Uninvested Leadership: A Quantitative Analysis of New Troop Leader Perceptions in Relation to Turnover Intentions in the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas

This quantitative study examined the relationship between volunteer expectations, perceived likelihood and value of outcomes, overall satisfaction, and organizational commitment in relation to turnover intent among new troop leaders in the Girl Scouts of the southwest Texas. Understanding why people voluntarily give of their time and talent is at the heart of the research agenda of many scholars and practitioners. If organizational leaders better understand the expectations of those who give of their time and the degree to which their expectations are being met, research suggests that leaders are in a better position to create an environment that satisfies and retains individuals over time (Henderson, 1991; Skoglund, 2006). Research has been done on volunteer motivation (e.g. Smith, 1982; Snyder, Clary, & Stukas, 1999; Snyder & Omoto, 1995; Wilson, 2000;), but few studies have been devoted to the study of volunteerism within specific contexts. Through the lens of expectancy theory, this quantitative study examined the relationship between volunteer expectations, perceived likelihood and value of outcomes, overall satisfaction, and organizational commitment in relation to turnover intent among new troop leaders in the Girl Scouts of the southwest Texas. The findings showed that volunteer satisfaction, expectations, anticipated length of involvement, and organizational commitment were most predictive of turnover intent. Results indicated that satisfaction had the highest overall impact on intention to quit. Neither the instrumentality nor valence of outcomes was found to be predictive of turnover intent, though these factors may influence the initial decision to volunteer. Moreover, comparisons between demographic variables resulted in no significant differences regarding turnover intent