Essentials of Sport Leadership: Theory and Application

This is a complete, step‑by‑step, reader‑friendly introduction to leadership theories and their application in sport organizations. It outlines key concepts and approaches to leadership, clearly explains how they relate to sport, and shows how sport managers can use leadership theory to develop and improve their professional practice.

This book covers leadership and management across all sectors of sport, including for‑profit, non‑profit, and public, and adopts an international perspective that reflects the globalized reality of contemporary sport business. It explores key topics, including behavioural theories, transformational leadership, culture, self‑leadership, ethics, and women in sport leadership, and encourages the reader to develop critical thinking skills that are essential in the modern workplace. Each chapter contains a selection of real‑life examples, review questions, case studies, self‑assessment exercises, topics for seminars and workshops, and suggested readings.

This is an essential textbook for any sport leadership course, valuable reading for anybody with an interest in leadership theory or contemporary sport management, and a useful handbook for anybody working in sport or event management who wants to become a better manager.

Online support material includes quiz‑style questions and other resources for tutor use or adaptation.

Majd Megheirkouni is Senior Lecturer in strategy and leadership at Leeds Trinity University, UK. He is a Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE), awarded by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, and a Chartered Manager, awarded by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Peter Norrington is a freelance editor, working mainly on business management, leadership, and project management topics. While in academia, he was a PRINCE2 Practitioner and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.