions would happen as frequently as they do. (P18)

A lot of Zappos’ vents take place Downtown, and we’re encouraged to join in the
fun! For example, in December, Zappos held a Zappos Family Trivia Night at a
local Downtown hotel call The El Cortez. Me and four of my coworkers and I
joined a team called The Drunken Penguins, and we all got together to join in the
trivia fun. There were cocktails served as we tried answering off-the-wall kinds
of questions. The Drunken Penguins ended up coming-in in 10th place, but we
still had a wonderful, wonderful time! (P20)

I hang out with my coworkers outside of work, so they’re not just coworkers,
they’re my friends. A group of my friends (coworkers) and I go out every Friday
night and play bingo or see a movie and have dinner. It’s become a tradition.
Any stresses that I have about my personal life or work or whatever it may be I
can talk to them about. It’s a great feeling. At Zappos coworkers = friends &
family. (P27)

Working in the Zappos family, there are many opportunities to pursue growth and
learning. A fellow Zapponian thought I would make an excellent tour guide and
reached out to me about applying when the position opened up. I was really
nervous about moving outside of customer service, which is the department I was
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in at the time, and although I’d heard that management will support you in
anything you want to do, I was still nervous about speaking to my supervisor
about the position. When I finally got up the courage to let my supervisor know
that the Culture Guide position was something I was interested in, I was relieved
to have her support and also her help. She mentioned to me that the overall role
of management is to help their team members grow and progress in the company.
Every Zapponian that I know that has received a promotion or has moved to
another team/department in the company, has only been able to do so because of
the support that they have received from management. (P30)

The next question, corresponding to Research Question 2 asked, “Please provide

one or more examples of how listening, community building, and commitment to the

growth of people influence your interactions with customers at Zappos.” Under the

servant leadership characteristic, listening, there was one major theme that emerged:

relationship building. Relationship building emerged as a theme as 21 of 22 (95%)

participants who responded with examples of listening provided examples of relationship

building. The following participant responses reveal the theme:

When every new employee (no matter what job or at what level) joins the
company, the first month of employment includes full-time training on the
company’s core values, history and call center training. The last two weeks of the
four week training includes full-time answering the phones, talking to customers,
fulfilling orders and dealing with customer complaints/issues. I think the #1
instruction is to listen to the customer and do whatever it takes to WOW the
customer. We are encouraged to make the customer happy and build the
customer connection so that the customer feels their needs are exceeded so that
they will tell a friend about their customer experience. Many times it is just
talking to the customer—asking them how the weather is in their area, how their
day is going, complementing them on the shoes they are interested in, etc. I found
the experience of talking to our customers to be very rewarding to me personally.
First, it was nice to hear that there are so many people who love our company—a
fact that reinforced my decision to join the company. (P1)

Customer includes candidates who apply for jobs at Zappos. Unlike most other
Recruiting depts, we get back to every single candidate who applies and review
every resume. No “black hole” here when you send in your resume. Also, if a
candidate asks why they weren’t selected, we openly provide feedback on why
not and also tips on how to improve where applicable—maybe resume needs
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work or interview skills or need more experience—we openly discuss these things
with candidates and listen to their concerns. (P4)

Listening to customers is emphasized throughout the hiring process and CLT

class—it is important to always have the customer in mind when making
decisions in the company. (P5)

With no call times you can really get to know our customers and help them with
all there need witch is very nice you never fell rushed and gives you a chance to
really WOW them. (P7)

Customers come first :) Make sure you listen to the customer, and try to address
any issues or concerns they may have. Always treat the customer with respect
and try to wow them. And most importantly, treat everyone you work with as
customers. (P8)

It allows us to form real, lasting, relationships with our customers. To listen and
serve their needs allows us to be stronger as a company. Zappos was built off the
way we interact with people. Whether that’s a coworker, vendor, customer, or
stranger. Essentially it can be distilled down to what you learned before
kindergarten. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. (P9)

For me in the position that I work in the zappos family my customers are the
zappos family members. I work in the maintenance department so when any of
the family members need things repaired the call on me. For me to wow my
customers I really have to be committed to doing the repair in a timely and
friendly manner. This is made easier by always have the right tools and materials
to complete the job at hand. This is accomplished by my managers listening and
responding to my needs. (P10)

We’re a service company that’s constantly committed to Wowing our customers

by providing the best possible service every day. We coach our team members on
a weekly basis to that end by listening to calls and allowing them to listen to their
own calls. One of our biggest goals is to focus on building a personal emotional
connection with our customers because may not always remember what you did
but, they will always remember how you made them feel. (P11)

Our customers are our utmost importance. We are here because of them and we
are here for them. It’s very important to listen to our customers. We want to
make sure they have a great experience every time they shop with us/contact us.
Listening to them to make sure we understand their requests is a must-do, as we
want to let them know we understand and are here to help them. (P12)
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Listening allows us to be very customer-centric and to be all about service.

Community building allows us to connect with customers on a personal level so
that they know that we are more than just a business. (P13)

I deal with vendors, but I understand how my interactions with them contribute to
their growth. I can accomplish that by listening well. (P14)

My customers at Zappos are fellow employees. Listening to them helps me

understand their needs and how I can make them happy in working with them.
(P16)

Because I work in the CLT department, I have direct contact with Zappos
customers on a daily basis. We are not restricted in what we say to our customers.
In fact we are required to build a Personnel, Emotional connection with every
customer. At times this can be challenging, but most times there is a thread that
allows connection to the customer. On that rare occasion you develop a
connection that clearly resembles a friendship and that is what makes us stand
apart from other companies. (P18)

Listening is the keystone to our customer interactions. We don’t have call times
in order to allow our employees to have genuine conversations with our
customers. We invite them to visit our office and have in the past, even flown
some customers out to celebrate our 10 year milestone with us. We truly do think
of customer as family. (P19)

Listening influences my actions with customers because we, as employees, are

empowered to make decisions that can “wow” our customers. Unlike other
companies, where reps would need to consult a manager to make an exception or
bend the rules, our reps are 100% allowed to make the call. (P20)

We have always been dedicated to going above and beyond for each customer.
Listening is the most important part of that because that is how we can determine
what is needed. An example of this would be when a customer calls looking to
process a refund. By listening to reason for the return we are able to determine
what they really need and educate them of their options such as an exchange or
store credit. This is something that is a part of our quality expectations. (P21)

As it pertains to our customer’s relations, Zappos is in the business of providing a

memorable customer experience so we try as best we can to connect with our
customers. We listen to accurately assist in aiding our customer in any way that
we can. Open lines of communication helps us to continue to improve our user
experience. The feedback gives us the opportunity to pinpoint precisely, the
customer’s wants and needs and the means to provide these things in a timely
fashion. (P22)
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If I wasn’t an active listener, I would not be able to help my customers to my full

potential. Active listening allows me to pick up sounds in the background, that
may lead to a more personal interaction which in turn makes the customers feel
that they are talking to a friend and not just some stranger on the other end. (P23)

Our lack of scripts here at Zappos allows for us to treat our customers like we
treat our friends. I feel confident in saying that every employee at Zappos has had
at least one (if not every) call that has resulted in an extended conversation about
some sort of shared hobby, hometown, sports team, etc. We really listen to the
needs of our customers and are able to assist them in the most efficient way
possible because there are no time limits to our calls. We are committed to the
growth of people as is evident by our history of lengthy phone calls with
customers who have never intended to buy, return, or exchange anything from
Zappos but that just want to talk. We have kept them company and in many cases
made their day. (P24)

We use a social listening platform to monitor all conversations across the web
where Zappos is mentioned and then graph those interactions based on sentiment:
positive, neutral, negative. This helps us identify opportunities to deliver WOW
when customers need it and gives us the ability to show gratitude to our
customers. (P26)

Just like Zappos listens to me, I listen to what our customers have to say and try to
improve them and ensure that they have the best customer experience possible. I
feel like “wowing” is now embedded in me. (P27)

Our life coach, Augusta, is one of the easiest people to talk to. She always has
great advice and she’s great at listening to others. More often than not when I feel
like I’m just venting to her about my frustrations or difficulties, she always does
or says something to me, days after I’ve had an initial conversation with her, to
reassure me that she was listening to me ramble. (P30)

Under the servant leadership characteristic, community building, there was one

major theme that emerged: relationship building. Relationship building emerged as a

theme as 7 of 10 (70%) participants who responded with examples of community

building provided examples of relationship building. The following participant responses

reveal the theme:

Next, it build community with my new hire class mates as it is if we all went
through boot camp together. I am always running into these former classmates
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that work in other areas of the company and we will forever have that bond.
Lastly, it gave me great pride in my company because I believe they are doing it
the right way—focus on employees and customers and the profits will follow. I
think this training hits on all three characteristics—listen to your customer, build
community with your customers and your co-workers as well as providing growth
to employees by learning more about customers, our business and our teammates.
(P1)

If you are happy in your job and feel ownership in what you do you want to
provide great service to your customers. If you are appreciated and receive
recognition for your hard work, you want to help customers as well as the
company. For me, Zappos has been the best place I have ever worked. This
makes me want to help Zappos succeed and the foundation of that success is
customer service, so that drives me everyday to provide the best customer service
I can. (P2)

An example of the above might be the interactions each of our employees

regardless of position have during the holidays with our customers. We all spend
10 hours on the phone with the customers helping with returns, orders and
questions. This enables our employees and myself to understand the needs of the
customer and how our interactions can either create fans or create haters of our
brand. (P3)

Customer here would be folks who shop on our site—we get asked by lots of
Zappos fans/customers to help in their nonprofits and are happy to do so when we
can to help promote our community involvement. (P4)

Community Building is making a connection and developing a relationship with

your community. We love to make a connection with our customers. We want to
build a relationship with our customers. It’s always awesome when customers
provide feedback and they say they felt like they were talking with an old friend.
That’s a great experience. (P12)

We consider everyone to be our customers at Zappos. Engaging in events such as

the Corporate Challenge and various charity events, I get to meet people I
probably would have never met if I had not participated. My job requires me to
work with various brand reps outside of the company. I basically use information
provided by these reps to upload new products to our system. Not only do we
want to grow as a company, but we want our customers to grow as well. We
work hand in hand to make job more efficient and accurate. (P15)

One of our vendors started his own business. He originally worked for our
property managers. Because of the quality of service he provided to us when he
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became independent we use him instead of calling our property managers. When
we move to our new building will be offering him a position with us. (P28)

Under the servant leadership characteristic, commitment to growth of people,

there was one major theme that emerged: personal development. Personal development

emerged as a theme as 4 of 5 (80%) participants who responded with examples of

listening provided examples of personal development. The following participant

responses reveal the theme:

The other half of ZapposU is external training and again, I oversee this team that
helps external customers who want to learn more about how we operate in an
environment of culture, how to deliver wow service, and provide info, tips, tools
for other companies to grow if they want to transform their organizations to be
more focused on culture. (P4)

Helping employees grow within the role they’re in, or helping them grow into a
role they are passionate about, this helps make sure we are being the best we can.
When we help each other grow, it’s helping us become better in the roles we are
in. If we are becoming better, we will be able to better assist our customers. (P12)

Core Value #5 is Pursue Growth and Learning. This is very important to our
employees for many reasons, but one reason in particular is that it also effects
customer’s interactions with us. For example, we at ZapposU offer 40+ classes
for all employees to learn the in-and-outs of various subjects. Some subjects
include the history of Zappos, delivering happiness, and we also have a class that
helps you better understand each individual team members’ strength. With these
courses, our employees gain knowledge and awareness that they can then share
with customers. Often times, just knowing more about your company and it’s
culture can result in a better “wow” experience for our customers. (P20)

With our move downtown, more and more customers are getting interested in
becoming part of the plan. I have found myself working with people in the
community to teach them about the technology we use at Zappos for them to
apply to their own businesses (some examples include Delivering Happiness, First
Friday, Nacho Daddy and many startups). (P26)
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Research Question 3 and Corresponding

Survey Question

Research Question 3 asked, “How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an

employee disregards acceptable norms, or when he or she fails to perform to standards

expected from the organization?” The corresponding survey question asked, “Please

provide one or more examples of how conflicts are addressed when someone fails to meet

expectations within the frame work influenced by the servant leadership characteristics at

Zappos.” There were two major themes that emerged from the survey question. Those

themes were communication and coaching. Communication emerged as a theme as 24 of

28 (86%) of participants who responded to the survey question provided examples of

communication. The following participant responses reveal the theme:

When someone fails to meet expectations, it needs to be addressed immediately.

Generally, there is a meeting between the supervisor and the employee to address
the issue. (P1)

For my departments its all about trust and honesty. If someone falls below what
is expected it is important to have an honest conversation so the person knows
where they are falling short. (P2)

Conflicts are addressed head on. Generally if there is an opportunity with an

employee the manager will walk through what that was, what they did right in the
situation and how they could have improved. (P3)

When we do performance reviews, 50% of the review is based on culture fit. So

if someone is not meeting these, manager will address with employee. (P4)

I think people very much come together to discuss issues when there are failures
to meet expectations. I had an issue with another manager within tech. I felt very
comfortable (after talking it through with my manager) to have a frank
conversation with this other manager. I was open in the discussion that I felt he
wasn’t listening to his team and he wasn’t respecting the people on my team. He
was open to listening and has since changed some of the behavior that caused the
issue in the first place. (P5)
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Standard performance reviews are held and we have the same performance
policies as other companies. (P6)

If your work is starting to get sloppy they will meet with you and talk about it and
try to help find a solution to make everyone happy and get you back on track. (P7)

I like to bring people together and try to address concerns in discussion form,
rather than thru endless email chains. (P8)

The approach to conflicts varies from case to case. However, our goal is to help
people grow. Generally when conflicts arise we provide feedback about the
conflict and then provide an action plan for the employee. (P9)

When someone fails to meet the expectations of the position they are in at Zappos
they are informed of this in their one on one with their lead. (P10)

With our coaching and feedback model, we constantly strive provide the
necessary training and guidance needed to help our team members reach their
goals. (P11)

We want to make sure that the feedback we are providing is being turned into
positive action. (P12)

We like to keep open and honest communication with one another, so if there
were a conflict to be addressed, it would likely be addressed in a one-on-one
setting. (P13)

If a manager notices a team member not performing well, he/she might pull them
into a meeting to address the situation. (P15)

Conflicts are addressed by speaking one-on-one with an employee to determine

what contextual elements are affecting their behavior and what can be done to
work with the employee moving forward. (P16)

Communication is very important here at Zappos. If conflict arises, meetings are

held and the it brought to the attention right away. (P17)

When we have an employee not meeting expectations we offer feedback, extra

help from our learning department as well as one on one coaching. (P19)

We make an effort to be transparent with all policies and what is expected. (P21)
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Conflicts based off of expectations not being met is a clear indication of lack of
job performance and that would be addressed just like any other situation by using
open lines of communication. (P22)

We try to explain the situation and how the team member can improve as
explicitly as possible. We also try to approach it in a friendly manner instead of a
reproachful one which creates less hostility and makes the situation more
comfortable. (P24)

Zappos has a quarterly culture review for all employees, whether they are living
up to the leadership characteristics or not; however, each time has different ways
of delivering feedback. Our social team has a weekly team touch base and each
employee has a one-on-one with me every week. This is to address roadblocks,
deliver feedback (both ways, my feedback for them and their feedback for me),
craft a strategy for improvement etc. I have attached the culture assessment for
you so you can see how the scoring is done. (P26)

We have one-on-ones with our managers, culture reviews as well as quarterly

reviews. Your manager really works with you and keeps you in the loop. If
you’re not meeting expectations, your manager will communicate it to you and try
to help out however they can. (P27)

When someone is not meeting expectations within our department the first step is
to have a meeting with them to discuss the problem and see what we can do to
help them correct the issue. If after the discussion the expectations are still not
being met we give a final written warning. We can give more than one final
warning. We try to give as many chances as we can. We had a team member
who was having attitude issues and she was given multiple chances to change.
Over approx. 6 months she was talked to and given written warnings. (P28)

Without providing detailed examples, generally conflicts and poor performance

are addressed using the same characteristics mentioned in the first three questions.
Listening is again a primary focus. Zappos is a fast moving company with most
teams and individuals handling multiple initiatives at any given time. It is not
uncommon that miscommunications or misunderstandings are the source of the
problem. With this in mind, an individual that is not performing to expectations
first receives targeted verbal communication with their manager or team as
appropriate. If improvement is not made over a period of time that is determined
on a case by case basis, then additional follow-up is performed which may include
on-going focus meetings, written documentation, and as an absolute last resort
termination. (P29)
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The other major theme that was identified was coaching. Coaching emerged as a

theme as 20 of 28 (71%) of participants who responded provided examples of coaching.

The following participant responses reveal the theme:

Guidance is given to the employee on how to improve and change the behavior.
(P1)

During that conversation we not only point out the areas of concerns but discuss
how the employee plans to make the change as well as how we can help. We are
a team/family and our success is dependent on the members of our team, so sugar
coating or ignoring it harms everyone involved. We want people to succeed so
we need to be honest with people on what they need to improve. (P2)

Generally if there is an opportunity with an employee the manager will walk

through what that was, what they did right in the situation and how they could
have improved. We will make sure they understand fully what the issue was and
how to rectify it. (P3)

Depending on severity of gap between performance and expectation will dictate

how quickly we move to term vs work with employee to correct. (P4)

If your work is starting to get sloppy they will meet with you and talk about it and
try to help find a solution to make everyone happy and get you back on track. (P7)

Provide specific examples of what is causing the challenges we are facing, have
some solutions in mind, but ask them first to provide solutions themselves. (P8)

However, our goal is to help people grow. Generally when conflicts arise we
provide feedback about the conflict and then provide an action plan for the
employee. The employee will have a tangible goal to work towards. (P9)

Once they have been notified the employee is allowed to improve their
performance thru the counseling of their superiors and given ample opportunity to
work out any issues that they may be having with their performance. At zappos a
person not meeting their expectations is looked at as an opportunity to work with
the individual and help them achieve the level that they are expected to work at.
(P10)

If conflicts arise, we fall back on the coaching that we have delivered to make
sure we followed through on all of the additional scheduled training sessions and
that the team member has implemented that training. (P11)
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We want to make sure we are providing all necessary coaching for anyone who
isn’t meeting expectations. We want to give any and all tools to help better assist
them. We want to make sure that the feedback we are providing is being turned
into positive action. Also, we want to make sure that we are asking those who
aren’t meeting expectations what might better help them; giving them a chance to
let us know what may help better assist them. We all have a different way of
learning or grasping things. We want to make sure we do whatever we can to
help. (P12)

We not only try to identify the issue at hand, but also work on goals or ways to
improve. (P13)

We are coached when there is a problem and given an opportunity to fix the
problem. (P14)

By providing classes that go hand in hand with our everyday work, Zappos has
ensured that our employees will grow professionally and personally. (P15)

Conflicts are addressed by speaking one-on-one with an employee to determine

what contextual elements are affecting their behavior and what can be done to
work with the employee moving forward. (P16)

We set goals and follow up to make sure that they are being met. We are there for
them so we also ask what we can do to help them reach given goals and work
closely with them. (P19)

After we have laid out expectations and they still haven’t been met we move
forward with an action plan of how we can get the team member to where they
need to be. (P21)

The objective here at Zappos is for all employees to become successful. The
problem would be identified and a plan of action would be put in place to try to
improve the job performance through coaching and counseling. (P22)

We have a great coaching structure in place that allows someone who fails to see
how they failed and we offer them the tools and the time to correct the behavior.
(P23)

Our team members receive check-ups on the issues concerning them and are
given several opportunities and feedback in order to meet expectations. (P24)

This is to address roadblocks, deliver feedback (both ways, my feedback for them
and their feedback for me), craft a strategy for improvement etc. I have attached
the culture assessment for you so you can see how the scoring is done. (P26)
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Summary

The data for this study were collected using structured, open-ended questions.

The identity of each participant was protected as each was assigned an alphanumeric

identifier. Upon receipt of all responses, a single document was created and sent back to

all participants. Participants were given the opportunity to add to their responses or add

to the response of other participants. A second rater was utilized to ensure rater

reliability. A criterion of 60% of similar responses to a single question was established

for a major theme. The data revealed themes for each question, and corresponding

support was provided.

Research Question 1 was, “Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful

servant leadership is conducted at Zappos?” Supporting examples determined servant

leadership is conducted at Zappos. The characteristics identified were listening,

community building, and commitment to growth of people. Research question 2 asked,

“How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of

employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in

which they serve?” Examples provided specific details of associates and management

demonstrating these servant leadership characteristics, with specific examples provided to

identify themes under each characteristic. Research Question 3 asked, “How does

Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms, or when he or

she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?” Participants provided

specific examples of how the organization deals with employees who fail to meet
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expectations and disregard established norms, with major themes being communication

and coaching.
 CHAPTER V

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

There is currently a lack of research showing the effects of servant leadership on a

for-profit organization. The majority of research on servant leadership has been

conducted in nonprofit organizations (Dennis, 2004; Semler, 2007; Silvers, 2010). An

extensive review of literature introduced early leadership studies, leadership definitions,

current leadership styles, theories, and characteristics of leadership and leadership styles.

The literature also introduced the theory of servant leadership and finally, a brief

introduction to Zappos, Inc. This study identified the top three servant leadership

characteristics demonstrated by management, demonstrated as an organization as a

whole, how those characteristics influence interactions between coworkers and

customers, and finally, how situations are handled when an employee fails to meet

performance and cultural expectations set by Zappos.

Using the dynamic narrative approach, or DNA, data were gathered from both

associates and management of Zappos from a wide range of departments, including but

not limited to maintenance and facilities, customer loyalty group, purchasing, human

resources, accounting, information technology, and legal. This method of research

utilized the strengths of narrative that have been used in various cultures for years

(Gubrium, 2010; Hardy et al., 2009; Hyatt, 2011b). Once the initial responses were

collected via an electronic survey, all responses were combined into a single document

136
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and sent back to the participants to allow for secondary responses from all participants to

provide an opportunity for the participants to expand upon a response from another

participant. A second rater was utilized to increase reliability of the analysis of the data

(Booth et al., 1995; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004).

Chapter Structure

This chapter provides an overview of the study, methodologies utilized in the

collection of data, and analysis of the data. This chapter also contains results related to

the literature in Chapter II, as well as conclusions drawn from the analysis of the data

collected. Following the results and conclusions, a brief review of unanticipated

surprises from the findings is provided. Finally, the chapter ends with a summary of

results; implications for Zappos, employees of Zappos, and for-profit organizations; and

recommendations for future research.

Overview of the Study

Review of the Problem

Servant leadership is predominantly associated with educational environments,

religious-based organizations, and not-for-profit groups. The literature review in Chapter

II showed a gap between servant leadership and the impact and presence in the for-profit

world. As organizations enter global economies, it has become increasingly important to

effectively match leadership styles to organizational goals. In order to accomplish this,

organizations must be able to clearly identify the current culture and be able to determine

which leadership style best matches the goals of the organization. Because there has
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been limited research on servant leadership in the for-profit world, determining if this

leadership style is good for something other than education, religious groups, and not-for

profit has been difficult. This study identified key servant leadership characteristics and

provided examples of how those characteristics materialize and affect the organizational

culture of a for-profit organization.

Restatement of the Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine if the characteristics of servant

leadership, as described by Spears (2005), are evident within the culture of Zappos and

how those characteristics affect organizational culture. In addition, the study sought to

identify in what ways those characteristics are evident, which characteristics are most

prevalent, which characteristics are least prevalent, and in what words and actions they

are evident. Finally, this study identified how Zappos employees extend and share the

corporate culture with customers, coworkers, and the community they serve.

Restatement of the Research Questions

1. Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful servant leadership is conducted at

Zappos?

2. How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of

employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in

which they serve?

3. How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms,

or when he or she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?

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Methods Overview

Population

A research population consists of a group of people or phenomena which are the

primary focus of a research inquiry. The target population for this study was the entire

employee base of Zappos. Zappos is an online shoe, apparel, and accessory retailer.

Additionally, Zappos offers training in corporate culture, customer service, and employee

empowerment through their Zappos Insights division. Zappos is headquartered in

Henderson, Nevada and employs approximately 1,200 people. Zappos is organized into

multiple departments consisting of customer service, human resources, facilities,

information technology, merchandising, and purchasing. Because of the total size of the

research population, the researcher identified a sample to fulfill the needs of the study.

Sample

A sample is a subset of the research population (Glesne, 2006; Stringer, 2007).

The sample is important because in qualitative research, it is difficult to reach all

members of the research population. When conducting a survey using a sample, the

participants should be purposely selected to include a particular set of attributes relevant

to the purpose of the study (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004).

Participants were identified by their ability to recognize servant leadership characteristics

being demonstrated during their normal course of work responsibilities; interactions with

management and coworkers; and interaction with individuals, groups, or organizations

outside of Zappos.
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A sample size is determined by the researcher’s ability to refine concepts, obtain

depth from the data, and define categories and properties of the categories (Charmaz,

2004). In Fortune magazine, Zappos was selected as an organization to research due to

its reputation as one of the top companies to work for (“100 Best Companies to Work

For,” 2009). The organizational culture at Zappos has been documented and continues to

be a model for success for organizations seeking culture changes and environments which

fan the flames of innovation (Brady, 2005; Hsieh, 2010; Jacobs, 2009; Mitchell, 2008).

In selecting the sample population, participants were selected based on their

understanding of the organizational culture at Zappos (Glesne, 2006; Stringer, 2007).

When selecting a potential sample, it is important to consider the willingness and

availability of the participants (Rowley, 2012). In some cases, identifying a quality

sample base might become difficult, and “snowballing” might be the best alternative to

combat this issue (Glesne, 2006; Rowley, 2012). Because it is important the sample

participants at least have an understanding of the organizational culture of Zappos, once a

key group of sample participants are identified, “snowballing” becomes a useful tool as

many participants will recognize other potential participants who demonstrate similar

characteristics as themselves (Rowley, 2012; Stringer, 2007). Rowley (2012) described

snowballing as “existing research subjects recruiting future subjects from their

acquaintances” (p. 265).

The sample population of this study consisted of associates and management

personnel from the Henderson, Nevada headquarters of Zappos, Inc. Employees from

both categories serve in various roles in maintenance and facilities, customer loyalty
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group, purchasing, human resources, accounting, information technology, and legal.

Because of the wide range of representation from the participants, the responses allowed

for an in-depth analysis of servant leadership characteristics and how they influence the

organizational culture of a for-profit organization.

Data Collection Overview

Strategies

The interview instrument was designed to gain insight into and answer the

research questions (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Rowley, 2012; Stringer, 2007). The

instrument was issued to each participant in writing, and the results were gathered in

writing as well. The purpose of administering the instrument and obtaining the responses

in writing was to ensure the instrument was uniform to all participants and to ensure the

responses of the participants were captured in their intended manner. All participants

were assigned an alphanumeric code randomly. Upon receipt of all responses from the

participants, the results were combined into a single document and returned to the

participants for an additional opportunity to review and respond or build upon the

response of other participants. This process, based upon the protocol and process of

DNA, was shared with all participants prior to the consolidation and return of the

responses (Hyatt, 2011b). In alignment with protocol for conducting DNA, the following

steps were followed to conduct the research:

1. Employees of Zappos were identified to participate.

2. Participants were assigned alphanumeric identification codes.

3. The researcher sent out the interview instrument electronically.

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4. Using their alphanumeric identification codes, participants responded to the interview

instrument and returned it to the researcher electronically.

5. The researcher compiled the responses and again sent them to the participants for

additional opportunity to respond or build upon their previous responses.

6. The first and second responses were stored for analysis.

7. At the conclusion of the study, the participants and the organization were provided

with an executive summary.

All participants were current employees at the Henderson, Nevada headquarters

for Zappos, Inc. Participants were selected by the research contact at Zappos, a senior

member of the Zappos public relations team. All participants were given the option of

opting out of participation at any point during the research study. The survey instrument

was initially deployed to 15 associates and 15 managers. The initial response from the 15

associate participants was not encouraging, as only six participants responded to the first

two survey questions. After 10 days, a second group of associate participants was

provided, and three of those associates responded immediately. A third group of

participants was provided, and the remaining seven responses were received. All of the

initial 15 management participants responded to the first two questions.

The results from the first two questions were compiled, and the remaining four

survey questions were updated to show that listening, commitment to the growth of

people, and community building were the top three servant leadership characteristics

demonstrated by management and most prevalent in the organizational culture of Zappos.

Responses from the management participants came in from 14 of the 15 participants

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within the first 5 days of the launch of the second portion of the survey instrument. The

final response from management participants was received on the last day of the survey

being open to participants. The first nine responses from the associates came in within

the first 7 days of the launch of the second survey instrument, while three associate

participants opted out of the survey. A second group of associate participants were

provided, and three responses to part two of the survey were received within 2 days of

receiving the survey instrument. The final three responses from the associate participants

were received on the last day of the survey being open to participants.

Ethical Considerations

The researcher made every possible effort to ensure that all information, thoughts,

and ideas were given proper credit through the APA citation process (Denzin & Lincoln,

2008; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004). The results of the study were stored for

confidentiality purposes and were not released without written consent from the

participants (Creswell, 2008; Krathwohl, 2004). Booth et al. (1995) provided three

requirements for ethical studies:

 Ethical researchers do not steal by plagiarizing or claiming the results of others.

 Researchers do not lie by misreporting sources or by inventing results.

 Researchers do not destroy sources or data for those who follow.

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Data Analysis Overview

Content Analysis

The data were coded into categories based on the responses of each participant.

Once the data were coded and categorized, they were broken down into themes. Once

themes were identified the data were sorted into common themes and sent back to the

participants for additional comments and feedback. Once all of the responses had been

categorized, coded, and the themes identified, the researcher compared and contrasted the

findings to the literature discussed in Chapter II.

Coding

As data are collected, units of meaning are sorted into related groups or categories

(Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Stringer, 2007). As the data are analyzed, categories

emerge. As categories emerge, they also divide and subdivide (Glesne, 2006; Stringer,

2007). Coding is a process of sorting and defining categorized data (Glesne, 2006;

Krathwohl, 2004). This process creates and organizational framework of the research

(Glesne, 2006). When coding data in qualitative research, each data code should

represent a concept or central idea (Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004; Stringer, 2007).

Basic coding was described by Creswell (2008) in five basic steps:

1. Read through text data.

2. Divide text into segments of information.
3. Label segments with codes.
4. Reduce overlap and redundancy of codes.
5. Collapse codes into themes. (p. 251)

The researcher utilized bracketing to identify themes, followed by clusters, which

led to further theme identification (Creswell, 2008; Glesne, 2006; Krathwohl, 2004;
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Stringer, 2007). A second rater conducted independent coding to provide interrater

reliability (Figueroa, 2012; Hyatt, 2011a).

Interrater Reliability

A secondary rater was utilized to verify reliability and increase the credibility of

the research. According to Krathwohl (2004), the goal of the second rater is to compare

and verify the coding of the primary researcher. After data had been collected, the

primary researcher and secondary rater met to establish coding protocol. Common

themes were identified and provided guidance for further inquiry and research

recommendations. For the purpose of this study, the researcher and secondary coder

utilized the following 15 steps to ensure interrater reliability:

The primary researcher analyzes the transcripts using bracketing for reduction,

horizontalization, and synthesis, prior to meeting with the second rater for review of

coding process and theme identification. The primary researcher then reviews the

process of coding and theme identification with the second rater. After the second rater

has completed the coding, the primary researcher and secondary coder reconvene, and a

review of the documents is conducted. A discussion between the primary researcher and

secondary coder takes place to reach consensus on conclusions. For this study, criteria

for themes were met when a minimum of 60% of participants provided supportive data.
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Results and Conclusions

Findings Related to the Literature

for Research Question 1

Research Question 1 asked, “Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful

servant leadership is conducted at Zappos?” The 10 identified servant leadership

characteristics were ranked by all research participants. The following tables show the

ranking by management, ranking by associate, and finally, combined rankings.

Management employees ranked building community, listening, and commitment

to growth of people as the most prevalent servant leadership characteristics. Associate

employees ranked listening, commitment to growth of people, and community building

as the most prevalent servant leadership characteristics. Combined scores ranked

listening, community building, and commitment to growth of people as the most

prevalent servant leadership characteristics. These rankings indicate that there are

servant leadership characteristics that are demonstrated by executive management. From

a corporate strategy standpoint, the message executive management is trying to send is

clear.

It is critical to note the importance of recognizing the organizational culture and

how it influences the people who operate within the culture (Goleman et al., 2002;

Johnson & Johnson, 2006; Morgan, 2006). The executive management team of Zappos

has gone to great lengths to create an environment in which the principles identified and

expressed as important to the organization are impressed upon the staff at all levels, and

those principles create an environment for the employees to express their interpretation of

those principles (Goleman et al., 2002; Stacey, 2007). The mission and vision of the
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organization has created a group of individuals who consistently demonstrate the

organizational values through their actions with each other, with customers, and within

the community that they operate.

Listening is an important skill to develop as a leader and, more importantly, to

pass down as a developmental skill to employees at all levels. Greenleaf (1977/2002)

pointed out the importance of recognizing the difference between listening and hearing.

Executive leadership at Zappos differentiates between the two by showing they

understand what the employees are saying. The actions of the executive leadership team

reflect the understanding of what they are listening to and are manifested by programs

that are offered, charities that are supported, and communities that are served. As noted

by Cashman (2008), this shows the authenticity of the executive management team.

The executive management team recognizes the importance of the growth of

people through multiple development offerings. It is clear that Zappos has an interest in

their employee development both professionally and personally. By recognizing the

importance of developing their employees, the executive management team has created

an environment that allows for continuous improvement of individuals, which directly

leads to improvements within the organization (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002;

Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Morgan, 2006; Stacey, 2007).

Zappos as an organization feels a responsibility to serve the community in which

they live and operate (Hsieh, 2010; Medina, 2010; Ryssdal, 2010; Schoenmann, 2010).

This sense of social responsibility is carried like a symbolic flag by employees of all

levels at Zappos. The social activism is not limited to causes selected by the executive
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team, but Zappos empowers employees to make a difference to causes close to their

hearts and supports them in any way possible.

The Mann-Whitney U statistical test indicates that there is not a significant

statistical difference in the rankings between management and associates. While this

might contradict past experiences or expectations of managers and leaders in the business

world, this is not the case at Zappos. Every Zappos employee completes identical

customer service and call center training, and many leaders within Zappos started in

entry-level positions.

Conclusions for Research Question 1

Based on the responses of the participants, servant leadership is practiced and has

an impact on the organization. Every servant leadership characteristic had a composite

range of 2-10, with many having a composite range of 1-10. This indicates the presence

of each servant leadership characteristic, in one way or another. Because of the range of

each characteristic, and based on the responses of the participants, impactful servant

leadership exists and is practiced at Zappos.

Findings Related to the Literature

for Research Question 2

Research Question 2 asked, “How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos

affect the efforts and actions of employees within the organization and outside the

organization in the communities in which they serve?” During the first two interview

questions, the top three servant leadership characteristics were identified by both groups

of participants as listening, community building, and commitment to growth of people.

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Participants were asked to provide an example under the top three servant leadership

characteristics demonstrated. A theme was identified under each characteristic.

Listening: Theme 2.1: Meetings. This theme emerged as 17 of 18 (94%) of the

participants who provided examples of listening within the organization mentioned the

importance of meetings (see Figure 6). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the

theme:

A prime example of how listening is demonstrated by Zappos management/

leadership is that we have a quarterly All-Hands Meeting where the leaders of the
company present to the entire company the last quarter’s financial results and
discuss business trends they are seeing and priorities of the company. As part of
the All-Hands, employees are encouraged to provide questions beforehand or
stand up live and ask questions to the top 4 executives of the company in a Q&A
session. First, the fact that we shut down the company for an afternoon each
quarter shows the leadership’s emphasis on communication throughout the
company and the fact that they open in up to a Q&A session shows they are
interested in listening to the employees. (P1, personal communication, February
11, 2013)

We want people to feel like they can ask anything and that is what the town halls
are all about—all of tech is welcome to come and ask the leadership team any
questions they’d like about their work, benefits, culture, etc. (P5, personal
communication, February 11, 2013)

An example of this is monthly one on ones with team members in order to better
the work environment. (P10, personal communication, February 15, 2013)

We also have an “Ask Anything” event that allows team members to meet with
management in a group setting and ask any questions they may want. (P12,
personal communication, February 8, 2013)

It is clear that the opportunity to communicate in multiple forums drive the efforts

instilling the importance of listening upon employees at all levels. The key to an

effective meeting is first determining if the meeting is needed (Kelsey & Plumb, 2004).
 150

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.1: Meetings 17 of 18 (94%)
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P8 P1 P12 P13
x X X X X X X X X
P14 P17 P20 P21 P22 P24 P2 P27 P30
X X X X X X X X

Figure 6. Theme 2.1: Meetings.

Oftentimes organizational, team, group, and individual meetings are called simply to give

the opportunity to discuss any concerns that an employee might have. This demonstrates

a willingness by leadership of all levels to be available to engage in important

conversations (Goleman et al., 2002; Kelsey & Plumb, 2004; Patterson, Grenny,

McMillan, & Switzler, 2005). The meetings conducted at Zappos on all levels provide an

opportunity to provide feedback, the second major theme under the servant leadership

characteristic of listening.

Listening: Theme 2.2: Feedback. This theme emerged as 12 of 18 (67%) of the

participants who provided examples of listening within the organization mentioned

feedback (see Figure 7). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

One other example is that we love surveys and survey employees frequently from
everything to happiness level to benefits to see what they want, need, are looking
for. (P4)

One of the ways Zappos helps us grow is giving us a chance to pitch new ideas to
them about how we can make our company better as well as make our
community. (P7, personal communication, February 17, 2013)

We also have “skip meetings” which allows team members to meet with their
manager’s manager so they can provide direct feedback about their manager. (P8)
 151

They listen to our concerns and use our suggestions to remedy any of those
concerns. (P10)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.2: Feedback 12 of 18 (67%)
P1 P2 P4 P5 P7 P8 P10 P12 P13
X X X X X X X X
P14 P17 P20 P21 P22 P24 P26 P27 P30
X X X X

Figure 7. Theme 2.2: Feedback.

Feedback is the key to open and honest communication at Zappos. The meetings

which take place at Zappos provide ample opportunity to give and receive feedback.

During the feedback sessions, it is important for both parties to feel safe, so that the

information provided is useful and growth for all participants is possible (Goleman et al.,

2002; Patterson et al., 2005; Rothwell, 2007). Simply hearing is not good enough for

either participant. This is where the skill of listening comes in. It is important for each

party to be candid and to listen with the intent of understanding what is being

communicated. With proper feedback and understanding of what is being

communicated, growth opportunities for all parties can be discovered.

Commitment to growth of people: Theme 2.3: Personal development. This

theme emerged as 20 0f 22 (91%) of the participants who provided examples of

commitment to growth of people mentioned personal development (see Figure 8). The

following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

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Zappos is committed to promoting from within. This is driving by progression

planning. Each department is asked to provide their employees with a
progression plan. This helps the employee understand what they need to do to get
to the next level. (P2)

I feel the best example of this is the progression plan we have structured for
employees in merchandising. It incorporates constant communication between
the manager and the employee. It also incorporates a commitment to helping that
employee grow through real life experiences with their manager. (P3)

Again, another core value of ours “Pursue Growth and Learning.” All
departments have a progression plan to help employees grow, we have ZapposU,
our internal training team, all new hires go through 4 weeks of onboarding/
training, and teams have a budget component of employee education. (P4)

At Zappos the commitment to growth is very important they are always pushing
us to better our self’s and gives us the tools to do so. One of the ways Zappos
helps us grow is giving us a chance to pitch new ideas to them about how we can
make our company better as well as make our community. (P7)

Pursuing Growth and Learning is our 5th Core Value and it doesn’t just apply us
individually but, we’re committed as a leadership team to provide growth
opportunities to all our team members. In our Customer Loyalty Department, we
grow our leadership team from within. None of our leaders, including our
Director was hired in a role initially higher than answering calls. (P11, personal
communication, February 19, 2013)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.3: Personal Development 20 of 22
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P P8 P10
X X X X X X X X X
P11 P12 P15 P16 P17 P19 P2 P21 P22
X X X X X X X
P23 P24 P27 P28
X X X X

Figure 5. Theme 2.3: Personal development.

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It is important for an organization to create an environment in which an employee

can develop both personally and professionally and for the organization to be able to

benefit from both (Morgan, 2006). The strategy employed by the executive management

team is to create a shared vision of organizational and employee development through

personal and professional growth (Stacey, 2007). This creates a win-win situation for all

parties involved. As the employees at Zappos grow and advance, the ideas and creative

thoughts begin to flourish in the new environment of “intrapreneurship” (Harvey &

Drolet, 2006). This environment allows for innovative thinking and empowers

individuals to bring new and exciting ideas to the table for the organization.

Community building: Theme 2.4: Charity. This theme emerged as 10 of 14

(71%) of the participants who provided examples of community building mentioned

charity work (see Figure 9). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

Also internally, we have a team in HR called PEACE who coordinates a large

Charity budget which frequently is focused on local organizations. (P4)

Community Building—actively involved in the rebuilding of downtown, hosts

events like Marathon, Color Run and Corporate Challenge, Teams regularly
volunteer for NCC and local food shelters. (P6)

Zappos also goes out into the local and national community to spread are [sic]
values of a family unit in the work place. (P10)

Zappos does a great job with helping the community, whether it be through
charity, or even volunteering. (P12)

Many people feel a calling much higher than the work they are currently doing.

By championing a cause that has importance to them, employees at Zappos are able to

contribute beyond their daily job responsibilities. Many nonprofit organizations rely

upon volunteers to bridge the gap between the manpower paid to manage the daily
 154

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.4: Charity 10 of 14 (71%)
P1 P4 P6 P10 P12 P13 P1 P16 P18
X X X X X X X
P24 P25 P26 P27 P29
X X X

Figure 9. Theme 2.4: Charity.

operations of the organization and serving the needs of the customers of the nonprofit

organization (Wymer & Starnes, 2001). The charitable acts conducted by employees at

Zappos and supported by the organization demonstrate a mindset of serve and being

served (Greenleaf, 1977/2002).

Community building: Theme 2.5: Downtown revitalization of Las Vegas

through relocation of corporate headquarters. This theme emerged as 9 of 14 (64%)

of the participants who provided examples of community building mentioned the

revitalization of downtown Las Vegas through the relocation of corporate headquarters

(see Figure 10). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

Community Building is exemplified by the selection of our new Downtown Las

Vegas corporate office campus. Zappos could have selected a secluded corporate
campus in a Las Vegas suburb, but instead wanted to participate in helping
rejuvenate the Downtown area and be a part of the community. The planned
infusion of Zappos 1,500 employees into Downtown is creating a resurgence of
small businesses including restaurants, bars and other service providers. But
more than that, Zappos is working with the government and area businesses to be
a good corporate citizen. (P1)

We always want to give back to our community. We have a whole team

dedicated to community building, specifically in downtown Las Vegas. In fact,
Tony Hsieh, our CEO, has made a new company, Downtown Project, to revitalize
downtown. (P4)
 155

With our move downtown, it’s going to be great to have Zappos be in the heart of
downtown. We will be able to become intertwined with the community/city. We
will be in the mix of things and bring out culture downtown to contribute and
grow! (P12)

Our CEO, Tony Hshieh, has done a tremendous job of rebuilding Downtown Las
Vegas. He has revitalized downtown and in the fall of 2013, Zappos will call
downtown home. Many employees have moved their living headquarters to near
or in downtown Las Vegas. This has created an initiative to clean-up a historic
part of Las Vegas. Zappos truly does care about the well-being of Las Vegas.
(P15)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.5: Downtown Revitalization 9 of 14 (64%)
P1 P4 P6 P10 P12 P13 P15 P16 P18
X X X X X X
P20 P25 P26 P27 P29
X X X

Figure 10. Theme 2.5: Downtown revitalization.

Social activism and giving back to the communities that Zappos operates in are

important organizational goals. Nothing speaks higher of this than the downtown Las

Vegas revitalization project. Currently residing in Henderson, Nevada, the corporate

headquarters will be relocated to downtown Las Vegas in late 2013. This move is an

effort to create a strong community through social awareness and development (Medina,

2010; Schoenmann, 2010). The efforts separate themselves from traditional Las Vegas

venues by creating affordable housing downtown, small business opportunities such as

restaurants, boutiques, and even pet services instead of billion dollar casinos. Zappos is
 156

driven to create a completely new environment, intended to attract a completely different

demographic.

Listening: Theme 2.6: Communication/relationship building (coworkers).

This theme emerged as 11 of 14 (79%) of the participants who responded with examples

of listening mentioned communication/relationship building (see Figure 11). The

following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

I think the company’s emphasis on Listening has influenced my interaction with

co-workers. I feel I spend a lot of time listening to my team and creating a
teamwork environment rather than an autocratic “here is how I want it done”
environment. (P1)

I am driven by communication and listening in my role at Zappos. I find that

listening to others concerns and successes is how I gauge the overall health of
tech and the company. It is good for context setting for me in a lot of discussions.
I ensure that I am available enough so that people feel they are heard. (P5)

I make sure to have 1 on 1s with all my direct reports. During my 1 on 1s, I’m
not only interested in getting a status update on the project they are working on,
but also I try to find out how they are doing on a personal level (are there any
issues with any other groups or people at work, or outside of work?). I don’t flat
out ask “do you have any problems at work, or at home?” but rather “how are you
doing?” (P8)

The 10 core values that Zapponians hold dear to their heart allow me to be open
and honest in our communication with one another. (P10)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.6: Communication/Relationship building 11 of 14
P1 P4 P5 P6 P8 P10 P1 P13 P16
X X X X X X
P20 P21 P22 P24 P29
X X X X X

Figure 11. Theme 2.6: Communication/relationship building.

 157

Listening: Theme 2.7: Relationship building (customers). This theme emerged

as 21 of 22 (95%) of participants who responded with examples for listening mentioned

relationship building (see Figure 12). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the

theme:

When every new employee (no matter what job or at what level) joins the
company, the first month of employment includes full-time training on the
company’s core values, history and call center training. The last two weeks of the
four week training includes full-time answering the phones, talking to customers,
fulfilling orders and dealing with customer complaints/issues. I think the #1
instruction is to listen to the customer and do whatever it takes to WOW the
customer. We are encouraged to make the customer happy and build the
customer connection so that the customer feels their needs are exceeded so that
they will tell a friend about their customer experience. Many times it is just
talking to the customer—asking them how the weather is in their area, how their
day is going, complementing them on the shoes they are interested in, etc. I found
the experience of talking to our customers to be very rewarding to me personally.
First, it was nice to hear that there are so many people who love our company – a
fact that reinforced my decision to join the company. (P1)

Listening to customers is emphasized throughout the hiring process and CLT

class—it is important to always have the customer in mind when making
decisions in the company. (P5)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.7 Relationship Building (customer) 21 of 22 (95%)
P1 P4 P5 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12
X X X X X X X X
P13 P14 P16 P18 P19 P20 P21 P22 P23
X X X X X X X X X
P24 P26 P27 P30
X X X X

Figure 12. Theme 2.7: Relationship building (customer).

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With no call times you can really get to know our customers and help them with
all there need witch is very nice you never fell rushed and gives you a chance to
really WOW them. (P7)

Customers come first :) Make sure you listen to the customer, and try to address
any issues or concerns they may have. Always treat the customer with respect
and try to wow them. And most importantly, treat everyone you work with as
customers. (P8)

Community building: Theme 2.8: Relationship building (customers). This

theme emerged as 7 of 10 (70%) of the participants who provided examples of

community building mentioned relationship building (see Figure 13). The following are

excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

If you are happy in your job and feel ownership in what you do you want to
provide great service to your customers. If you are appreciated and receive
recognition for your hard work, you want to help customers as well as the
company. For me, Zappos has been the best place I have ever worked. This
makes me want to help Zappos succeed and the foundation of that success is
customer service, so that drives me everyday to provide the best customer service
I can. (P2)

An example of the above might be the interactions each of our employees

regardless of position have during the holidays with our customers. We all spend
10 hours on the phone with the customers helping with returns, orders and
questions. This enables our employees and myself to understand the needs of the
customer and how our interactions can either create fans or create haters of our
brand. (P3)
Community Building is making a connection and developing a relationship with
your community. We love to make a connection with our customers. We want to
build a relationship with our customers. It’s always awesome when customers
provide feedback and they say they felt like they were talking with an old friend.
That’s a great experience. (P12)

We consider everyone to be our customers at Zappos. Engaging in events such as

the Corporate Challenge and various charity events, I get to meet people I
probably would have never met if I had not participated. My job requires me to
work with various brand reps outside of the company. I basically use information
provided by these reps to upload new products to our system. Not only do we
want to grow as a company, but we want our customers to grow as well. We
work hand in hand to make job more efficient and accurate. (P15)
 159

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.8 Relationship Building (customer) 7 of 10 (70%)
P1 P2 P3 P4 P12 P15 P20 P25 P26
X X X X X X
P28
X

Figure 13. Theme 2.8: Relationship building (customer).

Relationship building begins and ends with communication (Harvey & Drolet,

2006; Patterson et al., 2005). From a coworker standpoint, it is important to create an

environment of safety and trust. The relationship can begin at any point, but must

eventually lead to a path of honesty and openness. The only way this happens is when

there is an opportunity for vulnerability for any party involved (Harvey & Drolet, 2006;

Thompson, 2011).

As relationships evolve, a sense of interpersonal commitment is established

(Cashman, 2008; Harvey & Drolet, 2006). As the relationship develops, each party

becomes more willing to extend themselves to meet the needs of the other (Cashman,

2008; Harvey & Drolet, 2006; Johnson & Johnson, 2006). This often leads to

relationships extended beyond the workplace. This is evident among coworkers at

Zappos and also between the employees at Zappos and the customers they serve. With

relationships involving Zappos employees and customers, there is often a balance

between professionalism and profitability of the organization and the happiness and

satisfaction of the customer (Forsyth, 2006; Harvey & Drolet, 2006; Patterson et al.,

2005).
 160

Relationship building becomes part of an organization’s culture after a while

(Cashman, 2008; Thompson, 2011). Some organizations become known for their

conflicts with customers. Other organizations develop a reputation for doing what is

“right” for the customer in attempts at complete customer satisfaction and a repeat

customer. This scenario is what has evolved at Zappos. Without a common bond and

strong relationship between coworkers, it would be difficult for the employees to make a

connection with the customers. Employees at Zappos get involved in the lives of each

other and provide support and encouragement when needed. This is referred to as

relationship interaction (Cashman, 2008; Forsyth, 2006; Johnson & Johnson, 2006).

From a holistic standpoint, the employees of Zappos are involved in a communal

relationship in which there is more concern for the rewards of the group as opposed to

individual rewards (Forsyth, 2006). In this case, the rewards of the group are the

continued reputation for world-class service.

From a support standpoint, the relationships developed between management and

associate employees is one of cooperation (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002;

Rothwell, 2007). This creates an environment of collaboration, which eventually leads to

innovation (Cashman, 2008; Harvey & Drolet, 2006; Rothwell, 2007). These synergies

benefit the organization through organizational development and the customer through an

improved experience and problem-solving process, if necessary. Eventually, strong

relationships lead to group, team, and finally, organizational cohesion (Cashman, 2008;

Goleman et al., 2002; Johnson & Johnson, 2006).

 161

Commitment to growth of people: Theme 2.9: Personal development

(coworkers). This theme emerged as 18 of 19 (91%) of the participants who provided

examples of commitment to growth of people mentioned personal development (see

Figure 14). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

Because of the training class Zappos provides to all employees no matter what
position you are hired for makes you meet and interact with employees from all
departments and really brings you out of your shell. (P7)

On folks that require a little help, I try to make extra time, to sit with them and
provide them the support they may need. Often times, things are as simple as
giving them pointers on writing effective emails, coaching them before going to a
meeting, sharing with them pointers after a meeting, etc. As far as technical
skills, I try to point them towards folks that can help them do their work, as
opposed to simply providing them documentation (“let me ask so and so if he has
time to show you how to do x”). (P8)

The servant leadership style at Zappos allows me to focus on the individual needs
of coworkers. I am empowered to help people grow and to help them realize their
potential. (P9, personal communication, February 16, 2013)

One of my main focuses is to help those on my team grow . . . well, actually, to

help anyone grow. They don’t just have to be on my team for me to be a
resource. That’s how it is here for our Leadership team as well. We need to be
approachable so everyone is comfortable coming to us. (P12)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in thecommunities in
which they serve?
Theme 2.9 Personal Development (coworkers) 18 of 19 (91%)
P1 P2 P3 P4 P7 P8 P9 P12 P14
X X X X X X X X X
P15 P18 P19 P20 P21 P23 P26 P28 P29
X X X X X X X X
P30
X

Figure 14. Theme 2.9: Personal development (coworkers).

 162

Commitment to growth of people: Theme 2.10: Personal development

(customers). This theme emerged as 4 of 5 (80%) of participants who provided

examples of commitment to growth of people mentioned personal development (see

Figure 15). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

The other half of ZapposU is external training and again, I oversee this team that
helps external customers who want to learn more about how we operate in an
environment of culture, how to deliver wow service, and provide info, tips, tools
for other companies to grow if they want to transform their organizations to be
more focused on culture. (P4)

Helping employees grow within the role they’re in, or helping them grow into a
role they are passionate about, this helps make sure we are being the best we can.
When we help each other grow, it’s helping us become better in the roles we are
in. If we are becoming better, we will be able to better assist our customers. (P12)

Core Value #5 is Pursue Growth and Learning. This is very important to our
employees for many reasons, but one reason in particular is that it also effects
customer’s interactions with us. For example, we at ZapposU offer 40+ classes
for all employees to learn the in-and-outs of various subjects. Some subjects
include the history of Zappos, delivering happiness, and we also have a class that
helps you better understand each individual team members’ strength. With these
courses, our employees gain knowledge and awareness that they can then share
with customers. Often times, just knowing more about your company and it’s
culture can result in a better “wow” experience for our customers. (P20)

With our move downtown, more and more customers are getting interested in
becoming part of the plan. I have found myself working with people in the
community to teach them about the technology we use at Zappos for them to
apply to their own businesses (some examples include Delivering Happiness, First
Friday, Nacho Daddy and many startups). (P26)

As an organization, Zappos understands the importance of accepting and

embracing change. This concept is encouraged through the consistent efforts to

champion individual and organizational development through learning and continuous

improvement (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002; Stacey, 2007). Evolution of the

staff and Zappos as a whole comes as the emotional intelligence of the organization
 163

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.10 Personal Development (customers) 4 of 5 (80%)
P4 P12 P17 P20 P26
X X X X

Figure 15. Theme 2.10: Personal development (customers).

grows (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009). Sustained change and learning is developed

through discipline and a change of habits (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002; Stacey,

2007).

Personal development is encouraged at Zappos, because the executive team

recognizes the paradox of development within an organization. Most organizations thrive

on routine and the status quo (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002; Stacey, 2007). By

developing employees as individuals, Zappos enjoys the benefits of an evolving

workforce. It then becomes the responsibility of the organization to harness and utilize

the intellectual horsepower of the employees. This is accomplished through action

learning (Goleman et al., 2002; Johnson & Johnson, 2006; Stacey, 2007).

Community building: Theme 2.11: Charity (coworkers). This theme emerged

as 7 of 10 (70%) of the participants who provided examples of community building

mentioned charity (see Figure 16). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the

theme:

We also try to partner with groups outside of our own to build a stronger tech
community. And then of course there is the greater LV community—one of our
team events last year was through the working with Habitat for Humanity. It was
a really nice was for us to bond as a team through helping people in the
community. (P5)
 164

I think it’s great to be a part of a company that wants to help grow the connection
with the surrounding community; to be more than just a business. It’s been fun
volunteering while I’ve worked here as well. (P12)

We often build community together when going out on the weekends downtown
and volunteering at several charities. (P15)

I have even had the opportunity to impact people with other companies because
we are encouraged to build relations ships with the community. (P18)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.11 Charity (coworkers) 7 of 10 (70%)
P1 P2 P3 P4 P12 P15 P20 P25 P26
X X X X X X
P28
X

Figure 16. Theme 2.11: Charity (coworkers).

Charity work from an organization is referred to as corporate social responsibility,

or CSR. CSR is described as the response of an organization beyond the necessary legal,

economic, and environmental requirements of operation (Davis, 1973). As an

organization, Zappos believes it is important to makes the people and the communities it

operates and serves in better than when it arrived. Zappos as an organization encourages

employees to be “good citizens.”

Efforts to become “good corporate citizens” include financial support through

philanthropy, expertise and executive support by being members of boards, and the

donation of time from employees at all levels. The support of social responsibility lies in

the efforts of Zappos to develop solid relationships with members of multiple

 165

communities, organizations, and industries. It is the belief of the executive management

team that all members of the organization can contribute to problem solving and service

needs of communities and nonprofit groups (Vogel, 2005).

It does not appear as though Zappos practices corporate social responsibility for

any political gain or public recognition, but it is important to note that many publications

track and report these data. Fortune magazine publishes an annual list of the “Top 100

Companies to Work For,” and Worth magazine acknowledges the “50 Companies Who

Gave the Most.”

Community building. Theme 2.12: Team building (coworkers). This theme

emerged as 10 of 10 (100%) of the participants who provided examples of community

building mentioned team building (see Figure 17). The following are excerpts that

demonstrate the theme:

An example of community building with my teammates is that as a manager of

the company, I am expected to spend 20% of my time with my team outside of
the work environment. The company encourages me to take my team out for
happy hours, bowling events, golf, bingo, (whatever my team would like to do
outside the office.) The hope is that we can get to know each other better and
have fun so that we work together better and have each other’s backs. I think it is
very successful and that I have a close-knit group. (P1)

I believe these above all influence my interactions by making me think about each
individual I interact with. It encourages me to be conscious of my impact on
those individuals and to strive to create deeper relationships with those people. It
encourages me to spend more outside the office time with those people and to
grow relationships to be more collaborative vs top down. An example of all of
this is the times we have had team outings (including one over to my house). We
do this regularly and it helps in the bonds between not only management but
between employees. (P3)

I always keep Community building in mind when setting up team events. I think
community can mean a lot. There is the direct community of the teams I manage
so keeping those relationships strong through team outings to bars, restaurants and
 166

events is important. We also try to partner with groups outside of our own to
build a stronger tech community. (P5)

In ZCLT, (Zappos Customer Loyalty Team) we have over 600 people in our
department so one of the ways our interactions are influenced is with the multiple
team building activities we conduct. One of the many activities we do is meals
with a member of your leadership team. This is where we take team members
from different teams out to a meal to get to know them and for them to get to
know their leadership team. We also do quarterly Z-Mixers, where different
teams get together to get to know each other better. (P11)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the
communities in which they serve?
Theme 2.12 Team Building (coworkers) 10 of 10 (100%)
P1 P3 P5 P11 P12 P15 P18 P20 P27
X X X X X X X X X
P30
X

Figure 17. Theme 2.12: Team building (coworkers).

The team building that occurs at Zappos happens in a dynamic environment

(Forsyth, 2006; Thompson, 2011). Team members are brought together from different

departments to bring their expertise and knowledge for the good of the group, the project,

and the organization as a whole. As noted in previously identified themes, personal

development plays a key role in the development of teams. This is one of the reasons that

Zappos offers so many opportunities to improve and develop communication skills. The

key to building a high-functioning team is trust, and trust is built through communication

(Forsyth, 2006; Johnson & Johnson, 2006; Rothwell, 2007; Thompson, 2011).
 167

Conclusions for Research Question 2

Responses indicate a culture of listening, with communication being the staple

action. Both management and associates focused on providing examples of meetings

being utilized to provide feedback, which ties directly into other servant leadership

characteristics. The goal of listening and all of the themes that branch off of it is

relationship building. The culture of Zappos leans toward relationship building through

listening and all of the incarnations that derive from it.

Commitment to growth of people was a characteristic that most participants

agreed upon. The main theme presented was personal development. This theme was so

prevalent that examples were provided in which Zappos demonstrated a commitment to

the personal development of employees outside of work and even to the customers and

communities they serve. There as a tremendous amount of passion shared by the

participants. Executives at Zappos understand the key to employee engagement is to

make them feel as if they a part of the bigger picture and long-term success of the

organization. This has been accomplished by providing opportunities inside of Zappos to

promote personal growth and to support and at times to create opportunities for personal

growth outside of Zappos.

Community building focused on relationship building through a few key areas.

Charity work was very popular with the participants. Zappos supports the employees and

encourages participation, which not only creates buy-in from the employees, but drives

employee engagement as well. The employees feel good that they work for an altruistic

organization and even better when Zappos supports a charity with meaning to the
 168

employees. This creates team-building opportunities when the actions of the employees

are combined to serve those in need.

The other area which stood out in community building was the downtown Las

Vegas revitalization. This initially started as a pet project for the CEO, Tony Hsieh, but

quickly turned into a movement supported by the whole organization. This project has

created opportunities for small business and a chance for Zappos employees to feel pride

in their city. The majority of the involvement comes from volunteer time from Zappos

associates, and they all seem to take pride in contributing to the cause.

Findings Related to the Literature for

Research Question 3

Research Question 3 asked, “How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an

employee disregards acceptable norms, or when he or she fails to perform to standards

expected from the organization?” Employees were asked to provide examples of how

situations were handled when an employee fails to meet performance expectations or fails

to accept and conform to acceptable social norms. There were two themes identified in

the responses.

Commitment to growth of people: Theme 3.1: Communication. This theme

emerged as 24 of 28 (86%) of participants provided examples of communication (see

Figure 18). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

When someone fails to meet expectations, it needs to be addressed immediately.

Generally, there is a meeting between the supervisor and the employee to address
the issue. (P1)
 169

For my departments its all about trust and honesty. If someone falls below what
is expected it is important to have an honest conversation so the person knows
where they are falling short. (P2)

Conflicts are addressed head on. Generally if there is an opportunity with an

employee the manager will walk through what that was, what they did right in the
situation and how they could have improved. (P3)

Conflicts based off of expectations not being met is a clear indication of lack of
job performance and that would be addressed just like any other situation by using
open lines of communication. (P22)

We try to explain the situation and how the team member can improve as
explicitly as possible. We also try to approach it in a friendly manner instead of a
reproachful one which creates less hostility and makes the situation more
comfortable. (P24)

How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms,
or when he or she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?
Theme 3.1 Communication 24 of 28 (86%)
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9
X X X X X X X X X
P10 P11 P12 P13 P14 P15 P16 P17 P19
X X X X X X X X
P20 P21 P22 P23 P24 P25 P26 P27 P28
X X X X X X
P29
X

Figure 18. Theme 3.1: Communication.

Commitment to growth of people: Theme: 3.2: Coaching. This theme

emerged as 20 of 28 (71%) of participants provided examples of coaching (see Figure

19). The following are excerpts that demonstrate the theme:

If your work is starting to get sloppy they will meet with you and talk about it and
try to help find a solution to make everyone happy and get you back on track. (P7)
 170

Provide specific examples of what is causing the challenges we are facing, have
some solutions in mind, but ask them first to provide solutions themselves. (P8)

However, our goal is to help people grow. Generally when conflicts arise we
provide feedback about the conflict and then provide an action plan for the
employee. The employee will have a tangible goal to work towards. (P9)

We want to make sure we are providing all necessary coaching for anyone who
isn’t meeting expectations. We want to give any and all tools to help better assist
them. We want to make sure that the feedback we are providing is being turned
into positive action. Also, we want to make sure that we are asking those who
aren’t meeting expectations what might better help them; giving them a chance to
let us know what may help better assist them. We all have a different way of
learning or grasping things. We want to make sure we do whatever we can to
help. (P12)

The objective here at Zappos is for all employees to become successful. The
problem would be identified and a plan of action would be put in place to try to
improve the job performance through coaching and counseling. (P22)

How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms,
or when he or she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?
Theme 3.2 Coaching 20 of 28 (71%)
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9
X X X X X X X
P10 P11 P12 P13 P14 P15 P16 P17 P19
X X X X X X X X
P20 P21 P22 P23 P24 P25 P26 P27 P28
X X X X X
P29

Figure 19. Theme 3.2: Coaching.

Authenticity is the key to handling employees who fail to meet expectations, and

this applies to how Zappos handles employees. From the responses given, it appears as

though there is a clear path and guideline for addressing these issues. Communication
 171

and coaching were mentioned and documented as the clear response to an

underperforming employee. For someone who leads an employee who is failing to meet

expectations, it is important to develop trust and authenticity with the struggling

employee (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002; Hale, 2004; Holliday, 2001; Runde &

Flanagan, 2007; Wahl, Scriber, & Bloomfield, 2008). It is important to approach the

situation with a need to understand (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002; Holliday,

2001; Thompson, 2011). With authentic influence, the employee will take comfort in

knowing the manager is there to build, not to destroy (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al.,

2002; Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Hale, 2004; Holliday, 2001; Runde & Flanagan, 2007;

Thompson, 2011). The employee might have a need or a skill gap that has not been

addressed, and it is important to catch that as a leader. Once that is understood, coaching

can begin.

As a coach, it is important for the employee to be made aware of the problems

that exist. This awareness can be taught and developed and will allow for the employee

to understand how his or her performance is being perceived (Cashman, 2008; Goleman

et al., 2002; Hale, 2004; Holliday, 2001; Thompson, 2011). Part of coaching is to show

the employee the vision of the desired performance and how to get there (Cashman,

2008; Goleman et al., 2002; Holliday, 2001; Runde & Flanagan, 2007; Thompson, 2011).

It is important for the employee to recognize the benefit of coaching, understand that

there is a gap between current performance and desired performance, and that coaching is

an opportunity, not a punishment (Cashman, 2008; Goleman et al., 2002; Holliday, 2001;

Runde & Flanagan, 2007).

 172

Conclusions for Research Question 3

Leadership positions, positions of authority, and even support positions recognize

the importance of understanding first why an employee is struggling. There are no

assumptions made, and conclusions are not leapt to by management. There is a genuine

attempt to understand what the employee might be going through. By first seeking to

understand, managers are in a position to empathize with the employee and provide

legitimate guidance for improvement.

The opportunity to take two-way communication toward a coaching opportunity

demonstrates the commitment to personal growth mentioned by many of the participants.

This commitment creates loyalty and engagement not just from the employees who

struggle, but also from other employees in a position to support the growth and

development of the employee. This resonates at all levels of the organization.

Unanticipated Discoveries

One of the biggest surprises came from how grounded and connected

management remains at all levels. This is partially due to the fact that all employees,

regardless of position, complete the same training program. Executive management lives

by this mantra by rolling up their sleeves and doing whatever needs to be done and

continuing to interact and make themselves accessible to all employees. As employees

grow and navigate throughout the company, this continues to remain a staple of the

organizational culture.
 173

Summary of Results

Participants were asked if servant leadership characteristics were demonstrated by

executive management at Zappos. Responses indicated that servant leadership

characteristics were demonstrated at Zappos, with the three most prevalent servant

leadership characteristics being listening, commitment to growth of people, and

community building. Under these three servant leadership characteristics, common

themes were identified. The themes were expounded upon by supporting literature.

Table 7 identifies the themes discovered for each servant leadership characteristic.

Table 7

Servant Leadership Characteristic Theme Recap

Listening Commitment to growth of people Community building

Meetings Personal development Charity

Feedback Communication Downtown revitalization
Relationship Coaching Team Building
Relationship

Implications

Zappos

The executive team at Zappos has done a tremendous job at purposefully

demonstrating servant leadership characteristics in creating the organizational culture, for

the good of the organization as a whole and for each employee individually. The benefits

of creating a culture which demonstrates and embraces servant leadership has led and

will continue to lead to recognition as a desirable destination for employment, a partner

 174

in the community, and a leader in their respective industries (Cashman, 2008; Davis,

1973; Goleman et al., 2002; Stacey, 2007; Vogel, 2005). Best practices and development

of individual talent will allow Zappos to continue to achieve their corporate vision.

Zappos Employees

Employees of Zappos are in a valued position. They have the opportunity to work

for an organization which “walks the talk” when it comes to executing organizational

vision. Employees are provided an environment of personal growth and options to

support groups and charity efforts of their choice (Cashman, 2008; Davis, 1973; Goleman

et al., 2002; Stacey, 2007; Vogel, 2005). For employees searching for an organization

that will embrace their uniqueness, provide a nurturing environment for growth, and

share common charitable goals, Zappos is the place to be.

Servant Leadership in a
For-Profit Organization

Zappos has demonstrated that servant leadership can be a successful leadership

model in a for-profit environment (Greenleaf, 1977/2002; Spears, 2005). While the

success of servant leadership has been researched thoroughly in education, faith-based

organizations, and nonprofits, there has been limited research on how servant leadership

can impact a for-profit organization. This research now gives a framework into how the

characteristics impact a for-profit organization. Organizations may now create an action

plan to implement servant leadership within their organization, based on the company

vision and goals.

 175

Recommendations for Further Research

The methodology and supporting research results provided insight into how

servant leadership impacts and supports the organizational culture of a for-profit

organization. The results identified the servant leadership characteristics which were

most prevalent. Further research could explore how the top three identified

characteristics impact a different for-profit organization. The study can be replicated in a

different for-profit organization, perhaps an organization that does not have a reputation

of a servant-first organization. Further research could involve a different method of

obtaining data, such as focus groups and one-on-one personal interviews. This would

allow the researcher to ask continuation questions, perhaps unpeeling layers of additional

data. Finally, a study which compares and contrasts an organization which does identify

servant leadership characteristics with an organization which does not identify servant

leadership characteristics could be conducted to identify the gaps in the organizational

cultures.
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APPENDICES

191
 APPENDIX A

COMBINED RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 1

192
 Commitment
Building to growth of
Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Community people
P1 8 9 10 5 7 4 3 2 1 6
P2 9 8 10 7 4 5 3 6 1 2
P3 1 4 3 7 10 8 9 6 5 2
P4 2 5 7 8 3 9 10 4 1 6
P5 4 5 6 8 10 7 9 2 1 3
P6 9 5 6 4 8 3 10 2 1 7
P7 1 2 6 4 8 7 5 10 9 3
P8 5 7 6 2 3 4 1 10 8 9
P9 3 5 1 6 7 10 4 2 8 9
P10 1 6 9 2 3 4 5 10 8 7
P11 7 9 10 6 2 5 8 4 1 3
P12 2 5 8 3 6 4 7 9 10 1
P13 2 3 4 9 10 8 7 6 5 1
P14 8 6 9 7 3 4 5 1 2 10
P15 5 6 9 8 10 7 2 3 4 1
P16 4 8 10 5 6 7 9 3 2 1
P17 1 4 5 6 7 2 3 8 9 10
P18 7 9 10 6 2 5 8 4 1 3
P19 1 9 6 7 10 2 8 3 4 5
P20 2 4 6 5 10 9 7 8 1 3
P21 2 3 4 8 10 9 6 7 5 1
P22 1 2 3 4 8 5 9 6 10 7
P23 3 7 8 1 9 6 10 4 5 2
P24 1 6 7 4 8 2 3 9 10 5
P25 5 9 10 2 1 7 4 3 6 8
P26 4 3 6 5 10 8 9 7 2 1
P27 7 8 9 10 4 3 5 2 1 6
P28 1 2 7 8 6 5 3 10 9 4
P29 3 9 10 4 5 8 7 2 1 6
P30 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 8 1 2

193
112 172 210 167 197 176 189 161 132 134
 APPENDIX B

MANAGEMENT RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 1

194
 Commitment
Building to growth of
Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Community people
P1 8 9 10 5 7 4 3 2 1 6
P2 9 8 10 7 4 5 3 6 1 2
P3 1 4 3 7 10 8 9 6 5 2
P4 2 5 7 8 3 9 10 4 1 6
P5 4 5 6 8 10 7 9 2 1 3
P6 9 5 6 4 8 3 10 2 1 7
P7 1 2 6 4 8 7 5 10 9 3
P8 5 7 6 2 3 4 1 10 8 9
P9 3 5 1 6 7 10 4 2 8 9
P10 1 6 9 2 3 4 5 10 8 7
P11 7 9 10 6 2 5 8 4 1 3
P26 4 3 6 5 10 8 9 7 2 1
P27 7 8 9 10 4 3 5 2 1 6
P28 1 2 7 8 6 5 3 10 9 4
P29 3 9 10 4 5 8 7 2 1 6

Total 65 87 106 86 90 90 91 79 57 74

195
 APPENDIX C

ASSOCIATE RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 1

196
 Commitment
Building to growth of
Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Community people
P12 2 5 8 3 6 4 7 9 10 1
P13 2 3 4 9 10 8 7 6 5 1
P14 8 6 9 7 3 4 5 1 2 10
P15 5 6 9 8 10 7 2 3 4 1
P16 4 8 10 5 6 7 9 3 2 1
P17 1 4 5 6 7 2 3 8 9 10
P18 7 9 10 6 2 5 8 4 1 3
P19 1 9 6 7 10 2 8 3 4 5
P20 2 4 6 5 10 9 7 8 1 3
P21 2 3 4 8 10 9 6 7 5 1
P22 1 2 3 4 8 5 9 6 10 7
P23 3 7 8 1 9 6 10 4 5 2
P24 1 6 7 4 8 2 3 9 10 5
P25 5 9 10 2 1 7 4 3 6 8
P30 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 8 1 2

47 85 104 81 107 86 98 82 75 60

197
 APPENDIX D

COMBINED RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 2

198
 Commitment
Building to growth of
Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Community people
P1 9 1 8 2 10 6 7 5 4 3
P2 9 8 10 7 4 5 3 6 1 2
P3 3 5 6 4 10 8 9 7 1 2
P4 8 4 5 6 7 9 10 1 3 2
P5 6 4 5 7 10 8 9 2 1 3
P6 6 1 7 8 9 3 5 10 2 4
P7 1 2 6 4 8 7 5 10 9 3
P8 8 9 10 5 4 3 7 2 1 6
P9 4 5 8 6 1 2 3 7 10 9
P10 1 6 9 2 3 4 5 10 8 7
P11 7 9 10 6 2 5 8 4 1 3
P12 3 7 10 6 8 2 5 4 9 1
P13 4 8 7 9 10 6 5 3 2 1
P14 7 4 6 1 9 2 5 10 3 8
P15 4 5 6 7 10 9 8 3 2 1
P16 7 4 6 8 10 5 9 3 1 2
P17 1 2 3 4 10 5 9 6 7 8
P18 10 5 8 4 7 1 9 2 3 6
P19 1 9 6 7 10 2 8 3 4 5
P20 10 1 9 4 7 5 8 3 2 6
P21 6 7 8 4 10 3 9 5 2 1
P22 1 2 3 8 9 4 10 5 6 7
P23 3 7 8 1 9 6 10 4 5 2
P24 1 7 8 9 2 10 3 4 5 6
P25 2 7 8 5 9 3 10 4 1 6
P26 4 3 6 5 10 8 9 7 2 1
P27 5 6 7 8 4 9 10 3 2 1
P28 2 6 5 9 3 4 8 10 7 1
P29 3 9 10 4 5 8 7 2 1 6
P30 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 8 1 2

199
139 157 213 166 217 161 223 153 106 115
 APPENDIX E

MANAGEMENT RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 2

200
 Commitment
Building to growth of
Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Community people
P1 9 1 8 2 10 6 7 5 4 3
P2 9 8 10 7 4 5 3 6 1 2
P3 3 5 6 4 10 8 9 7 1 2
P4 8 4 5 6 7 9 10 1 3 2
P5 6 4 5 7 10 8 9 2 1 3
P6 6 1 7 8 9 3 5 10 2 4
P7 1 2 6 4 8 7 5 10 9 3
P8 8 9 10 5 4 3 7 2 1 6
P9 4 5 8 6 1 2 3 7 10 9
P10 1 6 9 2 3 4 5 10 8 7
P11 7 9 10 6 2 5 8 4 1 3
P26 4 3 6 5 10 8 9 7 2 1
P27 5 6 7 8 4 9 10 3 2 1
P28 2 6 5 9 3 4 8 10 7 1
P29 3 9 10 4 5 8 7 2 1 6

76 78 112 83 90 89 105 86 53 53

201
 APPENDIX F

ASSOCIATE RANKING SURVEY QUESTION 2

202
 Commitment
Building to growth of
Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Community people
P12 3 7 10 6 8 2 5 4 9 1
P13 4 8 7 9 10 6 5 3 2 1
P14 7 4 6 1 9 2 5 10 3 8
P15 4 5 6 7 10 9 8 3 2 1
P16 7 4 6 8 10 5 9 3 1 2
P17 1 2 3 4 10 5 9 6 7 8
P18 10 5 8 4 7 1 9 2 3 6
P19 1 9 6 7 10 2 8 3 4 5
P20 10 1 9 4 7 5 8 3 2 6
P21 6 7 8 4 10 3 9 5 2 1
P22 1 2 3 8 9 4 10 5 6 7
P23 3 7 8 1 9 6 10 4 5 2
P24 1 7 8 9 2 10 3 4 5 6
P25 2 7 8 5 9 3 10 4 1 6
P30 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 8 1 2

63 79 101 83 127 72 118 67 53 62

203
 APPENDIX G

ZAPPOS CONSENT TO CONDUCT RESEARCH

204
205
 APPENDIX H

ZAPPOS CONSENT TO USE NAME IN STUDY

206
207
 APPENDIX I

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

208
 209

Informed Consent Form for Dynamic Narrative Research

Servant Leadership at Zappos, Inc.

You are being asked to participate in a research study conducted by Josh Cowley, a

doctoral student in the Department of Organizational Leadership at the University of La

Verne. You were selected as a possible participant because of your experience as an

employee at Zappos. Approximately 30 participants are expected.

Purpose of the study:

The study seeks to identify in what ways servant leadership characteristics are evident,

which of the characteristics are most prevalent, which are least prevalent, and in what

words, actions, and artifacts they are evident. Furthermore, the purpose of this study is to

determine the degree to which these the beliefs, language, behaviors result in a positive

influence on the corporate culture. Finally, this study will identify how Zappos

employees extend and share the corporate culture with customers and coworkers.

What will be done:

You will be sent an electronic questionnaire, which will take approximately 10-15

minutes to complete. The correspondence seeks your perception and experience of

servant leadership characteristics within the organizational culture of Zappos. You will be

given an opportunity to share your experiences in your own words.

 210

Benefits of this study:

You will be contributing to the knowledge and research of servant leadership

characteristics in a for-profit organization. Findings can be used by your organization and

other organizations to determine the impact of servant leadership characteristics on an

organizational culture and possible areas for focus and/or improvement in developing an

organizational culture. There is no direct benefit to the participant and no payment or

incentive will be offered for you participation in this research.

Risks or discomforts:

No risks or discomforts are anticipated from taking part in this research. If you feel

uncomfortable with a question, you can skip that question or withdraw from the study

altogether. If you decide to quit at any time before you have completed the

correspondence, you may simply choose not to respond or respond to the correspondence

with please remove me from participation list. Any responses previously submitted will

be destroyed and not included in the final results of the research.

Confidentiality:

Your responses will be kept completely confidential. No identifying information will not

be collected or stored. You will be assigned a generic identifier and any names or

identifying characteristics or descriptions will be scrubbed in final research results.

 211

How the findings will be used:

The results of the research will be used for scholarly purposes only. The results from the

study will be presented in educational settings and possibly at professional conferences,

and the results might be published in a professional journal. Only aggregated results will

be reported.

Identification of researcher:

If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact Josh

Cowley [email protected]) or at (xxx-xxx-xxxx) or Dr. Casey Goodall (omitted)

or at (omitted).

Rights of Research Participants:

You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without

penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your

participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights as a

research participant, contact Marcia L. Godwin, Ph.D., IRB Director, at xxx-xxx-xxxx,

extension xxxx, ([email protected]). University of La Verne, Institutional Review

Board, 1950 Third Street, CBPM 123, La Verne, CA 91750.

By beginning the survey, you acknowledge that you are 18 years or older, have read this

information and agree to participate in this research, with the knowledge that you are free

to withdraw your participation at any time without penalty.

 APPENDIX J

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

212
 213

Hello,

My name is Josh Cowley and I am a doctoral student at the University of La Verne, in La

Verne, California. The topic of my dissertation is the impact of servant leadership
characteristics on an organizational culture at a for-profit organization. Please allow me
to provide a brief glimpse into servant leadership. Servant leadership is a leadership style
introduced in the late 1970s by Robert Greenleaf. From a leadership style stand point,
servant leadership is relatively new, and literature and research has been limited to faith-
based and non-profit organizations. The purpose of my research is to identify and provide
examples of how servant leadership impacts the organizational culture of a for-profit
organization. As one of the top 100 places to work, as identified by Forbes, Zappos was a
logical choice to launch this study.

Each of you will receive two very brief survey instruments. The first will simply ask you
to rank the most/least demonstrated servant leadership characteristics by management in
the organization and the most/least prevalent servant leadership characteristic in the
organization. Once the top characteristics have been identified, the second portion of the
survey will be issued and you will be given an opportunity to share examples of your
personal experience with the servant leadership characteristics.

Please note that participation is voluntary, but your responses are greatly valued and
appreciated. You confidentiality will be maintained throughout the entire research
process and you will be given opportunity to review responses and receive an executive
summary at the end of the study. If at any point in time you have questions, please feel
free to reach out to me via email or by cell phone, the number is xxx xxx xxxx.

Sincerely,

Josh Cowley
 APPENDIX K

EXPERT PANEL REVIEW FORM

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EXPERT PANEL REVIEW FORM

Instructions

The purpose of this study is to identify the top five servant leadership characteristics and
how the manifest themselves within the organizational culture of Zappos, Inc., as
experienced and observed by both associates and supervisor/management employees.
Please read the research questions below and note if the corresponding interview
questions are relevant to the research question. Please indicate if the interviews questions
are:

a. Relevant to the research question

b. Not relevant to the research question
c. Should be modified

A space is provided below each interview question if any modifications are suggested.
Thank you for your time.

RESEARCH QUESTION 1

Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful servant leadership is conducted at Zappos?
Not Needs
Interview Question #1 Relevant Relevant modification
Please rank the following servant leadership
characteristics 1-10, with 1 being the most Modifications:
demonstrated by Zappos management, and 10 being
the least demonstrated by management. Servant
Leadership Characteristics: Listening, Healing,
Empathy, Awareness, Persuasion,
Conceptualization, Foresight, Stewardship,
Community Building, Commitment to the growth of
people.
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RESEARCH QUESTION 1 (continued)

Does evidence exist that frequent and impactful servant leadership is conducted at Zappos?
Not Needs
Interview Question #2 Relevant Relevant modification
Please rank the following servant leadership
characteristics 1-10, with 1 being the most prevalent Modifications:
servant leadership characteristic in the
organizational culture of Zappos, and 10 being the
least prevalent servant leadership characteristic in
the organizational culture of Zappos. Listening,
Healing, Empathy, Awareness, Persuasion,
Conceptualization, Foresight, Stewardship,
Community Building, Commitment to the growth of
people.

RESEARCH QUESTION 2

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of employees
within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in which they
serve?
Not Needs
Interview Question #3 Relevant Relevant modification
Of the following top 5 servant leadership
characteristics, please provide one or more examples Modifications:
of how these servant leadership characteristics are
demonstrated in the organizational culture of Zappos
by management and coworkers.
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RESEARCH QUESTION 2 (continued)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in
which they serve?
Not Needs
Interview Question #4 Relevant Relevant modification
Please provide one or more examples of how
the top 5 servant leadership characteristics Modifications:
influence your interactions with coworkers at
Zappos.

RESEARCH QUESTION 2 (continued)

How does a servant leadership culture at Zappos affect the efforts and actions of
employees within the organization and outside the organization in the communities in
which they serve?
Not Needs
Interview Question #5 Relevant Relevant modification
Please provide one or more examples of how the
top 5 servant leadership characteristics influence Modifications:
your interactions with customers at Zappos.
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RESEARCH QUESTION 3

How does Zappos deal with conflicts when an employee disregards acceptable norms,
or when he or she fails to perform to standards expected from the organization?
Not Needs
Interview Question #6 Relevant Relevant modification
Please provide one or more examples of how
conflicts are addressed when someone fails to Modifications:
meet expectations within the frame work
influenced by the servant leadership
characteristics at Zappos.
 APPENDIX L

INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL

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University of La Verne
Institutional Review Board

TO: Edward Joshua Cowley, Doctor of Education Candidate

FROM: University of La Verne, Institutional Review Board
RE: 2013-CEOL-05-Cowley- Servant Leadership in a For-Profit Organization

The research project, cited above, was reviewed by the College of Education and Organizational
IRB Committee. The college review determined that the research activity has minimal risk to
human participants, and the application received an Expedited review. The application was
approved with the following additional condition:
If the company provides permission to be named in the dissertation, please forward a
copy of that permission to the IRB. An amendment will not be required.

A copy of this approval letter is required to be included as an appendix to your

completed dissertation. The project may proceed to completion, or until the date of
expiration of IRB approval, January 16, 2014. Please note the following conditions
applied to all IRB submissions:

No new participants may be enrolled beyond the expiration date without IRB approval of
an extension.

The IRB expects to receive notification of the completion of this project, or a request
for extension within two weeks of the approval expiration date, whichever date comes
earlier.

The IRB expects to receive prompt notice of any proposed changes to the protocol, informed
consent forms, or participant recruitment materials. No additional participants may be enrolled
in the research without approval of the amended items.

The IRB expects to receive prompt notice of any adverse event involving human participants
in this research.

There are no further conditions placed on this approval.

The IRB wishes to extend to you its best wishes for a successful research endeavor. If you
have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Marcia L. Godwin, Ph.D. January 16, 2013

Approval Signature IRB Director/Chair Date

For the Protection of Human Participants in Research

[email protected]
(909) 593-3511, ext. 4103