Leadership in Sports
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- Last Updated: Tuesday, 06 April 2021
Head Coaches as Leaders
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Examples of Leadership at Work in Sports
There are many examples of team owners or general managers demonstrating an understanding of the dynamics of leadership in professional sports. Since we're based out of the New York metropolitan area, here's an example coming from the New York Giants. Jim Fassel was the head coach of the N.Y. Giants from 1997 through 2003. In his first year as the head coach of the Giants he was 10-5. In 2000, he led the team to a 12-4 record and a trip to the Super Bowl. Just three years later, the Giants finished up 4-12, and it was time for a change. According to all accounts, the players liked Coach Fassel. In fact, he is well known for his "playoff guarantee" during the 2000 season in which he led the Giants to what was thought to be an improbable Super Bowl run.
Getting the Most Out of Players
The great head coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi once said "Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile." It's not easy to be an effective leader, it takes hard work to gain the confidence of the team and understand the motivational dynamics of each player. Fortunately, there are some simple rules that apply to all leadership situations, including sports:- Treat players with respect to earn their respect.
- Try to understand each player on the team well enough to be able to identify their specific strengths and weaknesses.
- Lead by example; coaches that expect players to be on time should never be late for a meeting.
- Share strategy with players; it is much easier for players to support a strategy if they understand it.
- Remain decisive and confident. A coach's confidence can be contagious. If the players know a coach believes in them, they might start believing in themselves too.
- Finally, instruct players in a positive manner.
Suggested Reading
The same formula in the workplace applies to sports. Our suggested reading list includes two articles that outline the fundamentals of leadership theory: Even Vince Lombardi recognized that worthwhile goals take effort to achieve. Coaches that want to be leaders or players that want to step up into a leadership position, such as team captain, need to learn how effective leaders in the workplace accomplish above average results. Those above average results in the workplace can translate into victories on the playing field.About the Author - Leadership in Sports
