How to Develop Leadership Skills Through Sports

Leaders must have awareness that others are on the field with them.

Cornerstones of leadership include the ability to inspire trust and convey competence. Sports provide a training ground to cultivate and practice these skills by presenting challenges that help a person develop leadership abilities. They invite the participant to spot opportunities that make other people successful, lead by example, commit 100 percent to an effort, maintain focus, follow through and rise up to one's potential.

Instructions

1. 

   When you help someone advance toward his or her highest potential, that person will see you as a leader.

   Identify ways for others to succeed. Whether a person engages in an individual or a team sport, interaction with other people will occur. You can mentor those new to the sport, share equipment, point to a safer or more efficient way of doing a move or executing a play, or pass a ball to allow another person to score. At the end of the event or competition, you may not shine as the "most valuable player," but you will shine as a leader. You conveyed competence while extending the helping hand of a trustworthy person. The next time you say something, people will listen. This is no different from the corporate environment where rising up as "team player" can position you as the person in the room worth following.

2. 

   Others may step up and take a challenge once they see you take it on.

   Lead by example. In a scary or extremely difficult situation, take the first step. This move illustrates two characteristics of an enduring leader: someone who trusts in self and someone who trusts in others to provide help and support. In his article "What Extreme Sports Can Teach You about Work," author, speaker and world-record holding skydiver Jim McCormick points out that the best extreme athletes respect the challenge, but succeed despite the high risk because of their high level of preparation. They give themselves a reason to trust in self. In addition, part of that preparation involves letting others know what to do after they take the first step.

3. 

   Be ready for action by watching, preparing and staying completely in the game.

   Fully commit to the event at hand. When criticizing the leadership of a quarterback in American football, sports writers will say things such as, "He didn't play with heart," or "He seemed distracted." In terms of energy, attention and skill, give your best so that those around you sense your commitment to success.

4. 

   Leaders try to move forward even when the going gets tough.

   Put one foot in front of the other until crossing the finish line. People who quit or just stop trying before the season or term ends -- whether they are competitive athletes, heads of companies or elected officials -- invite criticism as leaders. People around them wonder why they bothered to follow them when those supposed leaders failed to finish the job at hand.

5. 

   Fly high and enjoy the view that leaders earn through effort.

   Aim to achieve high performance standards. Great athletes don't inspire people around them because they do the impossible; they inspire others because they raise the bar on what is possible. In that way, people see them as leaders in their field -- people to learn from and emulate. People placed in positions of authority do not become leaders by virtue of having a title such as CEO. If they fall short, and someone without the title rises above them because of high performance, the person without the title assumes the role of leader.

References

• What Extreme Sports Can Teach You about Work

Resources

• Business Lessons from the Edge