Written by American swimming coach Megan Oesting has been sacked after being in post with SwimMAC Carolina for only 9 months. Differences in her management style and cultural stance have been cited as the main reasons. According to Madeleine Lepesant of Swim Swam it seems that a new approach to the coaching, which involved Oesting working with groups other than the seniors, caused the rift. Her declared intention was to form a relationship with all swimmers in an attempt to bring unity to the team. Oesting’s approach appears to have unsettled families and other coaches (Lepesant, 2021).
Challenging organisational practices are always going to be difficult, especially for a new head coach. People tend to react against change as it brings inherent potential threats to their status and security. Traditionally head coaches have focussed their attention on the most senior swimmers who form the shop window of their swimming organisation. Success in sport is always measured in gold. This inheritance from the ancient Greeks has a very powerful invisible influence on athletes, coaches and administrators. Any change that challenges traditional ways of working is likely to be met with resistance.
The situation created, however, does call into question the organisation’s recruitment and selection processes. When selecting a new leader a critical consideration is that of contextual fit. Whilst a matching of competence and achievements to the role is important so is the alignment of personal cultures to that of the organisation. The values and beliefs held by the leader need to be scrutinized. Megan’s intentions may have been to build relationships with a wider group of swimmers but how might this have been interpreted by the other squad coaches and administrators?
The squad coaches might have perceived Megan as interfering with their swimmer-coach relationships. The dyadic link between the coach and swimmer is where their trusting relationship is forged. Forming triadic connections can bring unity, when considering group cohesion (Simmel, 1964), but it can also endanger that between a swimmer and their coach. The asymmetric power relationship between the head coach and squad coach may mean that the squad coach’s authority is undermined. The result may be that the swimmer stops listening to their personal coach who becomes isolated in the triad.
From another vantage point the executive administrators within the organisation might have perceived the head coach as micro-managing as opposed to leading. Effective leadership involves delegation and building trust in the leadership team. From statements made by the directors it is evident that a toxic culture emerged. Squad coaches and the parents of swimmers are always in discussion. Most sports coaches know that some parents are quick to make their feelings known to administrators. Perceptions can change in these circumstances and Megan’s true intentions may have been misread.
It would have been wise also to consider the senior swimmers and their view. It is likely that they were expecting to be led by the most experienced coach. Each squad would have differing needs and a single coach could not possibly build effective swimmer-coach relationships with every swimmer. Getting to know all the swimmers and their needs is a laudable aim and should be encouraged. Coaching other squads occasionally is also a good way of understanding the wider team needs. However, the senior swimmers also have needs and for them time is of the essence.
Management by Wandering Around (MBWA) is a well known style used by effective leaders. Meeting people at all levels in the organisation helps the leader understand the organisation to a much greater depth. By getting to know people and the issues they face can help the leader make important changes and improve organisational performance. Meeting followers’ needs is an essential part of leadership. However, great leaders know that their direct reports also have needs, especially those related to status and credibility.
Building relationships and developing the capability of direct reports are the first priorities for the leader. If a direct report, such as a squad coach, feels undermined or undervalued then toxic cultures will inevitably ensue. If the reporting is accurate it would seem that the head coach made some errors of judgement. All sports coaches are competitive by nature and want to be recognised for their contribution. Sports organisations or clubs provide a metaphor for society.
Like society itself sports organisations are built on hierarchies of relationships that take place in a competitive milieu – a sea of mediating influences. By ensuring cultural matches between members in the hierarchy and building trusting relationships an organisation can be at its best. It is, therefore, essential that executive leaders focus on aligning personal cultures to the organisation and see this as an important component of success. Swimming coaches who are in a senior leadership position are warned to be extremely careful with swimmer-coach relationships. As Megan Oesting found to her cost direct followers can be very influential too.
References
Lepesant, M. (2021) Megan Oesting out after 9 Months as Head Coach at Swimmac Carolina. Retrieved: 03, July, 2021 from Swim Swam: http://www.swimswam.com
Simmel, G. (1964) The Sociology of George Simmel. Glencoe, USA. Free Press