How Effective Leadership Can Drive Diversity in Sport

As a passionate football supporter born in Streatham, South London, I was aware my pathway into mainstream sport would prove to be more difficult. The sports landscape was quite different when I was growing up. Roles in Equity & Inclusion did not exist, and there was a lack of focus on youths from ethnically diverse communities. Nonetheless, I always remained hopeful and motivated to carry a responsibility to create positive lanes for such individuals one day.

I am proud to say that my lived experiences in my earlier life have enabled me to understand the challenges faced by a pool of young people to fulfil their aspirations in sport. Every day, I feel lucky enough to live out my dream of assisting in the governance of a sport I remained hopeful of being a part of as a child. I remember the challenges that motivated me to pursue a career in this field and why I wanted to offer my support to the community by creating equal pathways in mainstream sports for ambitious youth from diverse backgrounds.

Sport has the power to foster a greater appreciation for inclusivity. Creating a diverse sporting environment where all individuals are treated equally.

To create lasting and meaningful change for future generations, I believe there are fundamental traits that should be driven by organisations and role modeled by leaders. So here are the key principles I believe every leader should bring to their teams in an effort to drive diversity.

The sports industry is continuously evolving. As a result, we are now seeing more roles opening up in mainstream sports for those who could not make it as professional athletes. From working towards becoming a fitness coach or trainer, to working as a sports psychologist or referee, there are now numerous ways young people can turn their skills and knowledge into a successful career. But ensuring a level playing field for all starts much earlier on and it is the responsibility of leadership to make this happen. By doing so, they can change the paths of others to make a massive difference on both a personal and societal level.

Many sporting establishments are now starting to partner with schools and universities to create internship opportunities that will steer younger generations away from participating in criminal activities. Working in sport will not only improve self-efficacy and confidence, but also lead youth to explore positive career choices whilst increasing workforce diversity.

Leadership is one of the key factors especially in any sporting environment. It empowers the effectiveness of teams and the development of individuals in aim of achieving targets. Having effective and diverse leadership has become a core focus for numerous sports organisations globally and it is increasingly being highlighted as a unique form of training that eventually gives rise to elite performance.

It is important to learn from more experienced and inspirational leaders that have come before you. One of which I follow closely – Steve Spurrier, the legendary American football coach who has led many teams to success during his tenure. His principles are simple; “lead by example.”

According to Steve, a great leader will always bring more than just words to the table. Their own personality, traits and behavior are what greatly influence the group under his leadership. “words are pretty cheap in life.” He therefore states that leaders should embody the message that they want their participants to embrace.

I believe it has now become more important than ever for leadership to have open conversations with younger generations. As adults, it is our responsibility to set a precedent by creating spaces for youth where they feel safe to talk about difficult and important topics, such as racism, sexism, mental health, and privilege. Leaders need to understand the issues others face before they can start to address them. And that means they need to listen. 

Engaging in dialogue with young people can better equip them to navigate the world and learn about the opportunities that exist, while also giving them a sense of belonging along the way.

I am committed to spreading awareness about the importance of inclusion and how it motivates teams to become more productive and reach new heights of success.

There are various different models of leadership, with some suggesting that personality characteristics can ascertain whether a person will be an effective or ineffective as a leader in a sporting context.

High-performing leaders in sport must be resilient in order to advance and thrive. They must foster resilience and bear responsibility for protecting the spirit of those in their teams by upholding the values of inclusiveness and diversity.

I believe my own journey into mainstream sport tells its own story on how remaining resilient can keep dreams alive.