This article from Proactive Coaching by Rob Miller, from the Leadership collection, addresses what coaches can do when team leaders get little or no response from their teammates, creating a leadership void. It covers four key issues — selecting the right leaders, giving them a real job description, giving them authority, and mentoring them — so coaches can vastly reduce the possibility of a void in their program.
Introduction
In a recent article in the Sporting News, Shabazz Napier from UCONN discusses how he feels that he is getting no response from his teammates as the leader and it is hurting his team's chances to get better and frankly, win more games. He comments that he does not think his teammates dislike him and he does not dislike them, just that they do not listen. Thus a leadership void has been created.
Ever have that happen in your program? You have athletes looking to lead but they get little or no response from the other members of the team. As a coach, how can you do all you can to make sure that void does not happen? Let's look at some key issues that can help you avoid this from rearing its head with your program. Support materials for all these concepts can be found in two of our publications – Booklet, Captains – 7 Ways to Lead Your Team and our book, Proactive Leadership – Empowering Team Leaders.