Values-based models of leadership in sport

About the Project

Values-based models of leadership such as authentic (Walumbwa et al., 2008) and ethical Den Hartog, 2015) leadership have received increased research attention by sport psychologists in recent years. These models refer to behaviours that are based on leaders’ moral values. Both authentic and ethical leaders act in line with these values and emphasise moral and ethical behaviour in their followers. Authentic leaders are transparent in their relationships with others, thereby inspiring trust, while ethical leaders are interested in influencing their followers to achieve their goals, in an ethical way. It has been suggested (Den Hartog, 2015) that an ethical leader would not be abusive, as leader behaviours that harm others would reflect unethical leadership. Due to their emphasis on ethical behaviour, these models of leadership are highly relevant to sport, where abusive coaching, mental ill health, and athlete aggression and cheating, including the use of banned performance-enhancing substances are increasingly reported (e.g., Kavussanu, 2019).

Several sport studies have independently examined authentic and ethical leadership in coaches as perceived by their athletes and their findings are promising. Specifically, athletes who perceived their coach to be an authentic leader were less likely to be aggressive, reported more frequent prosocial behaviour, enhanced psychological capital, and increased enjoyment and commitment to continue playing for their team (e.g., Kavussanu et al., 2024; Malloy et al., 2023). Coaches who were perceived by their athletes as ethical leaders, created a more inclusive team climate, whereas athletes who perceived their coaches as being abusive - thereby displaying unethical leadership - were more willing to cheat (Yukhymenko-Lescroart et al., 2015). The findings of these studies suggest that authentic and ethical leadership could influence different athlete outcomes, are promising models of leadership in sport, can be used to optimise the sport environment, and deserve further investigation.

I am looking for a highly motivated individual who wishes to further research on a values-based leadership model in sport. The direction of the study will be shaped in close collaboration with the student, however, below are some examples of possible research directions: (a) understanding how athletes and coaches conceptualise ethical leadership and whether abusive coaching is viewed as unethical leadership; (b) identifying and describing the behaviours of an ethical leader in the specific context of sport (i.e., what coaches who are ethical leaders do and what they do not do); (c) developing a new measure of ethical sport leadership; (d) examining a broad range of antecedents and consequences of authentic and/or ethical leadership in sport; (e) determining the degree to which authentic and ethical leadership in sport overlap with each other; and (f) developing a training programme to strengthen coaches’ ethical or authentic leadership, and examining its effects on athlete outcomes.

Funding notes:

Applications are invited from self-funded (or scholarship-funded) UK/EU students and international students who have at least an upper second-class degree in sport & exercise science, psychology or highly related field.

Interested candidates are kindly asked to submit the following documents directly to Dr Maria Kavussanu (m.kavussanu@bham.ac.uk):

1. Your CV, which highlights your educational qualifications and grades, and your (previous) experiences that are relevant to PhD study.
2. An abstract of the most recent research study you have conducted or are planning to conduct within the next few months. If you have never conducted a research study, you could be considered for an MRes or a Masters by Research, with the potential to progress to a PhD, once this is completed at the appropriate standard.

Candidates with appropriate credentials will be invited to submit a full application, providing the following documents:

• A brief research proposal
• Names and addresses of two referees.
• Copies of degree certificates with transcripts.
• Evidence of proficiency in the English language, if applicable.