problem solving sports leaders

High Performance Sports Leadership

Published by Wayne Goldsmith on January 29, 2018 January 29, 2018

High Performance Sports Leadership.

In High Performance Sport, experience is important.

Knowledge of the sports industry is critical.

An understanding of the culture of high performance is vital.

But ultimately, success is high performance sport comes down to possessing exceptional talent and ability in five core areas:

• Problem solving;
• Crisis management;
• Creating and sustaining a high performance environment , i.e. change management and continuous improvement;
• Finding, training and retaining the right people;
• Quality, consistent leadership.

And of these five skills, problem solving is perhaps the least understood – primarily because it hard to measure, hard to define and next to impossible to teach.

Here is Problem Solving in High Performance Sport 101 .

High Performance Sports Leadership 101 Lesson 1: A fish rots from the head.

The majority of problems experienced in high performance sports programs , professional teams and sporting clubs are as a result of poor leadership. The sport (the fish) will succeed or fail (rot) based on the consistent quality of the leadership (the head).

Whilst problems can be created and solved by players, coaches, management and staff, Clubs with a long term history of failure, public embarrassment, off field discipline issues and scandal invariably get that way due to poor leadership at Board and Executive level.

It is common that a sporting organisation when faced with failure will sack the coach , hire new support staff and recruit new players to try and solve their performance problems.

Effective high performance sports leadership is so much more than just hiring and firing: so much more than trying to purchase performance through investment in new facilities and infrastructure.

In sporting organisations where failure is experienced over and over and over again, replacing coaches, staff and players rarely fixes the real problems or if it does fix them, it does not fix them for very long.

It is however, to use our “fish” analogy again, much easier to remove a few scales or cut off a fin than it is to slice off the head altogether, so in many sporting organisations the real problems (i.e. the leadership) survive while the more “expendable” parts get removed and turned into “sporting soup”!

High Performance Sports Leadership 101 Lesson 2: He (or she) who is responsible for the problem must solve the problem.

In all sporting organisations, problems are created, managed and solved every day. The key to effective problem solving in high performance sport is understanding what the problem really is and most importantly, who should take responsibility for solving it.

There are three classes of problems in high performance sporting organisations:

Short term Problems: Players / athletes to solve – i.e. immediate problems impacting on the current season which involve matters such as attitude, attendance, time management, self management, dress standards, personal leadership, on and off field training standards, playing standards, alcohol management, personal values and discipline. Problems involving these issues should be solved by the athletes themselves as these problems are those owned by and within the control of the athletes themselves.

Medium term Problems: Coaches to solve – i.e. those problems which impact across this season and the next  including such areas as tactics, techniques, strategies, playing style, player recruitment, program planning, player development, skills and preparation. Problems in these technical, tactical and strategic areas of the organisation are the coaches domain and need to be solved by the coaching group.

Long term Problems: Board and Executive to solve – i.e. those problems which continue year after year regardless of changes in the playing and coaching areas: those broader, strategic and sustainable type (cultural) issues which the Board and Senior Management are responsible for solving.

Many of the biggest disputes in high performance sporting organisations, professional teams and Clubs are experienced when people try to solve problems which do not concern them.

For example, matters of attitude and commitment in the playing group are not for the Board to try and solve, in the same way that players should not be trying to solve economic sustainability or long term strategic planning issues for the Board.

Clarity in responsibility and accountability for decision making, behaviour and standards are the foundations of all great commercial organisations – and sporting organisations are no different.

High Performance Sports Leadership 101 Lesson 3: All problems in high performance sport are inter-disciplinary in nature: there is no “one size fits all” solution to all performance problems.

Most people will try to solve problems in high performance sport using one word, one phrase or one sentence, for example:

• Problem: The team is not winning.
• Solution : The players need to get stronger.
• Problem: The team’s attitude is poor.
• Solution: The players need to try harder.

High performance sport is a complex environment where nothing exists in isolation and everything is dependent on something and someone else to be effective.

Problems in high performance are never simple and can not be solved from a single perspective – they are all interdisciplinary in nature and require an interdisciplinary, selfless, ego-less, creative, team focused, “we not me” approach to solve them.

Into this environment comes the “sales-reps” – the people representing sporting equipment manufacturers, nutrition supplement companies, gym equipment suppliers etc etc promising to enhance the performance of the team with a new machine, a few pills, some new equipment or some revolutionary new clothing technology.

There are no instant solutions, quick fixes or miracles cures in high performance sport . It takes real effort, real discipline and real commitment to make effective, meaningful and measurable change in the organisation’s culture and environment and people offering one size fits all solutions to every performance problem should not be believed or taken seriously.

In high performance sport where success is measured in fractions of seconds and millimetres of error, anyone promising solutions of 5-10% improvement in performance (as is routinely promised by sales staff representing various manufacturers) is either:

• B. Delusional;
• C. Compromised due to their salary being based on sales commissions;
• D. All of the above.

High performance sport is a tough environment and real improvement demands an uncompromising commitment to solving performance problems with honesty, integrity, responsibility, creativity, accountability and sincerity: and there are no pills or machines on earth that can deliver any of those.

High performance sports leadership by definition means that leaders need to adopt the same commitment excellence as they expect from their coaches and athletes.

Performance comes from passionate people consistently preparing and performing to their peak potential.

• Problem solving is a critically important skill to develop and enhance if you are to succeed in high performance sport;
• Short term problems in high performance sport can be solved by players and people involved in the current competitive cycle / season but longer term problems require solutions which are created and driven by the Board and Executive;
• A Fish Rots from the Head – sporting organisations who experience failure over multiple seasons and over many years are suffering from the effects of poor leadership at Board and Executive level and changes in coaching, playing and support staff will make only minimal, temporary and unsustainable impact;
• Be aware of people promising quick fix solutions to performance problems: it is sounds too good to be true….it is.

Moregold works with Sporting Organisations to create and sustain world class high performance sporting environments.

Wayne Goldsmith

Wayne Goldsmith is a performance focused coaching professional with more than 25 years experience working with some of the world's leading athletes, coaches and teams. Wayne offers a wide range of coaching services for professional coaches, corporate executives and organizational leaders which are based on his experience delivering winning performances in high pressure sporting environments across the globe.

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Crisis management in sports: A leader’s checklist

The sports industry has endured its fair share of crises in recent memory, with scandals rocking collegiate blue bloods like Michigan State and Ohio State; the Dallas Mavericks in the professional ranks; the national governing bodies for gymnastics and taekwondo; and apparel giants Nike and Under Armour.

But as problematic as the underlying conduct in each of those cases is, the most damaging mistakes often come in the aftermath of their revelation as the institutional actors charged with coordinating a response fail to see the consequences of their decisions. Indeed, these errors in management in those crucial moments after a scandal becomes known can compound crises’ legal and public relations impact. It took years and a criminal indictment for Penn State to finally grapple with football coach Jerry Sandusky’s abuse — and the legal and NCAA blowback reflected the extent of the cover-up. Likewise for USA Gymnastics: The governing body for one of the country’s most successful Olympic sports is still reeling after hundreds of victims exposed the organization’s repeated failure to address the known conduct of Larry Nassar. And at Michigan State, the healing process from Nassar’s abuse was frustrated by an interim leadership group that refused to fully cooperate with external investigators. Put simply, the response to the crisis is often more important than the crisis itself.

To avert these additional — and completely avoidable — consequences, below are some of the considerations and factors leaders in the sports industry should account for when formulating and executing a crisis response. 

Know your institutional limitations

A key threshold issue in responding to crises in sports is understanding whether the situation can be adequately handled “in-house,” or if external help is required. The latter is almost always the wisest option. First, legal departments in professional sports organizations and collegiate institutions are often small, meaning that in-house attorneys and staff may not have the bandwidth necessary to conduct a thorough investigation. Moreover, even if in-house legal departments can add a crisis investigation to their duties, whether they should is a thornier question. Facts are king in crisis management, and the best path to accurate and truthful information is for a neutral, unbiased and previously uninvolved party to do the fact finding. Finally, organizations also should determine whether they could benefit from legal and public relations cover, both of which third party investigators can provide, as they navigate through crises. All of this, of course, comes at a cost, which is also a crucial factor in deciding whether to engage an independent entity. The financial, legal, and goodwill costs of mishandling a crisis on the front-end can be significant, and sports organizations must weigh the initial investment in outside help against the potential consequences of going it alone.

Understand your unique exposure

When in crisis, sports organizations must recognize their various points of exposure and craft a response with these in mind. In most cases, the highest priority should be determining potential legal consequences and mitigating them to the greatest extent possible. But even if legal ramifications are safely off the table, there are other constituencies, including leagues/governing bodies, sponsors, players, and fans to consider. Leagues can and do exact heavy punishment for organizations implicated in scandals, and sponsors can as well if they sever ties en masse. Further, players and fans can become disillusioned with their teams when crises aren’t dealt with properly or in a timely fashion, spawning both financial and performance consequences. Harmonizing the oftentimes competing needs of these diverse constituencies is difficult, but a good crisis response accounts for each.

Prioritize legal, public relations goals

Related, good crisis management strikes the correct balance between legal and public relations objectives. But because the “right” balance will be different depending on the organization and the crisis, leaders must determine how much weight to give each risk. Thus, it may be that, in some situations, prioritizing transparency above all else is favorable because of its potential to preserve the organization’s reputational interests — even if doing so compromises its legal position. Though the current media climate strongly incentivizes a robust public relations response, reconciling legal and reputational interests must be done on a case-by-case basis. 

When help comes, don’t fight it

Importantly, if a third party entity is retained to investigate a crisis, they must be allowed to do their work. Stonewalling investigators makes little sense. It wastes time and money, frustrates the search for the truth (remember, facts are king), and creates the potential for even more PR blowback.

The debrief: Mitigating future risk

Finally, and whatever the crisis may have been, sports organizations should critically review their own compliance and response processes so that: A) crises are avoided and; B) if they occur, they are handled appropriately. It is this final step where a comprehensive report authored by a third-party law firm or investigative entity — which can see the entire situation from an unbiased, global perspective — is truly irreplaceable.

Ben O’Neil, a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, counsels institutions faced with unique and unexpected challenges.

Questions about OPED submission guidelines or letters to the editor? Email editor Jake Kyler at  [email protected]

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Mastering Leadership in Sports: Strategies for Success

• Published: November 8, 2023
• By: Yellowbrick

Sports have always been a reflection of our society, showcasing the best of human potential and pushing the boundaries of physical and mental capabilities. Behind every successful sports team or organization, there is a strong and effective leader who guides the team towards victory. Leadership in sports is not just about making crucial decisions on the field; it encompasses a wide range of skills and qualities that inspire and motivate athletes to perform at their best. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of leadership in sports and discuss strategies that aspiring sports leaders can adopt to excel in their roles.

Setting a Vision and Goals

A great sports leader is someone who can envision success and communicate that vision to their team. Setting clear goals and objectives helps athletes understand the direction they need to take and motivates them to work towards achieving those goals. By providing a clear vision and establishing measurable targets, leaders can create a sense of purpose and unity within the team.

Building Trust and Relationships

Trust is the foundation of any successful team. Sports leaders must build trust with their athletes and create an environment where individuals feel safe to express themselves, take risks, and learn from their mistakes. By fostering positive relationships, leaders can inspire loyalty and commitment among team members, leading to improved performance and collaboration.

Effective Communication

Communication is a vital skill for sports leaders. They must be able to effectively convey their ideas, strategies, and expectations to their team members. Clear and concise communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and minimizes misunderstandings. Additionally, leaders should be good listeners, open to feedback, and willing to adapt their approach based on the needs and perspectives of their athletes.

Leading by Example

Actions speak louder than words, and sports leaders must lead by example. Athletes look up to their leaders and are more likely to follow their lead if they witness their commitment, discipline, and dedication firsthand. By demonstrating a strong work ethic, resilience, and a positive attitude, leaders can inspire their team members to push beyond their limits and strive for excellence.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in effective leadership. Sports leaders must understand and manage their own emotions while also being attuned to the emotions of their athletes. By empathizing with their team members and providing support during challenging times, leaders can create a supportive and inclusive team culture that fosters personal growth and resilience.

Decision Making and Problem Solving

In the fast-paced world of sports, leaders often face critical decision-making situations. Whether it’s making in-game adjustments or resolving conflicts within the team, effective leaders are capable of making sound decisions under pressure. They analyze situations, consider different perspectives, and weigh the pros and cons before taking decisive action.

Continuous Learning and Development

Leadership is an ongoing journey of growth and development. Sports leaders must be committed to continuously improving their skills and knowledge. They can seek mentorship from experienced coaches, attend leadership workshops, or even enroll in specialized online courses like the NYU Fundamentals of Global Sports Management offered by Yellowbrick to gain a deeper understanding of the sports industry.

Leadership in sports is a multifaceted role that requires a combination of skills, qualities, and strategies. By setting a vision, building trust, communicating effectively, leading by example, demonstrating emotional intelligence, making sound decisions, and continuously learning, aspiring sports leaders can enhance their abilities and inspire their teams to achieve greatness. So, if you dream of becoming a successful sports leader, start honing these skills and embrace the challenges that come your way. The world of sports is waiting for your leadership!

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership in sports involves setting a clear vision and goals for the team, fostering trust and positive relationships, and effective communication.
• Leading by example, demonstrating emotional intelligence, and making sound decisions are essential qualities for successful sports leaders.
• Aspiring sports leaders should embrace challenges and strive for personal growth to inspire their teams and achieve greatness.

To take your leadership skills in sports to the next level, consider enrolling in the NYU Fundamentals of Global Sports Management online course and certificate program offered by Yellowbrick. This comprehensive program will provide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to excel in the dynamic world of sports leadership. Start your journey today and unlock your potential as a successful sports leader.

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Building Teamwork and Leadership Skills Through Sports

Posted on november 16th, 2023.

In today's fast-paced world, the importance of teamwork and leadership skills cannot be overstated. These skills are not only valuable in the workplace but also in personal development and relationships. One effective way to nurture and strengthen these attributes is through participation in team sports. At Power Play Athletics Inc., we understand the transformative power of sports in building teamwork and leadership skills. In this blog post, we will explore how engaging in team sports can help individuals develop these vital abilities.

The Power of Collaboration

Team sports are inherently collaborative, requiring individuals to work together towards a common goal. Whether it's passing a soccer ball, coordinating a relay race, or executing a basketball play, every action in a team sport is interconnected. This constant need for collaboration fosters a sense of unity among team members. As athletes learn to communicate effectively, coordinate their efforts, and rely on each other's strengths, they build strong foundations for teamwork.

In team sports, individuals quickly realize that their actions affect the entire team. This understanding encourages them to be accountable and responsible for their role in the group's success. Moreover, the sense of belonging to a team creates a shared identity, fostering a supportive environment where teammates encourage and motivate each other. Through consistent teamwork in sports, individuals develop skills in problem-solving, conflict resolution, and adaptability, which are invaluable not only on the field but also in various aspects of life.

Leadership Opportunities

Team sports provide numerous opportunities for individuals to take on leadership roles. In every team, there are captains, co-captains, and players who emerge as natural leaders. These roles are not only about making decisions on the field but also about inspiring and motivating teammates. Effective leaders in sports lead by example, demonstrating qualities like dedication, commitment, and a strong work ethic. They inspire their team members to give their best effort and work collaboratively towards success.

Leadership in team sports is not limited to the designated captains; it can emerge in various forms. A player who consistently supports and encourages their teammates, provides guidance, or helps in strategizing can also be considered a leader. These leadership experiences teach individuals essential skills such as communication, decision-making, and time management. They learn to remain calm under pressure, inspire trust among their peers, and become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Over time, these leadership experiences in sports can translate into effective leadership in other areas of life, such as school, work, and community involvement.

Enhancing Communication Skills

Effective communication is a cornerstone of teamwork and leadership. In team sports, players need to communicate both verbally and non-verbally to convey their intentions, coordinate plays, and react to dynamic situations. Whether it's calling out plays on the basketball court, signaling a teammate for a pass in soccer, or providing encouragement during a tough game, communication is essential.

Participating in team sports improves an individual's ability to express themselves clearly, listen actively, and interpret non-verbal cues. These skills are transferable to everyday life, helping individuals communicate effectively with peers, colleagues, and family members. Enhanced communication skills enable individuals to articulate their ideas, collaborate in group projects, and resolve conflicts with greater ease, ultimately strengthening their leadership capabilities.

Resilience and Adaptability

Team sports often present challenges and setbacks, both during practice and in competitive games. Learning to cope with losses, setbacks, and adversity is a crucial part of an athlete's journey. This resilience is a valuable attribute that extends far beyond the sports arena. When faced with difficult situations in life, individuals who have experienced and overcome challenges in team sports are better equipped to persevere and bounce back.

Furthermore, team sports teach individuals to adapt to changing circumstances and make quick decisions under pressure. In the fast-paced environment of a game, athletes must constantly assess situations, adjust strategies, and make split-second choices. These adaptability skills are highly transferable to real-life scenarios, such as handling unexpected challenges at work or in personal relationships.

Conflict Resolution and Sportsmanship

In the heat of competition, conflicts and disagreements are bound to arise. Team sports provide a platform for individuals to learn how to resolve conflicts in a healthy and constructive manner. Players must learn to manage their emotions, communicate their concerns, and work towards a resolution that benefits the team.

Additionally, team sports emphasize the importance of sportsmanship and fair play. Good sportsmanship not only enhances the overall experience of the game but also teaches individuals to respect their opponents and accept both victory and defeat gracefully. These values are essential in fostering positive relationships, whether in sports, school, or the workplace.

Setting and Achieving Goals

Team sports provide an ideal platform for individuals to set and work towards achieving their goals. Whether it's scoring a certain number of points in a basketball game, improving their soccer passing accuracy, or mastering a new technique in a martial art, athletes continually strive to reach their objectives. This process of goal-setting and achievement is an integral part of sports and life.

Participating in team sports teaches individuals the importance of setting both short-term and long-term goals. They learn to break down larger objectives into manageable steps and develop a sense of purpose and direction. This skill is transferable to academic pursuits, career aspirations, and personal growth. Athletes understand that perseverance, dedication, and hard work are essential for reaching their goals, and they carry this mindset into other areas of their lives.

Engaging in team sports offers a myriad of opportunities for individuals to develop essential life skills, including teamwork, leadership, communication, resilience, and conflict resolution. These skills are not only beneficial in the context of sports but also have a far-reaching impact on personal growth and success in various aspects of life.

If you're interested in exploring how team sports at Power Play Athletics Inc. can help you or your child develop these vital skills, we invite you to get in touch with us. Our dedicated coaches and comprehensive programs are designed to empower the youth of Baltimore through sports and recreation. Reach out to us at [email protected] to learn more and take the first step towards building teamwork and leadership skills that last a lifetime.

The Benefits of Team Sports for Child Development

Posted on November 14th, 2023

Participating in organized group activities has long been acknowledged as a valuable means to foster all-around growth …

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That actually explain what's on your next test, problem-solving, from class:, sports psychology.

Problem-solving refers to the process of identifying solutions to difficult or complex issues. In the context of coaching effectiveness and leadership development, this skill is crucial for coaches and leaders as they navigate challenges, make decisions, and foster an environment conducive to team success. Effective problem-solving involves critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, allowing individuals to address obstacles and enhance performance in sports settings.

congrats on reading the definition of Problem-solving . now let's actually learn it.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

• Effective problem-solving can improve team dynamics by fostering open communication and trust among team members.
• Coaches who master problem-solving are better equipped to handle on-field challenges and adapt strategies during competitions.
• Leadership development programs often emphasize problem-solving as a core competency, helping future leaders think critically and make informed decisions.
• The ability to solve problems can enhance an athlete's performance by enabling them to overcome mental barriers and technical challenges.
• A structured approach to problem-solving, such as defining the problem, generating options, evaluating alternatives, and implementing solutions, is crucial in sports coaching.

Review Questions

• Effective problem-solving fosters open communication and collaboration among team members, creating an environment where athletes feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. This positive atmosphere encourages teamwork, enhances trust, and allows for collective brainstorming on strategies and solutions. As athletes work together to resolve issues, they build stronger relationships that can translate into improved performance during competitions.
• A coach's problem-solving skills are vital in high-pressure situations where quick decisions are necessary. By analyzing the context of the game and evaluating potential strategies, a coach can adapt their approach effectively. This ability to think critically under stress helps coaches make informed choices that could lead to victory or loss, significantly impacting the team's overall performance.
• Incorporating structured problem-solving techniques into leadership development programs for aspiring coaches provides long-term benefits by equipping them with essential skills for navigating complex scenarios. These techniques enhance critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability, enabling future coaches to address challenges more effectively. Over time, this approach leads to better decision-making, improved team performance, and a culture of innovation within sports organizations as leaders continue to refine their problem-solving capabilities.

Related terms

Decision-making : The cognitive process of selecting a course of action from multiple alternatives, closely related to problem-solving as it often involves addressing issues.

Conflict resolution : The methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of conflict and retribution, which often requires effective problem-solving skills.

Goal setting : The process of identifying specific objectives to achieve, which is essential for effective problem-solving as it provides direction and focus.

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Leaders as the Drivers of Innovation: The Sport Leadership Ecosystem and Innovative Leadership

• First Online: 09 June 2018

Cite this chapter

• James Skinner 4 ,
• Aaron C. T. Smith 4 &
• Steve Swanson 4  

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This chapter establishes the key aspects of leadership that can facilitate innovative cultures in the sport context. In the first section, the chapter discusses the meaning of leadership and culture, and emphasises their important connection with innovative outcomes. Next, the chapter introduces the sport leadership ecosystem and addresses how using this connective framework can enhance leadership capacity and facilitate innovative practice. An introduction to the intelligence panorama provides the tools for effectively activating the sport leadership ecosystem by developing leadership capacities which enable stronger connections and influence. Finally, the chapter explains the concept of innovative leadership, paying close attention to how leaders can best enable innovation within their respective environments. The chapter concludes that innovative leadership can be a decisive facilitator of creativity and innovation in sport enterprises. Leaders set the vision for competitive and sustainable pathways for success. Leadership skills can be learned and honed for the desired effect, and developing capacities for an innovative leadership approach can have a major influence on the successful delivery of innovative outcomes.

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Adair, J. E. (2009). Leadership for innovation: How to organize team creativity and harvest ideas . London: Kogan Page.

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Case Study: Daryl Morey and the Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas, and are a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 2017, the team made the number eight spot on the Forbes list of most valuable NBA teams. Daryl Morey is the Rockets’ general manager, and managing director of Basketball Operations. He’s been at the club since 2007, and has spearheaded an innovative integration of data analytics throughout the entire organisation. His background in behavioural economics has driven the Rockets’ success, with the aim of using this approach to strategically lead the team to long-term success through data-based decision-making. Morey has been regarded as revolutionary, and has been listed in the Sports Business Journal’s ‘Top 40 Under 40’and HOOPSWORLD’s ‘Top 50 Most Influential in Basketball’, and Fast Company magazine’s ‘10 Most Creative People in Sport’. By using data science to innovate the team in areas such as recruitment and managing diversity, Morey’s data staff have been able to predict how future players will gel together and work with each other’s skill sets and unique characteristics. The approach Morey has brought to the Rockets has set the standard for data analytics across the entire NBA , and has earned the Rockets organisation the unofficial designation of ‘Moreyball’, or the Moneyball story of basketball.

Learning from big data has been at the forefront of Morey’s strategic leadership. While many note this as the reason for his success, using data to drive decision-making is not a concept Morey invented. It’s been happening in businesses for years, with companies like Proctor and Gamble being one of the first to use data to drive decision-making in their operations. However, it takes a visionary leader to champion and implement an entirely new way of thinking in an environment more accustomed to making decisions on gut instinct. Morey brought what some might refer to as ‘nerdy statistics’ to the basketball court and tailored it work for the sport. In contrast to baseball, where success can be more easily quantified as the sum of individual performances, basketball has much more of a dynamic flow, with multiple players intertwined continuously in the action. Adapting data analytics to this type of team sport has taken an innovative and adaptive approach to develop statistical modelling which is highly relevant to the sport.

Morey has proven himself as an innovative leader, not only for bringing revolutionary thinking to the NBA , but also in selecting the right team in relation to new factors of evaluation. For example, collective diversity offers a new structure of recruitment based on drawing together a range of diverse characteristics. Morey can tap into the unique playing styles and characteristics of NBA players through data analytics, and consider them in combination with each other. He also has also been a thought leader in relation to player valuation, and uncovering biases embedded in his staff. For example, the endowment effect refers to when people ascribe more value to something when they own it. During Morey’s stint at the Rockets he has realised that player personnel staff will often overvalue their own players’ due biases, which can arise from knowing their own team better than players on other teams. Educating the staff about these biases, and ridding them from the decision-making process has been a central theme for Morey’s tenure with the Rockets.

Morey has also ensured that he has the right people to work with, and creates an atmosphere where evidence-based decision-making is one of the core values of the organisation. As part of this process, he has embedded people around him who can recognise patterns to drive decision-making, and help instil this value in the culture of the organisation. Beyond making player personnel choices, the Rockets now also utilise these techniques when making other hiring decisions, such as coaching hires. For example, when Nick Nurse was interviewed for the head coach position at the Rockets Development League (now the G-League) club, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, he was met with a completely different approach than he had experienced previously in his career. Framing the conversation was a large amount of data on his previous teams, with questions formed around how his philosophy to coaching had shaped the playing style and team performance in very specific aspects of offense and defence. In order to find the right people to interview for the job, Morey and the Rockets staff had developed large databases on each candidate to flush out the most relevant interview questions and enable better decision-making in the hiring process.

The culture of utilising data science for optimal performance extends beyond the use of data which is readily available. Morey’s philosophy for utilising information to create better decisions also includes developing new data sets that are highly relevant to the main components of the organisational strategy. While having a top-tier analytics staff capable of different types of data analysis is a necessary component for success, this alone is no longer a sufficient condition for creating breakaway opportunities in sport. Instead, Morey believes that the true source of developing a competitive advantage is compiling unique data which others don’t have. The small army of analysts and interns that Morey employs therefore have a major focus on capturing new data points that could ultimately play a role in optimising performance. A classic example is the way that Morey runs the Rockets G-League team, the RGV Vipers. Rather than handing the reigns completely over to the coach, game strategy is intertwined with experimentation to demonstrate and assess specific ways to play the game. In essence, the Vipers are a living laboratory for basketball experimentation and data capture. Examples include focusing on a specific amount of three-point shots attempted, and maximising shots taking on a certain space on the court or specific range of the shot clock. This information then feeds back into the main organisation and used to inform coaching decisions for the Rockets.

While being a champion for using data whenever possible to inform decisions, Morey also understands that data has limitations and must still be used in context. For example, there is a delicate balance to strike in relation to big data and traditional coaching practice, which has primarily been based on experience and individual interpretation. This provides an important leadership challenge to navigate, and can take time to strike the right balance. While data science can assist in many areas related to team performance, even the most advanced data needs expert human interpretation. Although Morey asserts that coaches should use their best judgement and have the right to deviate from the statistically optimal tactics, the goal is for coaches to consider and integrate data into decisions whenever possible. While there may still be coaching ‘dinosaurs’ that continue to drag their heels in this space, a trend is emerging for data-friendly leaders, where managers and coaches who embrace this perspective will be at the forefront of sporting performance.

Daryl Morey is a truly innovative leader in the world of sports, and is the epitome of step change in this environment. With little-to-no sporting experience from a playing or coaching perspective, his approach, which has instead been informed by an MBA and computer science background, has revolutionised the NBA and the game of basketball more generally. The days where top sports executives make decisions without being informed by relevant data are evaporating, and Morey’s once provocative approach with the Houston Rockets is now a prime example of successful leadership through championing data-driven decision making.

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Skinner, J., Smith, A.C.T., Swanson, S. (2018). Leaders as the Drivers of Innovation: The Sport Leadership Ecosystem and Innovative Leadership. In: Fostering Innovative Cultures in Sport. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78622-3_3

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Communication in Sports: Build Winning Teams

Home / Blog / Communication / Communication in Sports: Build Winning Teams

We’ll come right out and say it: Communication is one of your team’s most important skills. This is true whether you’re a coach or an athlete. Effective Communication promotes team cohesion, leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making. All things teams need to achieve their goals …WINNING! But what exactly is communication in sports, why is it important, and how can you teach it effectively?

What is Communication in Sports?

To be technical communication in sports is:

• The exchange of information between athletes, athletes and coaches, and between teams
• Communication can be: verbal, or nonverbal
• Communication encompasses everything from instructions to feedback to emotional support

Or simply: It is the way players and coaches tell others what they are thinking, feeling, and what they are going to do.

Why is Effective Communication in Sports Important?

Effective communication in sports is essential for a variety of reasons. Good communication helps athletes develop trust and respect for their teammates and coaches. When coaches communicate effectively, athletes feel heard and supported. That support will boost their morale and motivation.

Effective communication also promotes teamwork and problem-solving. When athletes can communicate effectively, they work together to solve problems and make decisions. This leads to more efficient and successful practices, games, and competitions.

Another added bonus to effective communication is helping athletes develop important life skills. Communication skills learned on the court or field will translate to the rest of an athlete’s life.

How Can You Teach Effective Communication in Sports?

There are several strategies coaches can use to teach effective communication in sports. Here are some ideas you can use:

Set Clear Expectations

Clearly explain your expectations for communication with your athletes. Let them know what kind of communication is expected of them. Mastering the art of communication through our dynamic exercise Sugar and Salt is a great way to establish how your team should communicate.

Be an Example

As a coach, you are the person that your athletes will look to and model their behavior after. Be aware of how you communicate with others, especially in front of your athletes.

You can model good communication skills by:

• Intentionally listening
• Providing constructive feedback
• Being clear and concise in your instructions
• Encouraging open Communication

As the coach, you are able to create an environment that is safe and supportive. Build an environment where athletes feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Creating a culture of celebration where everyone on the team feels accepted, acknowledged, and appreciated creates open lines of communication.

Be Intentional

Leadership is a skill and like any skill, it can be taught. Great leaders are great communicators. Anything you wish to see exist in your program has to be intentionally taught.

Provide Feedback

Provide regular feedback to your athletes on their communication skills. Let them know what they are doing well and where they can improve.

Like anything in sports, practice is necessary to improve. Athletes need to get their reps. This is no different. If they don’t practice, when they encounter a tough situation their skill level will not be enough. The same as when facing a better opponent. Your Athletes need to prepare for tough conversations that require good communication skills. Even the strongest communicators can falter when situations get tough. Role-playing tough situations with your athletes is a good tactic for practicing their communication skills before they need to use them.

Effective communication in sports is critical for success, athlete development, and team unity. As a coach, it is your responsibility to teach your athletes how to communicate. Set clear expectations with your athletes. Consistently model effective communication. Encouraging open communication between themselves and you. Use team-building activities to regularly build this skill. Provide feedback that will help your athletes build their communication skills.

Teaching your players effective communication in sports will help you build a winning team. It will also help prepare your athletes to be successful in other areas of their life.

Looking for resources to help teach effective communication to your athletes? Look no further. Our exercise Sugar & Salt will show your athletes how to communicate in challenging conversations. It will teach athletes how to effectively communicate and hold teammates accountable.

Sugar & Salt is part of our Coaches Membership where we have 21 dynamic exercises for improving communication skills for athletes.

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10 Qualities of a Leader in Sports [+ Tips & Insights for Coaches]

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The University of San Diego’s certificate program, Coaching Today’s Student Athletes , was created by coaches for coaches to foster strong leadership in sports and those big-picture, change-making skills. Keep reading to learn about key qualities of a leader, ready-to-implement tips and relationship building tools.

Qualities of a Leader in Sports

Attributes learned in a sports setting can help athletes long after their last game. Here are some of the many qualities that coaches can nurture in student athletes:

• Accountability. Strong leaders in general take responsibility for their actions and hold themselves accountable. A culture of accountability is important to unite a team.
• Patience. Practicing patience in sports cultivates mental focus and discipline, as well as improving emotional control.
• Integrity. Athletes who participate fairly in competition are fostering sportsmanship, trust and credibility.
• Vision. Being able to form a clear vision and long-term perspective for oneself and the group is incredibly valuable.
• Communication. The ability to effectively listen, speak and provide constructive feedback is arguably the top quality of a leader in sports.
• Emotional intelligence. Not only should a leader be able to understand their own emotions, they should also be able to meaningfully connect with others.
• Decision-making. This includes analyzing situations, considering different perspectives, and making a decision that is best for the team.
• Adaptability. Changing course in the face of adversity, and encouraging others to learn from setbacks, is at the core of adaptability.
• Confidence. Leaders should exude confidence, therefore motivating teammates, and serving as a model for overall success.
• Resilience. Overcoming challenges is just the beginning. Resilient leaders also maintain a positive attitude.

Tips for Coaches to Develop Strong Leaders

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to a coach’s role. Besides completing logistical tasks — such as planning practices, strategizing plays, and organizing game days — a coach’s most important job is mentorship. Consider these tips to have the most impact:

• Model behavior. Define the culture of the team and embody it.
• Find ways to motivate. A coach is the team’s biggest cheerleader and should consistently act as such.
• Be transparent. Have open communication with members of the team, just as you expect from them.
• Goal. Clearly establish what you want the team, and each player, to accomplish.
• Reality. Focus on attainable achievements to ensure that everyone stays motivated.
• Options. Encourage athletes to think more broadly about challenges they may be facing. Oftentimes when they turn to a coach, they feel limited by their own mindset and need to be provided with options.
• Will. Ask these questions regarding any action plan that is formed: “What will you do?” and “On a scale of one to 10, how likely is it that you will do this?”

How to Build a Strong Coach-Athlete Relationship

Honesty and positivity are at the heart of a strong coach-athlete relationship . These tips will help you foster the type of relationship that benefits everyone long-term:

• Form strong individual relationships with members of the team in order to understand personal goals that will contribute to team wins.
• Establish trust by being honest and good-intentioned. This sets a standard of respect among players.
• Act as a role model, which is a 24/7 job. That includes taking accountability for your actions, just as you expect from those you coach.
• Consider hosting a team event outside of the typical practice or game atmosphere. This gives athletes a chance to connect with you, and each other, in a more relaxed setting.

To nurture these skills, USD created a 100% online, self-paced program. The certificate can be earned in as few as two semesters. The four required courses focus on principles of coaching, character and athletics, how to reach every athlete on your team and leadership in coaching.

Learn more about the importance of continuing education for educators with the free ebook: 5 Reasons Why Continuing Education Matters for Educators.

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Accelerating Athlete Decision Making

Improving the speed and effectiveness of your athletes' decision making, problem solving, communication, and the athletedisc and coachdisc profiles., share this post with your friends:.

How many times have you seen an athlete make the wrong choice only to repeat it at a later point in the game resulting in the very same unfavorable outcome? By taking responsibility, understanding the reason a decision was made, unpacking the process, and identifying areas for targeted practice, future decisions can be improved. The ability to make good decisions rapidly and instinctively is a skill that can be learnt and practiced. Insight into the decision-making process, coupled with an understanding of how each individual approaches their options and acts, is the most effective way to help athletes improve in real-time competition.

The skill of decision making is closely linked to problem solving. For some athletes, making the right decisions at the right time is a well-developed skill, whilst other athletes find this process more challenging.

Like any critical skill, the key to developing an individual’s decision making is to practice. So, where should an athlete practice their decision making? The answer is in training.

Excellent decision making results from ongoing practice in the training environment, where athletes can continuously refine and hone their ability. This environment is most effective when athletes are encouraged to weigh their options, make decisions, and make mistakes. However, the key element for this environment is that athletes need to be  consciously debriefed  when they do make mistakes so they can ensure they don’t reoccur in the future. The feedback should be delivered in a constructive way to ensure your athlete’s performance improves.

There are methods for giving effective feedback and we cover a few techniques in our article ‘Delivering Athlete Feedback’ . Again, it’s critical to understand how each athlete processes the information that leads to change.

Listening, absorbing information, and communication styles are different in each individual. Effective coaching harnesses an athlete’s natural and preferred communication style to ensure quality outcomes from every session. Athlete Assessments’ DISC profiles including the AthleteDISC, are an effective way to understand an athlete’s natural behavioral style as it provides details about the way athletes analyze their options, tackle problems, absorb information, and prefer to communicate. They also break down critical situational information about ideal environments, conditions which will give rise to an athlete’s maximum contribution, behavior under stress, needs, wants, and motivations. This information not only increases the athlete’s own awareness of their processes, and accelerates skill acquisition and development, but is particularly useful when the coach combines this knowledge with an awareness of their own natural style, using our CoachDISC Profile .

In terms of what separates an effective decision maker from others, is that the less than exceptional decision makers are often able to make a quality assessment, but need to be more decisive in actually acting upon the assessment made, or need to improve on their ability to enact this skill in more pressured situations of a game or competition. Whereas an athlete who has developed this skill, is able to assess, decide, and enact in the moment.  

When making any decision, it is a process of six key steps .  In sport, the athlete decision making process often occurs within milliseconds, but if we were to slow down the process, we could identify the steps as follows:

• Noticing the problem needing to be solved:  Athlete decision making begins when the athlete recognizes there is a problem with the status quo. Therefore, something must be changed if there is to be any improvement or if an opportunity is to be recognized.
• Analyzing the problem:  When the athlete has identified the problem, they need to specifically define what is causing it.
• Knowing the outcome to achieve:  This is where the athlete knows what it is they want to happen.
• Exploring the options:  Athletes identify what options they have available to them which will create their desired outcome. During a game as opposed to training, there is often not sufficient time to explore all options. What is important is the athlete does not simply revert to autopilot-like behavior and make poor decisions because they have not cognitively processed the information available to them.
• Choosing the best option:  At this time, the athlete pursues their most favored option. This is the choice point in the decision making process. The choice point is the motivation behind effective decision making. Choice points could be a reference to the team’s values and behaviors or could be referenced to effective practice sessions. Whatever the basis for the choice point is, it completely influences the decision made. The essence of decision making is the elimination of competing options. This is a critical process as limiting options dramatically increases the speed of decision-making.
• Taking action and responsibility:  At this point, the athlete pursues their choice of option. What is critical here is they pay attention to the result the chosen action creates.

Remember, like any skill whether physical or mental, developing effective decision making takes time and practice. But by providing your athletes with a process and some guidelines around the skill you would like them to develop, you are setting them up for success. Eventually, it will become a subconscious part of their game strategy, but initially it’s important to provide structure to ensure they have the best opportunity for learning and development. 

Where to from here?

Decision making 100% influences the outcome of a game, if we can help you improve any aspect of sporting performance contact us . Our free database of articles is an excellent resource for any athlete, coach, sports professional or supporter. If you’re looking to learn more about yourself or the athletes you coach, discover how our DISC Profiles developed exclusively for sport can help. 

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Our team packages include our sport-specific DISC Assessments plus importantly, a series of consultations via video conference. Our goal is to use the information of the DISC profiles to the benefit of your program and coaching and make it as useful and practical as possible.

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After a successful career in sport including four Olympics and three Olympic Medals, Bo co-founded and developed Athlete Assessments in 2007. Bo now focuses on working with clients to achieve their own success on and off ‘the field’, and has attained an unmatched track-record in doing exactly this.

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How Sports Managers Can Be Effective Leaders

The sports industry relies on professionals with the leadership skills to navigate the ever-changing world of athletics. Successful sports managers combine their passion for sports with the business acumen to effectively lead athletes, coaches and other departments. If you hope to excel as a leader in the sports world, the right skills and a comprehensive education are key.

What Does a Sports Manager Do?

Sports managers work in a variety of environments: college athletics, professional sports, sport media companies, sport marketing agencies, international/national sport governing bodies and more. The job of a sports manager can vary based on their work environment, but their main purpose is to handle the business side of sports, from marketing and public relations to finance and management responsibilities. 1, 2

Sports managers may work as part of a larger management team alongside coaches and other professionals, but many others may take on most or even all of the management responsibility. This is especially common for managers who work with community programs or schools. Regardless of their work environment, most sports managers 1 have the following responsibilities:

Coordinate the team or athletic schedule, including practices, games and other events

Develop and monitor the team or athletic budget

Oversee the team or organization's marketing and public relations strategy

Represent the team or athletic program to media organizations and the public

Organize fundraising efforts for the team or athletic program

Communicate with donors and sponsors

Direct ticket sales and distribution

Organize non-athletic events for the team or athletic program

As a career, sports management can be both exciting and rewarding. As of 2023, sports managers earn an average salary of $62,546 per year. 3 However, salaries vary based on location, work environment, education and experience. Professionals who work in this field also have the potential to move up in sports leadership.

Get Started with the Online Master of Sports Administration

View the OMSA program

What Makes a Sports Manager a Good Leader?

Sports managers work with a wide variety of people, teams and organizations. For that reason, it's essential that people in this profession possess excellent interpersonal skills and are adept at collaboration. The most successful sports managers excel thanks to a variety of skills, including those outlined below.

Communication

Effective communication skills are key to success in sports management. Professionals who work as sports managers must be able to communicate with both internal personnel – coaches, athletes and other colleagues — and with members of the public, including media professionals. Both written and verbal communication skills are highly sought after by the organizations that employ sports managers. 4

As with any leadership position, honesty is an important quality for sports managers. The world of sports is highly competitive, and integrity is necessary to ensure a fair playing field for everyone involved. Honesty and morality are essential characteristics for a sports manager who wishes to maintain the trust of professional organizations, athletes and the public. 4

Knowledge of Sports

Athletic experience is not a requirement for sports managers, but a foundational knowledge of the sports world is helpful. Understanding the sports industry gives professionals in this career a better chance of success. Managers who understand the processes involved in sports are more likely to go far – especially if their knowledge is driven by a passion for sports. 1

Management Skills

Management skills are also essential to success for professionals in this career. Sports managers need to be able to make sound decisions for their team or athletic program, and they need to possess the ability to inspire others. A sports manager who is able to push their athletes, coaches and colleagues to do their best is more likely to find success in this field. 2

Organization

Sports managers are responsible for most of the logistics associated with athletic events. For this reason, organization is an essential skill. Top leaders in sports management have the ability to manage time, schedules and other moving parts to support their team or organization in being the best they can be. 1

Problem-Solving Abilities

When a team or athletic program faces challenges, they turn to the sports manager. For this reason, managers need to be able to keep a calm mind in stressful situations. They also need strong analytical skills in order to solve problems and make the decisions that are best for their team or organization. Sports managers must be resourceful problem solvers and ensure that any situation is met with feasible solutions to reach the best possible outcome. 4

Why Are Ethics in Sports Management So Important?

Ethics are essential in the field of sports management. As a highly competitive industry, sport relies on professionals who act with the utmost integrity. An ethical sports manager will:

Enforce the rules of fair play and ensure teams and organizations are following governing regulations.

Help build strong morale for their team or organization.

Maintain the trust of athletes, coaches, colleagues and the public.

Make decisions that support the health and wellness of athletes and other colleagues.

How to Become a Sports Manager

Finding the right degree program is the first step in your journey to a successful career in sports management. Ohio University's Online Master of Sports Administration is the top online sports management graduate program in the U.S. as of 2023. 5

In this program, you'll experience applied learning through an industry-aligned curriculum and graduate ready to pursue advanced career opportunities in college athletics, professional sports, sports media, and more. Request more information today to find out the difference a degree from OHIO can make in your sports management career.

• Indeed. "Learn About Being a Sports Manager (With Duties and Salary)." Feb. 3, 2023. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2023 from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-does-sports-manager-do

Top Management Degrees. "What Do You Do as a Sports Manager?" Retrieved Nov. 1, 2023 from https://www.topmanagementdegrees.com/what-do-you-do-as-a-sports-manager/

• Glassdoor. "How much does a Sports Manager make?" Oct. 15, 2023. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2023 from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/sports-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm

Manager Skills. "How are Great Sports Managers Different?" Retrieved Nov. 1, 2023 from https://managerskills.org/sports/traits-of-sports-managers/

College Rank. "Top 20 Online Best Sports Management Graduate Programs." Retrieved Nov. 1, 2023 from https://www.collegerank.net/best-online-sports-management-masters-degree-programs/

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Chicago Booth Magazine What Can Sports Teach Us about a Leadership Mind-set?

We asked three booth experts: alumnus jesse nading, ’16, professor george wu, and current student katherine bartels..

• By Leah Rachel von Essen
• October 10, 2019
• Share This Page

What can football teach us about accountability? How can running cross country help us set appropriate goals? And how can building a rugby team from the ground up illuminate new ways to communicate? Here, three Boothies with a love for sports reflect on their own athletic experiences and how they’ve applied those leadership lessons to the business world.

Jesse Nading, ’16, is an engagement manager in McKinsey & Company’s Denver office and a former linebacker for the National Football League’s Houston Texans.

Football is a fantastic way to learn about teamwork and accountability. When I was playing for coach Gary Kubiak and the Texans, after each game, we gathered as a team to watch the week’s best and worst plays. Early on, I was nervous that I would be featured in the worst plays in front of my teammates, but what I quickly realized was that, one, nearly everyone ended up on the worst-plays reel at some point and that, two, a single person was rarely responsible for either a good or a bad play. Naturally, everyone wanted to be on the week’s highlight reel. But we also knew there would come a time when we would be held accountable for our performance, and, while painful at times to watch, it was rarely a negative experience.

We didn’t dread the self-reflection because transparency and accountability were part of our normal operating model. As a team, we could quickly identify mistakes, acknowledge them, and pivot to developing a plan to be better for the next week’s game. The simple ritual of collectively celebrating and scrutinizing our play increased the level of trust we had as a team and created an atmosphere that encouraged players to take calculated risks to make big plays, facilitated honest communication across the team, and held everyone (coaches included) accountable for mistakes.

“Team members excel and do their best work when leaders give them space and trust while keeping everyone accountable and celebrating team successes.”

That process of open reflection is one I was surprised not to see more of in the business world, where people often seem hesitant to openly discuss mistakes. The best-performing project teams I’ve seen find a way to regularly schedule dedicated working sessions to openly talk about performance (good and bad) and push to create a culture where you can have a transparent conversation and say, for example, “Hey, we didn’t execute this project as well as we could have. What could each one of us have done better to drive a better outcome?” Building in this time requires real investment from leadership, but the teams that make the investment tend to function at a higher level, create the most rewarding experiences for each team member, and grow the fastest.

Valuing transparency and acknowledging that doing great work requires risk, and therefore mistakes, is what enables the higher levels of trust and accountability that are hallmarks of great teams. When I played for the Texans, we had a defense that was talented but underperforming. A new defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, came in, and we became one of the top defenses in the NFL. His basic thesis was that if he could simplify our game plan, such that each player was able to be accountable for his role, we could play faster and have the talent to win. It was a matter of trusting the guys to simply beat the opposing player—think less and play faster. It was a powerful lesson. I didn’t anticipate that perspective to be so applicable to the business world, but I’ve found it’s impactful in both sports and business. Team members excel and do their best work when leaders give them space and trust while keeping everyone accountable and celebrating team successes.

George Wu,  the John P. and Lillian A. Gould Professor of Behavioral Science, was a high-school and college runner. His research includes topics such as goal making.

My high-school cross-country team was winless the year before I entered high school. In my junior year we won a single meet, breaking a 47-meet losing streak, before finishing dead last out of 16 teams in our conference meet. But the following year we went 14-and-1 and won the conference meet.

When I led the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership, we thought about the challenges of making individuals and teams more effective. The business world is challenging because even though people are members of teams, we tend to think primarily about our roles as individual contributors. As you move up within an organization, the boundary between the individual and the team becomes murkier, and you need to reassess how your goals fit into corporate strategy and objectives.

Cross country probably seems like an odd team sport: after all, it’s a collective of individuals each trying to run as fast as they can. However, although the effort out on the course is yours alone, a lot of leadership is about defining the vision and ambitions for collective success, and helping others who are striving to be their best. Even though my junior year cross country team had been really unsuccessful, we knew that we weren’t that crummy. We had a lot of talent and potential, and set an audacious goal to win the conference meet the next year. The summer before my senior year, a big group of us got together and ran lots and lots of miles.

“Challenging but not absurd goals bring out the best in people, and it’s the job of a leader in the company to set that vision.”

Part of my academic research focuses on goals. In my 30s, I set a goal to run a mile every year on my birthday in five minutes or less. I met my goal for eight of the 10 years. But when I met the goal, I only just did so­—lots of 4:58s and 4:59s. That became an impetus for some of the research that I did involving marathon running: goals help to motivate people to do better because falling short of a goal is loss, and people hate losses. However, when people reach the goal, they have little motivation to exceed it or do better.

Going back to my high-school cross-country team, after winning the league championship—our big goal—we went to the state meet, and we were pretty mediocre. Once we achieved our goal, it was difficult to stay motivated.

In the business world it’s important to set goals that are appropriately challenging. If your goals are too hard, they can demotivate the group, but if they’re too easy, you will exceed them but not achieve much more. Challenging but not absurd goals bring out the best in people, and it’s the job of a leader in the company to set that vision.

Katherine Bartels is a student in the Full-Time MBA Program and co-chair of the Booth Rugby Club. She recently completed a summer internship at athletic gear company Nike.

There hasn’t been a robust women’s rugby team at Booth since the 1980s. But over the past year I’ve leveraged free team workouts and fun social activities to bring people into the fold. I’m planning programming over the next year that is going to make the rugby team even less intimidating, to make it more inclusive.

That’s an important leadership skill to develop: how to not only include the members of an organization that you already have, but also position the organization in a way that makes it more accessible to others. By framing rugby as something anyone can learn and participate in—something that’s possible to join if you haven’t played previously—and as a sport that will allow you to meet new people and get to know people both at Booth and in other MBA communities, we can draw more women who might otherwise be intimidated by an unfamiliar sport. You have to be tactful and strategic when you’re thinking about diversity—that framework has helped us field a full team.

There are more opportunities for disagreement than for agreement in a team environment. This makes the team setting a great vehicle for understanding how to have appropriate debate and discourse, how to appreciate people’s various skills, and how to leverage them effectively. You also learn how to bring nuance to your language and use words carefully. The rugby club team connects me to a huge global MBA community, especially because rugby is an international sport. We have people with a variety of languages and ability levels, people who know how to play rugby and people who don’t, people who want to be competitive and people who more so want to be part of the community. All of them have strengths that are opportunities for the team, even if they have different goals or approaches.

“On the playing field there are a range of backgrounds, skill sets, and abilities that you have to learn to speak to and balance.”

The skills I’ve learned in wrangling the rugby club and folding people into the team have really come in handy in my business experience so far. This past summer, I was the global merchandising strategy intern at Nike. We determined the cadence of new innovation, examined how products are distributed around the globe, and explored upcoming areas. I specifically looked at the retail market space—how people are shopping differently because of the proliferation of digital devices and whether exclusive products can help sales.

Merchandising is the hub of Nike. It’s the driver of what products are produced. As a result, there are more folks than I could accurately count who have to weigh in to make sure the right products are making it to market. So it’s a very cross-functional role. I had to have excellent communication skills as well as a lot of empathy for various stakeholders and their different needs and perspectives.

It was a lot like being a captain of a sports team: on the playing field there are a range of backgrounds, skill sets, and abilities that you have to learn to speak to and balance. This helped me leverage stakeholders in appropriate ways.

Being a successful leader means communicating and positioning in a way that maximizes the inclusion of multiple viewpoints, needs, and priorities—whether I’m at Nike or on the rugby field.

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How to Encourage Innovation and Develop the Problem-Solving Skills of your Team

By luke whitworth, on the 26 april, leaders performance institute members met for the inaugural performance in practice session hosted in collaboration with the premier league..

The theme for the afternoon, as indicated by the title, was Leading Innovation & Problem-Solving. The session included a case study and conversation from both inside and outside of sport, as well as exploring the skills and tools to ‘develop the muscle’ of innovation both individually and collectively.

“If the rate of change within an organisation is slower than the pace of change within its external environment – it will die” – Jack Welch, former CEO & Chair of General Electric

Performance in Practice – Part I: Insights on Innovation in Sport

Guest: Scott Drawer, Head of Sport, Millfield School

When do you know you are getting innovation right:

• There will be haters.
• Startup mindset.
• Step change.
• Behaviour change.
• Diversion & deception.

What is creativity, research & innovation?

Creativity:

• Creativity is ‘novelty, utility, surprise’ (US Patent Office).
• ‘An idea is nothing more nor less than a new combination of old elements and the capacity to bring old elements into new combinations depends largely on the ability to see relationships’ (James Webb Young, 1939).
• ‘Creativity is just connecting things… creative people were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesise new things… they’ve had more experiences… they have thought more about their experiences than other people (Steve Jobs, Apple).

The science of creativity (Kaufman 2016):

• Creativity is often unpredictable. The ten-year rule is NOT a rule.
• Creative people often have messy processes. Creators rarely receive helpful feedback.
• Talent is relevant to creative accomplishment. Personality is relevant.
• Genes are relevant. Environmental experiences matter.
• Creative people have broad interests. Too much expertise can be detrimental to creative greatness.
• Outsiders often have a creative advantage. Sometimes the creator needs to create a new path for others to deliberately practise.

Study: what are some of the commonalities of the most successful scientists in the world?

Arts Foster Scientific Success: Avocations of Nobel, National Academy, Royal Society, and Sigma Xi Members

Innovation = Ideas + Impact

• Innovation is the concept of taking ideas and making a practical difference to the environment you are operating in.
• What are the problems you are trying to solve?

Confusion is often caused by misunderstanding symptoms and causes. Creativity is a symptom of innovation not a cause.

3 necessary (but not sufficient) conditions for innovation:

Designing for innovation:

• Shared problem.
• ‘Under regulation’.
• Leadership appetite for risk.
• Freedom to explore and experiment.
• ‘Rapid prototype’ environments.
• Share and celebrate your failures.

Failing is your first attempt in learning – celebrate the process vs. the outcome. Closing doors is almost as important as opening them.

Learning from Others’ Failures: The Effectiveness of Failure Stories for Managerial Learning

• The systematic gathering of data, information, and facts + advancement of knowledge (Cost of Federal Regulations).

Where does research fit in the innovation process?

• It is one approach to support innovation but not the only one.
• It can help understand the problem you are trying to solve.
• Helps ask brilliant questions.
• Observation and patterning skills.
• Communication skills.
• It can be slow: speedboats vs. super tankers.

‘Knowledge alone is not impact.’

Conclusions:

• Innovation is shaped by the environment’s design.
• Innovation is about solving real problems that make a practical difference.
• Leadership approach – leader-leader model.
• Organisational maturity – ‘Big Kids’
• Diversity in networks and openness to experience.
• Storytelling to share approaches.
• Create fun as a catalyst for change.

Performance in Practice – Part I: Insights on Innovation, Creativity & Problem-Solving

Scott Drawer, Head of Sport, Millfield School

Jonnie Noakes, Director of Teaching & Learning, Eton College

• Innovation challenges in education: the school thinks about innovation in terms of internal and external. Externally, AI is getting teachers both excited and worried. The pupils are way ahead of the teachers, so the school has moved fast to educate its staffing group. Teachers have gone from 0-100 in a short time because outside circumstances have forced them to see what AI can do and how it can support them. Internally, there is a big emphasis on partnerships. There is also a big drive to rethink assessment with the belief that the current ways of assessing have a stranglehold on what and how we teach. The question being explored is: what are schools for and evolving the approach to assessment?
• Balancing innovation and tradition: the model being used at Eton College is having a small group of people whose job it is to innovate. Two-thirds of Jonnie’s time is opened up for innovation work. If you have dedicated people to horizon-scan, you are able to influence things more quickly. Start talking to your colleagues when you can see a practical use that can be applied.
• Required skillsets: there are particular skillsets required to do this type of work, notably logical thinking. To do deep intense thinking is difficult around day-to-day work. Innovation can stem from small things that accumulate over time and having a risk-taking ethos. Create headspace and an approach that does this and give the space to those that have a propensity for these. Prove this stuff works.

How do we create a culture of learning?

• As a starting point 12 months is too short a time for a culture to truly change. The Innovation Centre at Eton College has been open for eight years – it took five years to see a culture of innovation begin to form. Set up a small group of people to test promising ideas. Get others onboard to trial them. Get them to report back to hear from each other. At the point where your colleagues are hearing what is going on, then you are beginning to get traction.
• Organisationally, put everything on the biggest priority and do what you can to make it happen, but identify what is that most critical problem. Put all the eggs in this basket – the process you engage in with a startup mentality will move you along. There is an importance for clarity on what has the greatest room for innovation.

What holds back innovation:

• Habit and comfort in doing and thinking in a certain way. Sometimes it takes external pressure. Days are full with things that need to be done, therefore being asked to do things and find headspace for experimentation is often what is needed. Fear – in education people are scared of what AI is going to mean as there is uncertainty. Show people why things are not to be feared.
• The reality why people want to innovate is because there are solutions in there. There needs to be an acceptance that you need to fail to get there. Fear stops people putting themselves out there. Talk about the process and less about the outcome. Being comfortable with the confusion and not knowing.

Where to put the resource: find people who are innovative or develop their skills to be innovative?

• Curiosity is coachable. In your environment, provide opportunities and a safe space to support people in being innovative. Most environments want to be better, there is an inherent propensity to want to do that – surface it and give people the skills to exploit. The environment is far better than the genetics. If senior people aren’t that open to innovation, they will crush it quite quickly.

Session 2: Leading Innovation & Effective Problem-Solving

Can you develop it and, if so, how can you develop it?

Rivers of thought:

Edward de Bono – when we step into an environment, what we do is absorb quickly and begin to form ideas, developing ‘rivers of thought’.

• Ideas / Knowledge / Experience.
• Streams of consciousness.
• ‘Rivers of thought’, which we accept as reality and cease to challenge.

IDEAL Model for Problem-Solving:

Taking us back to a process of innovation. Can be obsessed with creativity as a concept vs. the process of creativity.

• Identify potential problems and opportunities for improvement.
• Define the problem. Seek to understand it. Gather relevant facts and views.
• Explore its causes and potential impacts. Explore possible solutions. Using creative techniques to generate multiple options.
• Assess these options. Choose the best one, and take it.
• Action with a ‘test & learn’ mindset.
• Look Back and debrief to driving learning and improvement.

Identify problems and opportunities

“The first and most important step towards innovation is identifying the problems you want to try and solve” – James Dyson.

Two types of innovation:

• Responsive: where we face a problem that is impossible to ignore.
• Front foot: where we proactively identify an opportunity for improvement, and solve for an issue everyone else is accepting or ignoring.

Traps to watch out for…

• Operating out of an out of date mental map of the world – who are you speaking to who will challenge our thinking of our current world?
• Boiled frog: change too gradual for us to notice.
• Denial: ostrich response – there is an issue which is uncomfortable to talk about.

Define the problem:

• Articulate the gap, why it matters, the causes and your constraints.
• A lot of teams jump too quickly to solving it vs. understanding the problems.

Key traps to avoid at this stage:

• Failing to identify the real issue, root causes.
• Failing to sell the problem effectively and create enough urgency.
• Suggesting or hinting at a solution in your problem statement – narrowing people’s thinking ahead of the Explore stage.

Exploring possible strategies:

The more options you have, the better your chances of coming up with a game-changing idea.

5 Strategies:

• Redefine or reframe the problem with alternative goals: how can we think about this problem differently? Think of at least three different ways we could define our goal, to help open up new ways of thinking about the problem.
• Mind mapping: mapping out the different categories of possible solutions, so we don’t narrow in on one type of solution.
• Step-change thinking: set a very stretching goal, and then think how that could be possible.
• Ideal world: describe your absolute ideal outcome. Then ask yourself under what circumstances you would get this?
• Related world: key question – who’s already faced and solved this problem? And what did they do? Learning from others who have addressed a similar challenge. Staying open to insights from outside of our immediate sector.

Questions to help us apply these techniques:

• Reframing the problem with a different goal: what are at least three different ways to think about the problem and your goal here?
• Mind mapping: if you were to draw a mind map with the problem at the centre… what are the different types of solution we can think about?
• Step-change: pick a key area of performance related to this problem – what would be a ‘step change’ goal you could set for that measure? Assuming it is possible, ask yourself ‘what would we need to do to achieve this?’

Group insights: what are the key qualities of those who are good innovators?

• Having time and space.
• Create time to think.
• Environment over personality.
• Invite diverse opinions.
• Accepting of risk.
• Act quickly.
• Live in the future.
• Take people on the journey.
• They do not give up.
• Remove mundane distractions.
• An ability to switch off.
• Encourage creative thinking and supporting of ideas.
• Secure enough to fail.
• Find a different perspective.
• Biased toward strategic not operational – thinking and seeing the bigger picture.
• They know how to take ideas through trial to usable form.
• Believing in the value of innovation.
• Exploratory mindset.
• Open-mindedness – not being attached to existing, familiar ways of doing things.

A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Poor Sports: Is There a New Low in Owners’ and Players’ Behavior?

February 24, 2015 • 13 min read.

Claims of racism, domestic abuse, bullying, ethical breaches: What's behind the recent rash of poor behavior in professional sports?

Wharton's Kenneth Shropshire discusses his new book on leadership in sports

Sports controversies have filled the headlines over the past year, from the Miami Dolphins bullying case to racist comments by the Atlanta Hawks’ leadership to questions about the NCAA.

Are we seeing a new low in owners’ and players’ behavior? According to Wharton legal studies professor Kenneth L. Shropshire, these types of behaviors are not new — what is relatively new is the ability to capture these moments on video or to share these stories on mainstream or social media, from a recording of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling sharing racist comments to a video of the Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Rice assaulting his then-fiancée in an elevator. The greater visibility, Shropshire argues, provides us with an opportunity to address these leadership challenges head on.

Shropshire recently spoke with Knowledge at Wharton about his new book, published by Wharton Digital Press, which addresses these and other issues, Sport Matters: Leadership, Power, and the Quest for Respect in Sports . (Listen to the podcast at the top of this page.)

An edited transcript of the conversation follows.

Knowledge at Wharton: There has been a rash of incidents involving all of the sports industry where we have seen a loss of respect. That is something that you talk a lot about in Sport Matters .

Kenneth L. Shropshire: It is incredible…. [This] whole issue of integrity and respect — all the important issues that we think about outside of sport and we really think sport should project most positively. This has been a pretty dramatic year.

Knowledge at Wharton: What has it been that has really changed within the fabric of sports that has contributed to this grand change in how people respect the games—or do not respect the games—at the professional level, at the college level and even at the Little League level?

Shropshire: The short answer might be money and … the striving for success. More deeply, what has brought this to our attention is how easy it is to get information out. If you think about Donald Sterling, the Atlanta Hawks owner [Bruce Levenson,] Ray Rice, the incidents have been exposed in a way that we never saw before. Historically, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig may have been up to a lot of things, but we did not know about it. It is [the media] that has revealed this huge respect—or lack of respect—issue that occurs in so many levels of sport.

Knowledge at Wharton: One of the cases that you discuss in the book involves the Miami Dolphins and their hazing case, which is interesting because you spent time with the Dolphins talking with them about what happened and how they can effect change within their organization.

Shropshire: I am still working with [owner] Steve Ross [but] not so much about the organization. What he has done is really try to capture that moment—in the same way that I [have tried to do in] the book. How can you positively take the things that happen in sport and improve society? How can you deliver the messages—and his focus is really at the youngest age—to kids and say, hey, if you are going to participate in sport, here are some other lessons you need to learn as well and you need to carry forward into life…. One of the things that we have struggled with as I have worked with him is it is not too difficult to think about how to work with kids and get them to understand all these important lessons about diversity, inclusion, respect and equality. But how do you do it with adults? How do you do it in the locker room with professional athletes, who in many ways have been pampered throughout their life and have not had to deal with these real-life issues, who in many ways have been in this “sanctuary”— though that might not be the right word — in these locker rooms that are private spaces? [These incidents] have been exposed in a way that people have never seen before. So we know what goes on there in a way that we did not know [before].

“Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig may have been up to a lot of things, but we did not know about it. [Today, the media] has revealed this huge respect … issue that occurs in so many levels of sport.”

Knowledge at Wharton: The interesting part is that you have the contrast between what Mr. Ross is trying to do down in Miami and, of course, what we saw with the Los Angeles Clippers with Donald Sterling, which shook a lot of people to their core. I don’t know if anybody believes that we are in a society where racism [does not exist], but it is still a scary prospect that a man who owned a professional franchise—who obviously had a great deal of power, a great deal of wealth—had these views about people who in some respects were working for him.

Shropshire: We do not know, again, if he is alone in his thoughts or how many other people have said such negative things in privacy…. [His] alleged girlfriend then … recorded [his words] in a way that historically we were not able to do. What it really did was shed light on this issue for those who may have thought we are in some kind of post-racial era: Obama is in the White House and things are rosy all around. But here is somebody in a business that is … predominantly African American, and he expresses such negative views of them…. In the book, I talk about this … idea of tolerance versus respect. The place we would all like to get to is acceptance. He merely, apparently, tolerated these African Americans, and he did not want maybe one of the most prominent sports figures in the world — Magic Johnson — to attend his games because of his race. That really shed a light on where we are. It is not so important that this one man did what he did but just the fact that this still exists — and exists in the most powerful position in sport at the ownership level.

Knowledge at Wharton: When you look at ownership of professional sports teams these days, you have some owners who are doing some unbelievable work for their communities, for their organizations, but you do have owners who — I do not know if it is a case where the bottom line still ends up being the most powerful thing — but [who are not doing that]. You have a case like the Washington Redskins where that name has obviously drawn a lot of attention….Yet Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Redskins, is sticking to his guns in some respects and saying he will not change the name of that team.

Shropshire: Successful men become successful because they have the type of stamina and drive that Dan Snyder has and is displaying on this issue. But what this illustrates further—if we are talking about owners and the different kinds of issues that are there — is the need for not just diversity in these big settings, but also inclusion. It is never clear to me who it is that he is getting this advice from that drives him to stick so adamantly behind his decision to stick with the name that is one of the most racist names characterizing a group of people in existence. You can find some people who say — and you find some Native Americans who say — it is OK. You can poll fans, and the majority of fans who say it is okay. Well, there is a substantial group of people who say it is abhorrent. It is one of the most racist names that exist. If you take the casual step of looking at Webster’s Dictionary , that is the kind of definition you will get of that word…. In sport, we have seen name changes take place quite a bit. We have seen teams take this move and do it positively. We just saw it this past season with the Charlotte Bobcats, [which switched] back to the Charlotte Hornets, and it was a tremendous marketing opportunity. They increased their sales. There are ways to do this positively. Again, if we think of the character of many of the people who own these teams, and there are certainly the positives, but here is a negative moment that also allowed [Snyder] to be very successful in what he does.

Knowledge at Wharton: Character obviously played a big part in the aftermath of the Ray Rice case, which was a case where there was very shocking video of Rice and his then-fiancée in an incident in a casino in Atlantic City. As horrified as a lot of people were of the incident itself, they were also disillusioned in some respects by how it was handled by the “leaders” who were involved in that case—whether it be Roger Goodell leading the case for the NFL or Steve Bisciotti for the Baltimore Ravens. They did take the action to release Ray Rice from his contract, but still there were some people who were very disillusioned by what happened through that whole situation.

“If you do not have an inclusive atmosphere in your leadership setting, do you really know how to react?”

Shropshire: It was a very vivid visual of, again, the need for greater inclusion in these decision-making processes. To have somebody in the room who understands about domestic violence. To have somebody in the room unlike myself. When I saw the second video when Ray Rice struck his then-fiancée as a man would hit a man, I had never seen that in real life…. When that occurs, if you do not have an inclusive atmosphere in your leadership setting, do you really know how to react? Part of the lesson we get from that is to understand that when something new—something you are not familiar with — occurs, if you do not have a domestic violence specialist or you do not have a Native American or you do not have an African American in your leadership space or wherever you may be—then this is the time where you should go out and seek that additional advice and guidance before you take a step that can later be severely criticized and proven to be wrong.

Knowledge at Wharton: In comparison to what the NFL went through with the Ray Rice case, is it tougher when you have an organization like the NCAA? It is a very different situation — but we are talking about an organization that has been very much under fire for a lot of issues over the last several years, including the situation now at the University of Miami with the investigation into their potential improprieties, and the situation at Penn State with Jerry Sandusky and how they handled that. It does require a different type of leadership in some respects.

Shropshire: It really does. You think about the NFL or Major League Baseball or the NBA, you have thirty or so owners who work closely with a commissioner, and their motivation is profit. It is a lot different. There are a lot of issues about protecting the business — in the NFL, they talk about protecting the shield. In the NCAA, you have 1,000+ member institutions. You have got an administrative body in Indianapolis. Is the interest in making as much money as possible, or is it in educating student athletes? When you have these additional issues that come into these individual schools — and maybe they do not happen at all the schools — how do you get everybody united behind the issues that have to be dealt with? It is a lot different when you think about an educational institution trying to deal with issues as opposed to a professional sports organization, which is a relatively small business, [compared with] IBM or others, that has to make business decisions that are not related to whether we are going to get this kid to graduate and to get a degree and to think about being a donor later on and those sorts of things.

Knowledge at Wharton: The interesting part about the NCAA is even though they are tied to educational institutions, realistically the NCAA is a money-making operation when you think about the contracts that they are dealing with to promote college basketball, to promote college football. In some respects, people believe that is to the detriment of the organization. They have so much influence over money-making entities that maybe do they lose sight of what the grander picture is at times.

“We can beat up the NCAA all day, but let’s follow the money and see where it is going….”

Shropshire: Right. Part of the NCAA’s problem is that much of the world does not understand what the NCAA does and what it does not do.… They run a great basketball tournament. That is probably the biggest money maker for the enterprise. But in terms of the football games, the football championships, and all those—that is outside of the NCAA’s purview for the most part, except for the eligibility of the athletes. The new dollars that are coming in, that is up to the individual conferences — that is the PAC12, the SCC and all those other entities. Maybe greater scrutiny about what they are doing and whether or not those dollars are being used to further the educational missions of the individual institutions … is really where the focus should be. We can beat up the NCAA all day, but let’s follow the money and see where it is going and the positive things that can be done. For me, that is well beyond thinking about paying an athlete. It is thinking about how do you help these young men and these young women find their way in life and the early realization that this sports thing is not going to last forever. You have to figure out a way to survive in the world that goes beyond balls and bats and racquets.

Knowledge at Wharton: Ken, what would you like people to really be left with in Sport Matters ? What vision would you like them to be left with after they read this book?

Shropshire: Although it is in my mind the dominant respect issue out there, part of the drama that I went through in thinking about this book was to move away from thinking about just the race issue, which I wrote about some years ago in another book, and really just understand that a lot of the issues that are out there — in this space and beyond — are about respect. If we can just figure out how to treat people in a respectful manner — and sports provides a prism for us to think about that — then we can all be a lot better off.

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Problem-solving in Leadership: How to Master the 5 Key Skills

The role of problem-solving in enhancing team morale, the right approach to problem-solving in leadership, developing problem-solving skills in leadership, leadership problem-solving examples.

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What’s the Role of Problem-solving in Leadership?

• Getting to the root of the issue:  First, Sarah starts by looking at the numbers for the past few months. She identifies the products for which sales are falling. She then attempts to correlate it with the seasonal nature of consumption or if there is any other cause hiding behind the numbers. 
• Identifying the sources of the problem:  In the next step, Sarah attempts to understand why sales are falling. Is it the entry of a new competitor in the next neighborhood, or have consumption preferences changed over time? She asks some of her present and past customers for feedback to get more ideas. 
• Putting facts on the table:  Next up, Sarah talks to her sales team to understand their issues. They could be lacking training or facing heavy workloads, impacting their productivity. Together, they come up with a few ideas to improve sales. 
• Selection and application:  Finally, Sarah and her team pick up a few ideas to work on after analyzing their costs and benefits. They ensure adequate resources, and Sarah provides support by guiding them wherever needed during the planning and execution stage. 
• Identifying the root cause of the problem.
• Brainstorming possible solutions.
• Evaluating those solutions to select the best one.
• Implementing it.

• Analytical thinking:   Analytical thinking skills refer to a leader’s abilities that help them analyze, study, and understand complex problems. It allows them to dive deeper into the issues impacting their teams and ensures that they can identify the causes accurately. 
• Critical Thinking:  Critical thinking skills ensure leaders can think beyond the obvious. They enable leaders to question assumptions, break free from biases, and analyze situations and facts for accuracy. 
• Creativity:  Problems are often not solved straightaway. Leaders need to think out of the box and traverse unconventional routes. Creativity lies at the center of this idea of thinking outside the box and creating pathways where none are apparent. 
• Decision-making:  Cool, you have three ways to go. But where to head? That’s where decision-making comes into play – fine-tuning analysis and making the choices after weighing the pros and cons well. 
• Effective Communication:  Last but not at the end lies effective communication that brings together multiple stakeholders to solve a problem. It is an essential skill to collaborate with all the parties in any issue. Leaders need communication skills to share their ideas and gain support for them.

How do Leaders Solve Problems?

Business turnaround, crisis management, team building.

Process improvement

Ace performance reviews with strong feedback skills..

Master the art of constructive feedback by reviewing your skills with a free assessment now.

Why is problem solving important?

What is problem-solving skills in management, how do you develop problem-solving skills.

Top 15 Tips for Effective Conflict Mediation at Work

Top 10 games for negotiation skills to make you a better leader, manager effectiveness: a complete guide for managers in 2024, 5 proven ways managers can build collaboration in a team.

Sports leaders

Understanding sports leaders in sports activities.

• The role of sports leaders in sport activities is significant.
• They play a crucial role in the development, organisation, and success of a sports activity.
• Sports leaders could be coaches, team captains, instructors, or managers in various sports settings.

Characteristics of Sports Leaders

• Sports leaders are expected to demonstrate a high level of responsibility, as they often guide and influence the behaviours of others.
• Reliability , patience , good communication and knowledge about the sport are primary characteristics of a sports leader.
• Sports leaders are expected to have a positive attitude , displaying enthusiasm and energy, which can be infectious to the participants.

The Role of Sports Leaders

• Sports leaders are seen as role models, setting the standard for behaviour and actions in the sports context.
• They are responsible for promoting fair play and maintaining a level of discipline amongst participants.
• Sports leaders must ensure the safety of participants at all times.
• Sports leaders are responsible for planning and organising sports activities, taking into account participants’ needs and abilities.

Leading Techniques in Sports

• Sports leaders employ a range of leading techniques including clear communication, motivation strategies, and efficient problem-solving.
• They help participants improve their skills by giving meaningful feedback and creating an environment conducive to learning.
• Leaders also need to encourage team building and facilitate cooperation among participants for successful group activities.

Essential Skills in Sports Leadership

• A sports leader must be highly skilled in communication , able to deliver clear and concise instructions.
• They must possess remarkable decision-making skills to make informed decisions during high-pressure situations.
• Problem-solving , organisation , and motivational skills are equally important and beneficial in sports leadership.
• Sports leaders must be equally capable of recognising their shortcomings and strengths, utilising these insights for self-improvement and growth in their role.

Sports Leadership Styles

• Leaders in sports usually have a particular leadership style they predominantly use, yet the ability to adapt to different styles is key.
• Styles may range from autocratic , where leaders make decisions without consulting participants, to democratic , involving participants in the decision-making process.
• Laissez-faire leadership is characterised by giving participants a larger degree of freedom in decision-making, with leaders providing support when required.
• The most effective sports leaders adapt their style based on the situation and the individual needs of the participants.

The Power of Leaders Who Focus on Solving Problems

by Deborah Ancona and Hal Gregersen

Summary .   

There’s a new kind of leadership taking hold in organizations. Strikingly, these new leaders don’t like to be called leaders, and none has any expectation that they will attract “followers”  personally  — by dint of their charisma, status in a hierarchy, or access to resources. Instead, their method is to get others excited about whatever problem they have identified as ripe for a novel solution. Having fallen in love with a problem, they step up to leadership — but only reluctantly and only as necessary to get it solved. Leadership becomes an intermittent activity as people with enthusiasm and expertise step up as needed, and readily step aside when, based on the needs of the project, another team member’s strengths are more central. Rather than being pure generalists, leaders pursue their own deep expertise, while gaining enough familiarity with other knowledge realms to make the necessary connections. They expect to be involved in a series of initiatives with contributors fluidly assembling and disassembling.

In front of a packed room of MIT students and alumni, Vivienne Ming is holding forth in a style all her own. “Embrace cyborgs,” she calls out, as she clicks to a slide that raises eyebrows even in this tech-smitten crowd. “ Really . Fifteen to 25 years from now, cognitive neuroprosthetics will fundamentally change the definition of what it means to be human.”

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Why Problem-Solving Skills Are Essential for Leaders in Any Industry

• 17 Jan 2023

Any organization offering a product or service is in the business of solving problems.

Whether providing medical care to address health issues or quick convenience to those hungry for dinner, a business’s purpose is to satisfy customer needs .

In addition to solving customers’ problems, you’ll undoubtedly encounter challenges within your organization as it evolves to meet customer needs. You’re likely to experience growing pains in the form of missed targets, unattained goals, and team disagreements.

Yet, the ubiquity of problems doesn’t have to be discouraging; with the right frameworks and tools, you can build the skills to solve consumers' and your organization’s most challenging issues.

Here’s a primer on problem-solving in business, why it’s important, the skills you need, and how to build them.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Problem-Solving in Business?

Problem-solving is the process of systematically removing barriers that prevent you or others from reaching goals.

Your business removes obstacles in customers’ lives through its products or services, just as you can remove obstacles that keep your team from achieving business goals.

Design Thinking

Design thinking , as described by Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar in the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , is a human-centered , solutions-based approach to problem-solving and innovation. Originally created for product design, design thinking’s use case has evolved . It’s now used to solve internal business problems, too.

The design thinking process has four stages :

• Clarify: Clarify a problem through research and feedback from those impacted.
• Ideate: Armed with new insights, generate as many solutions as possible.
• Develop: Combine and cull your ideas into a short list of viable, feasible, and desirable options before building prototypes (if making physical products) and creating a plan of action (if solving an intangible problem).
• Implement: Execute the strongest idea, ensuring clear communication with all stakeholders about its potential value and deliberate reasoning.

Using this framework, you can generate innovative ideas that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise.

Creative Problem-Solving

Another, less structured approach to challenges is creative problem-solving , which employs a series of exercises to explore open-ended solutions and develop new perspectives. This is especially useful when a problem’s root cause has yet to be defined.

You can use creative problem-solving tools in design thinking’s “ideate” stage, which include:

• Brainstorming: Instruct everyone to develop as many ideas as possible in an allotted time frame without passing judgment.
• Divergent thinking exercises: Rather than arriving at the same conclusion (convergent thinking), instruct everyone to come up with a unique idea for a given prompt (divergent thinking). This type of exercise helps avoid the tendency to agree with others’ ideas without considering alternatives.
• Alternate worlds: Ask your team to consider how various personas would manage the problem. For instance, how would a pilot approach it? What about a young child? What about a seasoned engineer?

It can be tempting to fall back on how problems have been solved before, especially if they worked well. However, if you’re striving for innovation, relying on existing systems can stunt your company’s growth.

Related: How to Be a More Creative Problem-Solver at Work: 8 Tips

Why Is Problem-Solving Important for Leaders?

While obstacles’ specifics vary between industries, strong problem-solving skills are crucial for leaders in any field.

Whether building a new product or dealing with internal issues, you’re bound to come up against challenges. Having frameworks and tools at your disposal when they arise can turn issues into opportunities.

As a leader, it’s rarely your responsibility to solve a problem single-handedly, so it’s crucial to know how to empower employees to work together to find the best solution.

Your job is to guide them through each step of the framework and set the parameters and prompts within which they can be creative. Then, you can develop a list of ideas together, test the best ones, and implement the chosen solution.

Related: 5 Design Thinking Skills for Business Professionals

4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need

1. problem framing.

One key skill for any leader is framing problems in a way that makes sense for their organization. Problem framing is defined in Design Thinking and Innovation as determining the scope, context, and perspective of the problem you’re trying to solve.

“Before you begin to generate solutions for your problem, you must always think hard about how you’re going to frame that problem,” Datar says in the course.

For instance, imagine you work for a company that sells children’s sneakers, and sales have plummeted. When framing the problem, consider:

• What is the children’s sneaker market like right now?
• Should we improve the quality of our sneakers?
• Should we assess all children’s footwear?
• Is this a marketing issue for children’s sneakers specifically?
• Is this a bigger issue that impacts how we should market or produce all footwear?

While there’s no one right way to frame a problem, how you do can impact the solutions you generate. It’s imperative to accurately frame problems to align with organizational priorities and ensure your team generates useful ideas for your firm.

To solve a problem, you need to empathize with those impacted by it. Empathy is the ability to understand others’ emotions and experiences. While many believe empathy is a fixed trait, it’s a skill you can strengthen through practice.

When confronted with a problem, consider whom it impacts. Returning to the children’s sneaker example, think of who’s affected:

• Your organization’s employees, because sales are down
• The customers who typically buy your sneakers
• The children who typically wear your sneakers

Empathy is required to get to the problem’s root and consider each group’s perspective. Assuming someone’s perspective often isn’t accurate, so the best way to get that information is by collecting user feedback.

For instance, if you asked customers who typically buy your children’s sneakers why they’ve stopped, they could say, “A new brand of children’s sneakers came onto the market that have soles with more traction. I want my child to be as safe as possible, so I bought those instead.”

When someone shares their feelings and experiences, you have an opportunity to empathize with them. This can yield solutions to their problem that directly address its root and shows you care. In this case, you may design a new line of children’s sneakers with extremely grippy soles for added safety, knowing that’s what your customers care most about.

Related: 3 Effective Methods for Assessing Customer Needs

3. Breaking Cognitive Fixedness

Cognitive fixedness is a state of mind in which you examine situations through the lens of past experiences. This locks you into one mindset rather than allowing you to consider alternative possibilities.

For instance, your cognitive fixedness may make you think rubber is the only material for sneaker treads. What else could you use? Is there a grippier alternative you haven’t considered?

Problem-solving is all about overcoming cognitive fixedness. You not only need to foster this skill in yourself but among your team.

4. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment

As a leader, it’s your job to create an environment conducive to problem-solving. In a psychologically safe environment, all team members feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table, which are likely influenced by their personal opinions and experiences.

If employees are penalized for “bad” ideas or chastised for questioning long-held procedures and systems, innovation has no place to take root.

By employing the design thinking framework and creative problem-solving exercises, you can foster a setting in which your team feels comfortable sharing ideas and new, innovative solutions can grow.

How to Build Problem-Solving Skills

The most obvious answer to how to build your problem-solving skills is perhaps the most intimidating: You must practice.

Again and again, you’ll encounter challenges, use creative problem-solving tools and design thinking frameworks, and assess results to learn what to do differently next time.

While most of your practice will occur within your organization, you can learn in a lower-stakes setting by taking an online course, such as Design Thinking and Innovation . Datar guides you through each tool and framework, presenting real-world business examples to help you envision how you would approach the same types of problems in your organization.

Are you interested in uncovering innovative solutions for your organization’s business problems? Explore Design Thinking and Innovation —one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses —to learn how to leverage proven frameworks and tools to solve challenges. Not sure which course is right for you? Download our free flowchart .

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