Leaders must possess the qualities they are trying to instil into their team. For example, if you want team members to be confident or hardworking, then you must have these characteristics. One of the most powerful things you can do is lead by example, the leader acts as an influential role model for the players. For example, David Beckham, captain of England football team, is a highly skilled player and motivates and leads his team through his own high standard of play and drive to win. David Beckham is a democratic and person orientated leader; he motivates players through his performance, and is close friends with his teammates.
Good task orientated leaders know a lot about their sport and are intelligent. Sports coaches are often ex-players themselves, such as Linford Christie. He was an Olympic gold medal winner for England in athletics; he now coaches current athletes, such as Darren Campbell and Joyce Maduaka. He is a good coach and leader as he passes his own experience and skills down to his athletes.
Good leaders, coaches or managers can use their knowledge of the sport and their tactical awareness to select the right strategy for the right situation, even under great pressure. Their knowledge also means they are good teachers and are well prepared. Good coaches know that sometimes they will have to change what they originally planned due to changing circumstances, so flexibility and having an open mind are crucial to leadership. Alex Ferguson, an autocratic, task orientated leader is an example of a leader who possesses these qualities, he manages to motivate Manchester United whether they are top of the table, or on a rare losing streak, and he can change his game plan to adapt to the situation. England middle-distance runner, Kelly Holmes’s coach also has to make important decisions with the athlete on how she will run the race. Whether she should go out strong and run from the front, or sit back and rely on a sprint finish, all based on factors such as her fitness, the opponents and the situation.
Good leaders are highly driven and intrinsically motivated. They have to be good motivators to convince athletes to believe that hard work pays off and achieving excellence is hard, but worthwhile in the end. For example, during a hard county netball practice, when players are struggling, our coach will remind of us of our goal to justify the work we are putting in, such as beating a particular team or winning a tournament. According to the path-goal model of leadership, the leader assists his of her followers to set and attain goals that are compatible with attainable objectives.
A good leader must be confident because their confidence will trickle down to team members and the effectiveness of a good captain or coach will show itself through the teams performance as a whole, i.e. winning. This is not only important in large team sports, but also in individual sports, like tennis, where the pressure on the athlete on court is extremely high and focused. Tim Henman draws upon the confidence and support form his coach, Larry Stefanski when he plays; he states that his coach’s presence at the side of the court ‘helps him through his games.’ A coach's confidence in the team or athlete can give team members added strength. There also must be respect for the players; if athletes are not treated with genuine respect, they will not respect or respond to the coach.
To get the most out of each player, a coach much know the members well enough to assess their strengths and weaknesses, and getting the right players to do the right job is important. Choosing the right person to be team captain is vital. This is why it is so important for a coach to get to know each of the players as well as possible. Paula Radcliffe’s coach is also her husband, dietician, motivator and many more roles. For the athlete herself, her coach playing all these roles can be good for her career, as he knows what makes her perform to the maximum. This is a very good example of how a good leader as a coach must know their athlete well, this is especially important in individual sports, such as tennis or cross country, as motivation must come from the athlete and coach only, there is no team around to help build moral. Overall, good leaders have a great knowledge of their sport and are able to commit 100% to their athlete or team. Good leaders are good at communication and motivation, gaining and giving respect and are enthusiastic and are passionate about their sport.
