Trackback: Steven

This past week, Steven attended a panel discussion called the X's and O's of Leadership where four prominent coaches explained the role of leadership from an athletic perspective. This sounds like a really interesting panel. And while I wouldn't immediately think of athletic programs as good sources of leaders, they really do promote and develop potential leaders. Steven focused on the words of Men's Volleyball coach Mark Palvik, picking up two quotations about what a leader looks like on a volleyball court. Coach said that "A leader isn't someone who is a good athlete, but rather a force within the team that has clear vision to success, and gets other to buy into it." I agree that someone who can motivate others to pursue a clear vision is a type of leader. But I'm hesitant to say that a good player is not a leader. There are different kinds of leaders both on and off the court. Maybe the good player will inspire others to work hard and improve their skills. And maybe the motivational player might keep his or her teammates focused and working hard. Both types can be successful. Coach Palvik also stated, according to Steven that "leading by example is not leading at all." Again I'm hesitant to agree because there is more than one type of successful leader. Maybe in his experience with student athletes motivational players have been more effective. However, saying that leading by example is not leading disregards many leaders who are effective in a variety of settings.