Recently, while speaking with a professional league about the issues of leadership - a question arose about what leadership meant to the league's corporate environment and the impact of leadership upon career transitions away from professional sport. There are many theories of leadership that have a correlation to the actions each athlete takes on and off the field of play. Yet, many athletes have difficulty transitioning from a "super star" level to a "common man" life style. It takes recognition, planning, and leadership to make the transition. Many athletes have stated to our firm, that once the money is gone everything changes. Statistics bear out that approximately 50% of athletes suffer substantial financial loss or go through marital discord after leaving their sport. No one seems to prepare for the inevitable; a new life. Leadership and management are key elements of what it takes to become a "common man" with a "super star" background. It takes authenticity, honor, and integrity to make a positive switch to the new life that awaits an athlete away from their game.
There is a subtle difference between management and leadership. Most people can be managers; yet, not all people are leaders. For example, a NFL or NBA player may learn to manage his team members while influencing the outcome with his athletic skills. The leader's vision is to come out on top at the end of the season as they work on the big picture. The athlete generally measures success differently; either play by play, game by game, or season by season. The athlete may have individual hopes and dreams for the league championship; yet, those are individual to the athlete. Managers produce order and consistency while true leaders produce change and forward movement as the vision is enacted. A true leader creates the vision and creatively moves the organization towards the culmination and completion of the vision.
An athlete should consider and accept that the moment they step on the court or their field of play their career is over. This sounds drastic, yet, in reality with the average NBA career at a little less than five years and an average NFL career at little less than three years the reality is before every athlete that participates in professional sports. Career transition should begin the moment that an athlete signs his or her first contract and before they attend their first rookie symposium. It takes becoming an authentic leader to create the vision of life after sports.
Authentic leadership is a new field of the leadership continuum that is grounded in very specific character attributes that lead to success. An authentic leader is grounded in positive psychological behavior and great morale reasoning. An authentic leader does not rationalize negative behavior based upon what others have done before them. Rather an authentic leader considers the impact of his or her behavior on those that rely upon the leadership in order to be a success. An authentic leader is transparent in his or her dealings with peers and demonstrates leadership in personal relationships. The authentic leader is able to provide not only management, the leader is able to provide a vision of the future for the organization they work for or with.
Authentic Leadership entails having a passion away from the athlete's field of play. It is something that "fires you up" while providing you with the ability to create positive income for yourself and family away from your sport. An authentic leader has a positive morale compass that is grounded in positive behavioral attributes. This means that an authentic leader will abide by the relationship agreements in their personal lives so that their behavior does not negatively impact their professional lives because the negativity creates one drama after another. It is about a commitment to life that creates a sense of being connected and grounded to the here and now as you make positive plans for the future. An authentic leader is compassionate and understands that imperfections are a part of the human character; that behavior is - at its simplest form - a choice that is made each time an action is taken. Authentic leaders provide a high level of consistency in the professional arena and an example to live by.
What does authentic leadership have to do with the professional sports arena? Authentic leadership is about the transparency that an athlete demonstrates about his or her lifestyle on and off their field of play. Transparency is directly related to the issue of connectedness and consistency in the professional arena. Transparency allows an athlete to effectively network into a potential position that melds individual passions into a paying career.
As I stated earlier everyone has the potential to be a manager; yet, not everyone can be a effective leader. This is also true in the professional sports arena where within the sport you are respected for your athletic prowess and abilities. Away from the game you may struggle with your vision of your future; never quite attaining the goals that you set for yourself and your family. Having passion for the sport may not equate to a job in the sports world after you leave the game. There are only so many broadcaster jobs available for an athlete and only so many financial advisor positions available. It takes creativity to build a lifestyle that encompasses each segment of who you are into the dream job away from the sport. It takes learning to become an authentic leader to create the opportunity to be the leader that people look up in the creation of a corporate vision of the future. Are you ready for the challenge and change? Are you ready to fish for and attain success away from your sport?
For more information about authentic leadership or our leadership and management training programs for professional athletes please contact us at www.hwassociates.us.
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