Leadership Styles in Sport
Name: Lorraine Mc Donagh
ID Number: 10018989
Module: SP1009N- Introduction to Coaching & Psychology
Practical Report on Leadership Styles in Sport
Reflecting on your Leadership in Sport practical, outline key characteristics of the three main styles of leadership experienced. With reference to coaching practice, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each style. You should use the available literature to support your suggestions.
Leadership has been described as the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.
Different situations call for different leadership styles. In an emergency when there is little time to converge on an agreement and where a designated authority has significantly more experience or expertise than the rest of the team, an autocratic leadership style may be most effective; however, in a highly motivated and aligned team with a homogeneous level of expertise, a more democratic or laissez-faire style may be more effective. The style adopted should be the one that most effectively achieves the objectives of the group while balancing the interests of its individual members.
The three main styles of leadership are:
1. Autocratic or authoritarian style 2. Participative or democratic style 3. Laissez-faire or free rein style
Autocratic or authoritarian style
Provides clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. There is also a clear division between the leader and the followers. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently with little or no input from the rest of the group. Decision-making is less creative under authoritarian leadership. It is more difficult to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. Abuse of this style is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial. Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations
ID Number: 10018989
Module: SP1009N- Introduction to Coaching & Psychology
Practical Report on Leadership Styles in Sport
Reflecting on your Leadership in Sport practical, outline key characteristics of the three main styles of leadership experienced. With reference to coaching practice, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each style. You should use the available literature to support your suggestions.
Leadership has been described as the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.
Different situations call for different leadership styles. In an emergency when there is little time to converge on an agreement and where a designated authority has significantly more experience or expertise than the rest of the team, an autocratic leadership style may be most effective; however, in a highly motivated and aligned team with a homogeneous level of expertise, a more democratic or laissez-faire style may be more effective. The style adopted should be the one that most effectively achieves the objectives of the group while balancing the interests of its individual members.
The three main styles of leadership are:
1. Autocratic or authoritarian style 2. Participative or democratic style 3. Laissez-faire or free rein style
Autocratic or authoritarian style
Provides clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. There is also a clear division between the leader and the followers. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently with little or no input from the rest of the group. Decision-making is less creative under authoritarian leadership. It is more difficult to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. Abuse of this style is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial. Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations
References: 1. Chemers M. (1997) An integrative theory of leadership. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers 2. Lewin, K.; Lippitt, R.; White, R.K. (1939). "Patterns of aggressive behavior in experimentally created social climates". Journal of Social Psychology 10: 271–301. 3. About.com Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/a/leadstyles.htm 4. Cecil A Gibb (1970). Leadership (Handbook of Social Psychology). Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.