Written by The realm of leadership and sports coaching is complex and multifaceted, with countless variables influencing outcomes. However, one factor stands out as particularly foundational: self-understanding. As leadership expert John C. Maxwell once said, “You must know yourself to grow yourself” (2015). This profound statement encapsulates the essence of why self-understanding is critical in leadership and coaching roles.
Self-understanding and Self-awareness
Self-understanding is synonymous with self-awareness. It involves a deep and honest reflection on one’s strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, values, and emotions. As leaders and coaches, recognizing and accepting our strengths and limitations is crucial. When we understand our strengths, we can leverage them more effectively. When we acknowledge our weaknesses, we open ourselves to growth and improvement. This self-awareness enables us to lead with authenticity and integrity. Leaders with high self-awareness were more likely to be rated as effective by their subordinates (Eichhorn, 2019) and that self-awareness is an essential trait of successful leaders.
Self-understanding and Communication
Effective communication is pivotal to successful leadership and coaching. Self-understanding plays a vital role in shaping our communication style. By understanding how we communicate and how we interpret the communication of others, we can adapt our style to ensure our messages resonate with our team members: Coaches, athletes, and team staff. Leaders who understand their communication style and adapt it to their team’s needs are more successful in motivating and engaging their teams (Mustafa et al., 2020).
Self-understanding and Decision Making
Decision-making is an integral part of leadership and coaching roles. Our biases and perceptions often influence our decisions unconsciously and we must be extremely cognizant of this (Piasecki, 2022; Schwandt, 2015). Understanding these biases allows us to make more balanced and objective decisions. Coaches, or sports leaders in general, who are aware of their biases are more likely to make fair and ethical decisions and are better equipped to challenge their biases and adjust their decision-making process accordingly (Sezer et al., 2021).
Self-understanding and Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is another key aspect of effective leadership and coaching. It involves recognizing, understanding, and managing our emotions and the emotions of others. Self-understanding is the first step towards developing emotional intelligence. There is a strong correlation between self-understanding and emotional intelligence in leaders and leaders who understood their emotions are better able to manage their emotions and respond effectively to their team’s emotions (Singhal & Rastogi, 2022).
Conclusion
Self-understanding is a cornerstone of effective leadership in sports. It fosters self-awareness, enhances communication, informs decision-making, and cultivates emotional intelligence. As we journey towards becoming better leaders and coaches, let’s remember the words of Greek philosopher Socrates, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom”.
References
Eichhorn, B. R. (2019). Self-awareness and leadership. Leadership Excellence Essentials, 36(2), 5.
Maxwell, J. C. (2015). The 15 invaluable laws of growth: Live them and reach your potential. Center Street.
Mustafa, M., Karadag, E., & Bektas, F. (2020). The effect of leadership on organizational communication. Management and Economics Research Journal, 6(2), 182-192.
Piasecki, J. B. (2022). The Lived Experience of Personnel Adversely Impacted by Toxic Leadership: A Phenomenological Study (Order No. 29397893). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2730346426). https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/lived-experience-personnel-adversely-impacted/docview/2730346426/se-2
Schwandt, T. A. (2015). The SAGE dictionary of qualitative inquiry (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Sezer, O., Gino, F., & Bazerman, M. H. (2021). Ethical blind spots: Explaining unintentional unethical behavior. Current Opinion in Psychology, 6, 77-81.
Singhal, H., & Rastogi, R. (2022). Emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness: Role of self-awareness. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 43(1), 1-20.