Chapter 1: THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP “The strength of the group is in the strength of the leader.” Vince Lombardi Introduction After reading this chapter, you should have knowledge about the following: 1. The concept of leadership 2. Canadian leaders in sport and fitness 3. Theories of leadership from past to present 4. Matching leadership behaviours to the group and the situation Good leadership is absolutely essential to any organization Contents What Is Leadership? Two Contrasting Examples of Successful Leadership Canadian Leaders in Sport and Fitness Studying Leadership Can Leadership Be Learned? 1 What is Leadership? What is Leadership? Leaders help groups set goals, envision the possibilities and make commitments Leaders can have a positive influence on the lives and behaviours of others Leaders are not necessarily people who do great things but rather people who inspire others to do great things YMCA Definition of Leadership We measure the effectiveness of a leader not in terms of the leadership he exercises, but in terms of the leadership he evokes; not in terms of power over others, but in terms of the power released in others; not in terms of the goals she sets up and the direction she gives, but in terms of goals and plans of action others work out for themselves with her help; not in terms alone of products and projects completed, but in terms of growth of competence, sense of responsibility, and personal satisfaction among many participants 2 Leadership versus Management Managers Leaders Set the overall vision and Direct or control operation or inspire performance Influence interpersonal Are concerned with logistics relationships and motivation May show management ability “Leadership is the knack of getting somebody to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership versus Supervision Supervisors Leaders Oversee or inspect the quality of May function as supervisors the work done BUT also encourage group Pass judgment on the group members to set and achieve members’ performance their own personal standards The Person at the Top Sometimes leaders find themselves in their positions because of their assigned status and leadership ability may be lacking. On the other hand, people who earn their status as leaders because of their actions may be a source of either support or irritation to the official leaders 3 Two Contrasting Examples of Successful Leadership Success Starts at the Top Reaching the Peak 4 Two Contrasting Examples of Successful Leadership Vince Lombardi vs. John Wooden Both coached teams to outstanding records, but their personal styles were at opposite ends of the spectrum Vince Lombardi Legendary NFL coach “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” An extreme example of a task-oriented leader who asked everything of his players Not everyone liked working for him, but almost every professional football player wanted to have him as a coach because he would bring out their best performances John Wooden Influenced personal development of his players A person who taught on a constant basis based on his “pyramid of success” Although his practices were very demanding, there was always the sense of people having fun playing a simple game 5 The Pyramid of Success Canadian Leaders In Sport and Fitness Wayne Gretzky “The Great One” Widely considered the greatest hockey player of all time Captained the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup wins Scored 1,016 goals and assisted on 2,223 others, for a total of 3,239 points Executive director of Canada’s gold-medal- winning Olympic hockey team in 2002 Wayne Gretzky Foundation gives underprivileged kids the opportunity to play hockey Honorary chairman of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada 6 Christine Sinclair Put Canadian women’s soccer on the map Won multiple awards in her collegiate career, including woman athlete of the year Two-time Olympian and captain of the Canadian national team Won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year in 2012 All-time leader in goals scored for the Canadian national team Sits third overall in international goals scored by a female player David Patchell-Evans Bought his first fitness club in 1983 Owns and operates more than 300 GoodLife Fitness Clubs across Canada The key person in establishing Canadian Fitness Professionals Inc. (1993) Can-Fit-Pro offers a variety of internationally recognized certification courses Annual Toronto conference is the largest fitness convention in the world An inspiration for all those in the fitness field today Charmaine Crooks Olympic silver medalist who has competed at five Olympic Games Elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission in 1996 Founding member of the IOC Ethics Commission, which developed the IOC Code of Ethics Played an integral role in bringing the 2010 Winter Olympics to Vancouver President of Olympians Canada and chair of the COC Awards and Recognition Committee Founding board member of Right to Play and global ambassador for Peace and Sport 7 Steve Nash Two-time NBA MVP known for his shooting, playmaking, and ball-handling skills Ranked as one of the top players in NBA history in several statistical categories Three-time winner of the Lionel Conacher Award as Canada’s male athlete of the year Received the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for “outstanding service and dedication to the community” Steve Nash Foundation assists children affected by poverty, illness, abuse, or neglect and creates opportunities for education, play, and personal development Clara Hughes Only person to win multiple medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics Won two medals in cycling and four in speed skating, including gold in 2006 Canadian flag-bearer for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics A public speaker, a television commentator, and a humanitarian Sits on the international board of directors for Right to Play Spokesperson for Bell Canada’s Let’s Talk campaign, a mental health initiative Simon Whitfield Ran his first triathlon at age 11 Came from behind to win gold in triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney Came from behind to win silver at the Beijing Games in 2008 Canadian flag-bearer for the London 2012 Olympics Won 12 national championships and 14 World Cup victories in his career A role model for Canadians who visits schools to help children pursue their dreams 8 Hayley Wickenheiser Arguably the greatest female hockey player to play the game Has won three Olympic gold medals and multiple world championships First female player to notch a point in a men’s professional game Named among the top 10 Greatest Female Athletes in the History of Sports Supports organizations such as KidSport and Right to Play Mentors young athletes through the Wickenheiser International Women’s Hockey Festival Milos Raonic Rose from 156 to 31 in the ATP tennis rankings in 2011 Named ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2011 The highest-ranked male Canadian singles player in the open era Has one of the strongest serves in the game Milos Raonic Foundation supports children from disadvantaged backgrounds, currently focusing on children with disabilities who need prosthetic devices Chantal Petitclerc Lost the use of her legs when she was 13 years old and began wheelchair racing at 18 Won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year in 2008 Has won a total of 21 Paralympic medals, including 14 gold The most decorated Canadian amateur athlete and Paralympic wheelchair racer Committed to promoting and developing sports for athletes with disabilities A spokesperson for Défi Sportif and an ambassador for Right to Play 9 Leaders or Celebrities? Many individuals who have achieved special recognition in sport – even “icon” status – have not necessarily displayed special leadership skills. For example, Terry Fox is recognized as an icon and a positive role model. Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity to realize his potential as a group leader. Studying Leadership Trait Theory of Leadership Great leaders are born, not made A summary of the personality traits of leaders vs. non-leaders: Drive and ambition The desire to lead and influence Honesty and integrity Self-confidence Intelligence In-depth technical knowledge Possessing certain personality traits only makes it more likely that an individual can become an effective leader 10 Personality Theory of Leadership 4 leader personality types: Organized Active Like structure & rules Fun loving Very dependable. Adventuresome Curious Warm & empathetic Innovative Strong communication Problem solvers Strive for harmony Personality Theory of Leadership We usually have a preferred way of functioning Because we are all a blend of the four types, we can function from each perspective when necessary Important to understand all the types to capitalize on your strengths and build on your weak areas Behaviour Theory of Leadership Two distinct leadership dimensions High High relationship and High relationship and low task high task Task orientation leadership– Emphasis on achieving Relationship performance goals Behaviour Low Low task and High task and Relationship orientation low relationship low relationship leadership – Emphasis on interpersonal relationships Low Task Behaviour High 11 Comprehensive Theory of Leadership Leadership success is a function of the leader’s Partying Selling behaviour, the group members’ High Low (Members are able and (Members are unable characteristics and situational