SPORTS MANAGEMENT STYLES
Like every field, the field of sports is one where participants require some form of coaching, mentoring and motivation. Leaders and managers have a strong role in the field of sports because they set out a direction for the players and channelize their dream to become reality. People who are interested in sports are those who are motivated from inside and want to stay healthy and active at the same time. Internal motivation becomes productive when it receives appreciation and there is someone who can actually show the players when and how to make the most of their abilities and inner talent. It is true that sportsman spirits are needed for winning a game but if the players do not know how they are going to put their abilities to use and in what direction they would be heading to, then such high spirits are of no use.
The role of a manager and leader is to ensure that the abilities of players are put to correct usage and they are constantly appreciated for good performance. It is also required that players are given feedback on their performance so that they know how well or bad they are doing and what ways they can adopt to achieve better results. It should be noted here that a manager in sports also has to play the role of a leader because it is his responsibility to make the players use their skills, intelligence and physical fitness to proper use (Ericsson, 2014).
There are basically three styles of sports management including autocratic, parental and democratic style. In autocratic style, the manager or leader takes decisions on his own and communicates them to the players in a rigid tone such that his commands should be followed and no input from the players is appreciated (De Hoogh, Greer & Den Hartog, 2015). In the parental style of management, the manager or leader coaches or guides the players to use certain techniques and skills when required in order to attain better results (Onorato, 2013). In the third style of management, the manager or leader takes into account the opinions of the players before making decisions or devising instructions because he believes that this activity would enhance the interest and self esteem of players.
I have ample interest in sports and I consider myself to be lucky to have a great coach. I love to play football. I have been playing it since I was a kid because kicking the ball really helps me improves my focus and keeps me energetic. I joined a football academy where I was told that the coach is a really capable one and produces really fine football players. But I also came to know that he is an uptight person and follows rules and never compromises on them. I got enrolled in the academy because I wanted to fine tune my football skills as well as prepare for an upcoming tournament among different college teams. I was nervous when I met the coach because I had heard that he follows the autocratic style of management. But this was not right about him. He basically followed the paternal style of management and leadership. He asked me the first day what I knew about football and asked me to demonstrate a few tricky kicks. After getting to know my skills, the coach sat with me and told me more about the game rules. Then he did the same with other players and then he got us into developing special bonding with each other. Soon we felt we had formed a family and the coach was like a fatherly figure to us. Whenever he observed that any of the players in the team is not performing well, he would take the player to one side and ask him why he did not perform well and how he can help him feel and perform better. He never insulted or mistreated any of the players in public. He used to celebrate our victory and best learning moments proudly and it was a ritual for him to appreciate the best skills and abilities of players in front of all others in a positive tone so as to inspire them to perform in a better manner. The football academy soon became a second home for us because the coach treated us like his own family and behaved like an elderly figure. My coach’s management and leadership style were paternal in nature and it resulted in fruitful outcomes.
There is another sports manager or leader I know who has a contrasting approach as compared to my coach. He is also one of the managers at a sports club. Initially, his sports club was a huge success but as time passed, he had only a few of the loyal employees and players and rest joined other clubs. I wanted to find out why new players and employees were leaving him so I went to the club and expressed my intention of joining the club. The sports club manager did not welcome me warmly and soon gave me a list of rules and policies I would have to follow as the club member. The rules were not member friendly at all and all were aimed at the welfare of the club. I joined the football team in the club but every other day, the manager would be seen treating the coaches in an ill manner just because he was too rigid in his decision and never really took into account any of the opinions and suggestions of his subordinates. Although the management and leadership style of the sports manager was seen as negative by everyone but this style had a positive side to it too. Many times it happens that rules of the game cannot be changed and if the parental or democratic approach is followed, the rules cannot be implemented completely because when opinions of others intervene, the leader has to consider them somehow. The leader cannot afford to lose the loyalty of subordinates and this is why he cannot keep his leadership style purely autocratic. But in the given case, the leader kept taking decisions which he assumed were correct and did not take into account the ideas and inputs from his employees and coaches. Although the sports academy was running smoothly and the sports rules and regulations were being followed but loyalty was less.
I would usually follow the parental style of management and leadership because I believe that when the employees are trained and guided by a family or group, they tend to perform better. A leader must look like an elderly figure to the employees to which they can always turn to when they wish to seek help or solution to a problem. I do not see myself following the autocratic style of management because the style does not go with my nature. I believe that loyalty and commitment cannot be achieved by force. A manager and leader have to become a role model for the employees such that they are able to develop a certain bond with him before actually listening to him or obeying him. While following the parental style of management, I will look at my subordinates in a family like a manner and ensure that all family members are treated with respect and equality. I will also ensure that the hidden talents and abilities of my subordinates are exposed and they all work in peace and harmony to achieve their goals and targets.
References
De Hoogh, A. H., Greer, L. L., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2015). Diabolical dictators or capable commanders? An investigation of the differential effects of autocratic leadership on team performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(5), 687-701.
Ericsson, K. A. (2014). The road to excellence: The acquisition of expert performance in the arts and sciences, sports, and games. Psychology Press.
Onorato, M. (2013). Transformational leadership style in the educational sector: An empirical study of corporate managers and educational leaders. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 17(1), 33.
