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Pyc4812 Exam 2023/24 chapters
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- Sports Psychology (PYC4812)
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- University Of South Africa
2023/24 exam chapters to prepare for.
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CHAPTER6
Leadership in Sport: The Critical Importance
of Coach and Athlete Leadership
Julia S. Ammary, Lehigh University
Jeff Janssen, Janssen Sports Leadership Center
I feel my attitude sets the tone. It’s my job to magnify my teammates’ strengths and to hide their weak-
nesses. I put people in position to do their thing.
—Dawn Staley, Basketball Hall of Fame member and Olympic Gold medalist
Why is it that some teams consistently perform up administrators and coaches consistently invest time
to their full potential while others, even with strong and energy in the development of a leadership cul-
talent, fail to live up to expectations? How do some ture within their teams. In fact, because of the rich
teams develop and sustain a championship-level learning laboratory inherent in sport and the ample
program year after year, even though athletes come opportunities to apply core leadership concepts in
and go on a regular basis? How do some teams practical and tangible ways, many coaches, parents,
build and maintain a winning culture where people and administrators are capitalizing on the oppor-
not only survive but also thrive individually and tunity to intentionally develop leadership skills in
collectively? student-athletes.
Many factors determine a team’s success, but Inspired by compelling curiosities, anchored in
few are as influential as the all-encompassing power leadership theory and research, and written from a
of strong and credible leadership. Many people practitioner’s perspective, this chapter focuses on
automatically assume that as the primary leader three questions: Why is leadership important?, What
of a team, the coach is the common denominator is leadership?, and, How can core leadership con-
among strong programs. While the coach’s lead- cepts and strategies be applied in sport to develop and
ership is absolutely critical to success, the best enhance personal, interpersonal, and team effective-
leaders know their effectiveness ultimately is deter- ness? For the sake of clarifying expectations (a lead-
mined not by manipulating a large number of fol- ership practice that is extremely valuable in working
lowers, but by empowering others. Top program with coaches, athletes, and teams), please note that
100
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, Julia S. Ammary and Jeff Janssen 101
this chapter does not intend to neatly define leader- because it seems to be invisible when it is done well
ship. Instead, it acknowledges that leadership is a (i.e., processes and people function smoothly and
powerful, complex, and heuristic process involving seamlessly), and we are most acutely aware of its
the psychology, sociology, and spirit of people in value in its absence or in times of transition and
social situations. Accordingly, the goal of this chap- change. Even though research has not delivered
ter is to facilitate a leadership journey, exposing the consistent facts proving that leadership is the key
reader to a range of perspectives and offering some to a team’s success, a number of studies have cor-
practical strategies that may enhance the leadership related contemporary and multifaceted leadership
development of coaches, athletes, and teams. approaches to enhanced interpersonal relation-
Why is leadership in sport so important? We ships, trust, morale, and satisfaction, which can all
would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t facilitate greater collective efficacy, teamwork, and
believe now more than ever that strong leadership improved performance over time (Callow, Smith,
is needed to support the fast-paced and dynamically Hardy, Arthur, & Hardy, 2009; Loughead & Hardy,
changing environments in which our sport organiza- 2005). Peer leaders who frequently inspire, moti-
tions and teams are attempting to flourish. As sport vate, enhance creativity, solve problems, and use
scandals “go viral” and are played out very publicly contingent rewards are associated with teammates
through social media, and as social media and other who experience great joy and satisfaction playing
technology platforms attempt to take the place of the sport, are motivated to pursue challenging tasks
real face-to-face communication, there is a growing with great effort, and are interested in learning
“trust gap” between leaders and their people (Maak (Glenn, 2003; Price & Weiss, 2011).
& Pless, 2006; Pless, Maak, & Waldman, 2012). We Recent findings by journalist Sam Walker
need different and effective educational approaches (2017) substantiate the correlation between team
to overcome this trust gap. We must intentionally leaders and team success. As featured in his book,
develop quality leaders in our emerging genera- The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates
tions who will make strong decisions, communicate the World’s Greatest Teams, Walker devised a system
clearly, and balance the needs and well-being of peo- to identify the greatest teams of all time in pursuit
ple with the pressure to deliver results. of an understanding of what those teams have in
Today, teams need the objective realism of common. Through his research, he learned that the
great managers and the vision and passion of great greatest teams can be traced back to exceptional
leaders to achieve team goals (Bolman & Deal, leaders. Further, he identified the seven traits of
2013). Many top coaches and sport leadership elite captains as:
experts would agree that leadership is a differentiat-
ing element of a championship experience. Said leg- • Extreme doggedness and focus in competition
endary North Carolina women’s soccer coach Anson • Aggressive play that tests the limits of the rules
Dorrance, “The final piece in a championship team • A willingness to do thankless jobs in the
is leadership. The most attractive type of leadership shadows
to me is the student-athlete who is a coach on the
field. I want a driving verbal force who won’t let stan- • A low-key, practical, and democratic communi-
cation style
dards slip. That’s how teams with ordinary talent can
win championships” (Dorrance, 1994). • Passionate nonverbal displays to motivate others
For decades, researchers and practitioners • Strong convictions and the courage to stand
have been searching for traits, behaviors, and strat- apart
egies that prove that leadership works. The reality
is that leadership is difficult to measure, perhaps • Ironclad emotional control
wil22391_ch06_100-121.indd 101 1/4/20 12:59 PM
, 102 Chapter 6 Leadership in Sport: The Critical Importance of Coach and Athlete Leadership
Clearly, leadership development is and will discipline means: behaving wisely” (p. 21–22). The
continue to be a critical element in the stability and objective nature of sport reinforces the practice of
forward progression of our individuals, teams, orga- behaviors that produce winning results, providing
nizations, institutions, and corporations. The good extra incentive for teams to invest time and energy
news is that we believe leadership can be taught, in refining their understanding and applications
learned, practiced, and improved by anyone who of the behaviors that become leadership. Studies
cares deeply about facilitating positive change within highlighting established strategies for personal,
a team. interpersonal, and team leadership development are
How is leadership (and leadership in sport) devel- explored with further detail in the latter part of this
oped? While sport provides an environment rich in chapter.
opportunities to experiment with leadership aware-
ness and skills, we simply cannot leave to chance
the leadership learning of our coaches and athletes. Exercise 1
Debunking the myth that leaders are born and not
made, enhanced leadership capacity is linked to Summarize the importance of leadership in sport.
formal training efforts (Dugan, 2006), where the Consider the impact of both coach and athlete
synthesis of core concepts and skills results from leadership.
discussion and reflection upon situations, behav-
iors, and the evolving leadership needs of a team.
Formal leadership training complements the daily,
informal development efforts by coaches at prac- Having established the compelling reasons for
tice, and thus is most effective when integrated as a cultivating effective leaders and having acknowl-
part of team culture and routines rather than being edged the incredible opportunity sport provides
scheduled as an added obligation (in addition to to do so, we must examine the elusive question
strength/conditioning, tactical/technical skill devel- about what we are attempting to develop: What is
opment, mental training, community service, team leadership?
building, etc.). Investment by athletes and coaches
is most sincere when formal leadership program- Leadership Theory
ming is reinforced as a key element of program plan- Leadership is a complex phenomenon that has
ning and when the developmental efforts are shared existed since the earliest human civilizations; in
by key constituents (coaches, athletes, support staff, every group of people there is at least one person
parents). who mobilizes others toward the achievement of
Ultimately, sport experiences and formal train- a vision. Over the past half-century, researchers
ing can be only as influential as participants are dis- have explored key elements of leadership effec-
ciplined. Leadership effectiveness can be enhanced tiveness, sparking an evolution of thought mani-
through a conscious commitment to learning about, fested in thousands of published definitions and
experimenting with, and assessing strategies and numerous theories and models. Current focus is on
behaviors. As former Princeton University men’s transformational, emotionally intelligent, adaptive,
basketball coach Pete Carril (Carril & White, 1997) and ethical leadership (e.g., Gomes, 2014; Lamm,
said, “Great philosophers of education have said Carter, & Lamm, 2016 ). These conceptualiza-
there are two things important in learning. Both tions of leadership include integrated and relation-
begin with a definition of the words to know. One ship-based approaches (e.g., Hogg et. al., 2005),
is learning facts, data—information. The other is focusing on group roles and processes, collabora-
knowing how to behave intelligently. That is what tion, and shared goals (Dugan & Komives, 2010).
wil22391_ch06_100-121.indd 102 1/4/20 12:59 PM
, Julia S. Ammary and Jeff Janssen 103
Further, shared leadership that “emanates from great performance, effort, or character when ath-
the members of teams and not simply from the letes meet or exceed team standards).
appointed team leader” (Pearce & Sims, 2002, p. 172),
• Intellectual Stimulation: Leaders and partici-
seems to be gaining interest and momentum, and pants’ efforts are more creative and innovative
may even be a stronger predictor of team effective- as a result of questioning assumptions, refram-
ness. Outlined next are a few of these integrated ing problems, and encouraging creativity in
approaches to leadership whose key elements are one another. Each person’s knowledge and
directly applicable to sport. abilities are enhanced through this process.
Bass and Riggio’s (2006) transformational Buy-in by athletes is greatly enhanced when
leadership theory describes a course of action team members are involved in preseason team
where both leaders and participants engage in a development sessions, including goal-setting,
mutual, ongoing process of raising one another to brainstorming action steps, and systems of
higher levels of motivation, moral reasoning, and accountability. Follow-through on the sugges-
self-consciousness. By appealing to social and com- tions of athletes goes a long way in building
munity values, transformational leadership encour- trust and engendering ownership of team ideals
ages collaboration and interdependence, including among team members. Encouraging athletes
the follower as an essential element of leadership to continue learning about leadership is also
(teamwork in sport). Within this theory, every par- a great way to spark creativity and intellectual
ticipant has the potential to lead, and leadership is stimulation (e.g., small groups of athletes
not based on position or title, but rather on the devel- assume responsibility for educating team mem-
opment of individual potential and performance to bers about a different leadership topic monthly,
promote positive action toward the achievement of presenting what they have observed and learned
team goals. The four primary components of trans- and making suggestions for team improvement).
formational leadership include:
• Individualized Consideration: Leaders grow
• Idealized Influence: Leaders behave in ways that future leaders by paying attention to each indi-
allow them to serve as role models and that vidual participant’s needs for achievement and
result in admiration, respect, and trust from par- growth. They serve as a supporter, mentor, and
ticipants. In sport, coaches and team captains coach for participants, thereby increasing those
earn the respect of team members through lead- individuals’ potential for growth and develop-
ership by example and modeling team standards ment. Vocal leadership by coaches or captains
(e.g., team captains must pass team fitness tests cannot only address the masses; one-on-one dia-
to maintain credibility). logue, feedback, and attentiveness are incredibly
• Inspirational Motivation: Leaders motivate and important in developing team members who are
inspire those around them through purpose and committed to team goals above personal pur-
challenge. Enthusiasm and optimism are dis- suits (e.g., coaches find time for individual meet-
played as participants are engaged in helping lead- ings at the beginning, middle, and end of their
ers create an exciting and attractive future. Great seasons to check in with team members about
coaches and captains learn about what motivates expectations, perceptions, and progress).
and frustrates their team members and identify
Supporting the application of the transfor-
meaningful roles that put athletes in positions to
mational leadership theory in sport, Price and
succeed. Recognition of small wins accumulates
Weiss (2013) linked coach and peer transforma-
and contributes to overall team morale (e.g.,
tional leadership behaviors to positive individual
using a sticker system to publicly acknowledge
wil22391_ch06_100-121.indd 103 1/4/20 12:59 PM
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