Leadership
From strategic planning to team culture, our resources provide the leaders of sport organizations in Canada with the tools they need to lead effectively and with confidence. Explore key topics pertaining to leadership below.
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Top 10 resources
- SIRC Article: Building Capacity in Community Sport Organizations
- SIRC Article: Risk Management for Sport Leaders
- SCRI Keynote: Re-imagining sport through the power of strategic partnerships
- SIRC Talks: Managing Sport Events to Maximize Positive Impacts
- Experts in the House: Creative Thinking – Tools and Techniques to Better your Brainstorms
- Experts in the House: Top Tips for Fostering Research Partnerships
- Experts in the House: Top 5 Tips for Evaluation
- Evaluation 101
- SIRC Article: Enhancing accountability and alignment within Canadian Basketball clubs through collaborative governance
- SIRC Article: Recruiting, retaining and supporting volunteers in a changing sport system
Featured resource
Patti Millar, University of Windsor
Quick Facts
Who delivers sport in Canada?
Organizations that are responsible for governing and delivering sport in Canada include non-profit and for-profit, public- and privately funded, incorporated and unincorporated organizations and agencies. This includes National Sport Organizations (NSOs), Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSOs), Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies, and community sport, multi-sport, school sport, and cultural sport organizations as well as professional sport businesses and academies. It also includes the broader set of organizations that include sport, recreation and active living in their roles and mandates. The national organizations report to Sport Canada, the government department who determines funding and legal requirements for these organizations.
Who are sport organization leaders?
Organizations that are responsible for governing and delivering sport in Canada, including national, provincial and territorial, and community sport organizations, are often led by a senior staff member or senior leadership team, including an Executive Director or CEO. Sport organization leaders work collaboratively with the organization’s Board of Directors to lead the organization. Sport leader is also a term used to refer broadly to anyone who holds a leadership position or role in sport, including coaches, instructors, officials, referees, administrators, and athletes themselves.
What do sport organization leaders do?
Sport organization leaders are accountable to the organization’s Board of Directors. On a schedule determined by the board, the Executive Director or CEO needs to deliver evidence of achievement or progress towards achievement of board-determined results as well as evidence that all decisions and practices are within the predetermined boundaries.
Sport organization leaders are responsible for many aspects of an organization’s daily functioning and long-term sustainability, including but not limited to:
- Operationalizing strategic plans
- Generating revenue or securing funding to support organizational operations
- Effectively managing capacity and resources
- Hiring, training, and supporting employees and volunteers
- Planning for and managing risks
- Evaluating and demonstrating organizational progress and success
Depending on whether they are supported by more staff members or not, leaders may also be responsible for delivering programming and putting on events. In the leadership role, individuals may pull on volunteers to assist on any of the above tasks, especially if it is a smaller organization with a small personnel budget.
How are the roles of sport organization leaders different from the Board of Directors?
While governance and management are linked, they’re separate functions. Governance ensures organizations pursue the right purpose, in the right way, and continuously develop. This is the role of the Board of Directors. Alternatively, management is focused on “getting the work done.” Management is often led by a senior staff member, such as the CEO or Executive Director, or a senior leadership team. Broadly speaking, the Board of Directors decide on the direction of the organization and the management lead the staff in accomplishing the steps towards that direction.
What is strategic planning and why is it important?
Strategic planning, or building a strategic plan, is a tool by which an organization defines their path forward through goal setting and resource planning. Strategic planning is important because it provides clear direction for leadership and employees alike. Through this process, organizations can often identify their strengths and areas to improve. Overall, it builds an important road map for the organization going forward.
Important parts of a strategic plan include:
- Mission, vision, values
- Strategic objectives and priorities
- Key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Action plan to reach KPIs
- Clear communication of plan
What is organizational capacity? What affects it?
Organizational capacity is the ability of the organization and its employees to deliver their services and programs. Another key part of capacity is being able to meet any changes, whether they are opportunities or challenges, that face the organization. It is affected by staff numbers and capabilities, organizational resources, financial or otherwise, and leadership appropriately allocating those resources.
What is risk management?
Risk management is the process where organizations identify and prepare themselves for any risks so they can tackle the risks in stride without affecting desired outcomes, should they arise. As a sport leader, you may be faced with challenges or risks to your organization. If you are aware of the potential risks, you can begin to build reaction plans so that your organization can tackle them with minimal disturbance to the delivery of programs and services.
Video Resources
SCRI: Canadian Sport Policy Renewal Workshop (Part 1)
- University of Toronto and SIRC
- 2011
Leadership in the eye of the storm
- Canadian Olympic Committee and SIRC
- 2014
Financial Management Best Practices for Community Sport Organizations
- Ottawa Sport Council, SIRC, and Welch LLP
- 2018
SCRI: Description of the first years of experiences of novice female coaches
- Laval University and SIRC
- 2013
Sport, Leadership and Social Change Webinar Series
- Royal Roads University
- 2024
Room 3 – Sport Research & Governance | Salle 3 – La recherche et la gouvernance dans le sport
- Université de Sherbrooke, University of Ottawa, Western University, and SIRC
- 2021
Knowledge Nuggets
knowledge nuggets
Female volunteer official sport participation
Despite more women participating in sports worldwide, few are stepping into community-level officiating roles. Key issues such as barriers to entry and retention challenges contribute
Despite more women participating in sports worldwide, few are stepping into community-level officiating roles. Key issues such as barriers to entry and retention challenges contribute to this lack of participation.
knowledge nuggets
Indigenous women role models in sport
On National Truth and Reconciliation Day, it’s crucial to recognize the vital role of indigenous women athletes as role models in sport. However, being in
On National Truth and Reconciliation Day, it’s crucial to recognize the vital role of indigenous women athletes as role models in sport. However, being in the role model position comes with unique challenges. Accordingly, research highlights the importance of valuing the voices and experiences of indigenous women to contribute to ways of knowing and being.
knowledge nuggets
Effective mentoring in sports
The relationship between mentors and mentees stands out as a pivotal factor in effective mentoring. This was highlighted in a study featuring 239 mentor head
The relationship between mentors and mentees stands out as a pivotal factor in effective mentoring. This was highlighted in a study featuring 239 mentor head coaches and 239 mentee assistant coaches, where researchers discovered a significant link between the quality of mentorship and the improvement of mentees’ leadership skills. Such finding underscores the imperative of fostering strong mentoring relationships to facilitate the professional growth of assistant coaches.
knowledge nuggets
Women in sports leadership
Gender inequality in sport organization boards remains a problem in the world of sport. Researchers teamed up with a group of professionals to show that
Gender inequality in sport organization boards remains a problem in the world of sport. Researchers teamed up with a group of professionals to show that old-fashioned practices and stereotypes are still holding women back in sports leadership.
knowledge nuggets
Transformational coaching
Coaches’ leadership styles can play an important role in fostering strong and effective connections with athletes. For example, a transformational leadership style, characterized by its
Coaches’ leadership styles can play an important role in fostering strong and effective connections with athletes. For example, a transformational leadership style, characterized by its proactive nature and emphasis on empowering, inspiring, and challenging athletes or teams, has been positively associated with the quality of the coach-athlete relationship.
knowledge nuggets
Safer spaces for Black women coaches
Creating safer spaces to promote belonging and community, particularly among Black women, helps address feelings of isolation and otherness. Offering opportunities for knowledge exchange can
Creating safer spaces to promote belonging and community, particularly among Black women, helps address feelings of isolation and otherness. Offering opportunities for knowledge exchange can prevent the loss of notable talent and stimulate peak performance and retention. Safer spaces, sponsorships and platforms for dialogue all help promote diverse and equitable coaching spaces.
knowledge nuggets
Using AI to aid Sport Organizations
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become increasingly popular and common. AI can be beneficial in improving work efficiency and reducing workload of
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become increasingly popular and common. AI can be beneficial in improving work efficiency and reducing workload of staff. This SIRC blog outlines 3 different AI tools and how they can be used in order to aid sport organizations communications efforts.
knowledge nuggets
Group Cohesion in Sport
Group cohesion in simple terms is ‘the glue that helps teammates to stick together’. Cohesion is important for not only group sports but individual sports
Group cohesion in simple terms is ‘the glue that helps teammates to stick together’. Cohesion is important for not only group sports but individual sports as well. To help teams become more cohesive, coaches, sport psychologists, and athletes can use team building activities. Team building activities may include games played with teammates, puzzles the team have to solve together, or activities that involve sharing feelings or ideas with teammates.
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