Leadership

A:  The real challenge is to ask what can each of us do to clearly integrate for our coaches and student-athletes the notions of aggression, competition and respect for our opponents.  Can we explain the difference between making a clean block or crisp tackle and initiating body contact with the intent to maim?  Can we remove hate language and the denigration of any group from the locker room (and classroom, and hallways) and make it clear that both are unacceptable?  Change occurs one person at a time with one small act at a time.  Which of the following can you do

A:  While there is no one ‘right’ composition for the Board or Committee that serves in an athletics program oversight and policy approval role, following are important considerations:

A:  Coaches are often the most literal among athletic department employees with regard to needing to see the practical application of theory.   Thus, the success of in-service diversity programs will increase in relation to (1) the perceived utility of the information presented to the user, (2) respect for the expertise of the presenter  and (3) whether there is an emotional connection between the presenter and the audience.  Traditional diversity workshops are often led by presenters who do not connect with coaches with regard to the practical realities they face.&

Key to successfully influencing others is an understanding of the mechanisms of ‘change’.  What the athletics director is really trying to do when asking others to think in a certain way, take specific actions or provide resources is to change that other person’s thinking to support a new position.   An athletics director may not only have to deal with the challenge of all employees accepting the change, but possibly parents, student-athletes and donors too.  Think of what will go through the hearts and minds of student-athletes and donors who are asked to accept and sup

In the arena of educational sport a number of current and historical factors have contributed to the perpetuation of sex discrimination:

The success of the athletics director lies in five important dimensions:  (1) informed, ethical and fair decision-making, (2) hiring and retaining the most competent, passionate and committed employees, (3) fulfilling the educational, resource and inspirational needs of employees and student-athletes, (4) by example and action, inspiring excellence in the performance of employee and student-athlete duties and responsibilities and (5) creating policies and procedures that enable employees to work efficiently and effectively and mitigate the occurrence or repetition of problems.  Su

A:  Passion, authenticity and  integrity.  Passion for your program is an essential prerequisite for success.  Being armed with facts that represent the qualities you most value (graduation rates, average team GPA, 100% effort, etc.) and delivering these facts with the energy and enthusiasm that would result in a prospective donor or fan saying, “How can I help?” is the goal.  Authenticity – being exactly who you are, being perceived by others as genuine, without arrogance or feigned interest, is also essential.   People easily detect fakes.  Integrit

A:  There are two ways to look at this.  First, your answer might be 100% time because everything an athletic director does should be related to sharing his or her commitment to the brand and selling it to everyone he or she comes into contact with.  If your athletic department staff is 10 or 100, the AD’s responsibility is to motivate every employee to make friends, share contacts and information and motivate others to support the athletics program.  Another way to look at this is to break down the athletics director’s time into segments like fundraising (35%), event ma

Leadership is a complex composite of commendable personal attributes and ways of acting that result in employees believing in the leader's judgment and direction and wanting to execute or fulfill the leader's assignments and expectations. Is there such a thing as a person being 'a natural' leader, like a natural athlete or a gifted artist or musician whose talent appears to come easily? To an extent, the answer is yes. Leadership qualities come more easily to some rather than others. However, all of the following personal attributes of a good leader can be developed by intent: