Relationship between Sports Engagement and Personality Development for Effective Leadership - Research Paper Example

THE INFLUENCE OF SPORT ON PERSONALITY AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS Name of Student Institution Course Number Instructor Date Introduction The notion of leadership development has been the focus of scholars over the years. The need for competent leaders is the desire of major organizations in the political, social, and economic sectors. A leader plays an essential part in the success of an activity or process. In management, the involvement of professionals with necessary experience is essential in attaining the set objectives and aims. The creation of a sustainable culture needs the contribution of a forerunner. It is not clear whether being a leader is a learning process or are there external factors that determine the personality of individuals that will lead to effective leadership. Doh tried to explain how the learning process could affect the character of individuals for successful leadership and management (Doh, 2003). Regardless of the forum and environment, acquired cognitive skills play a critical role in managerial abilities. Researchers are yet to agree whether there exists some external factors could influence the capacity and competence of individuals regarding behavior that could alter their abilities in leadership and management. Sport is one of the avenues where people interact and engage their abilities to win or receive better results. Sports platforms are essential grounds for interaction for a common purpose whenever teams are involved. Whether the participant is engaged in a team or as an individual, the results are based on the internal inspiration and determination. This paper is a research proposal for a study intending to investigate the relationship between sports engagement and personality development for effective leadership and management. Justification of the Study Working in a group has been linked to the process of developing competent skills for effective interpersonal relations. When an individual is associated with a group, then they are in a position to develop good qualities starting from the communication skills to conflict management. The studies so far conducted have concluded that the moment a person expand the social circle he/she is in a position to engage with the diversified factors of the extended environment. The experiences acquired from the environment develop the knowledge of the various environment, circumstances, and interaction with people. The purpose of leadership and management is not limited to organizing strategies but also in directing the activities conducted by individuals. It is essential to recognize that the interpersonal skills will determine to what extent the leaders or managers will be in a position to handle the possible challenges and tensors in a working environment. The desire of the majority of the corporate organization has been a workforce with unique capabilities and insights that can build a sustainable culture for objective attainment. The implementation of the strategic programs requires a team that can forecast based on the present facts through succinct analysis of the evidence. However, the question remains whether sporting activities can generate significant insights for individuals to acquire competent analytical, social, and managerial competence over a specified period of participation. The study will assist in finding the evidence that will set the baseline for the answering of the dilemma relating to these tow variables. Research Objective The concerns raised about the aspects of leadership emanating from the learning experiences have paved way for the question to be expanded to the variety of learning platforms and methods. The learning experiences can enhance the process of developing exceptional interpersonal skills as well as management competence. The sports activities are learning platforms for individual skills of cooperation, determination, and struggle. The need to foster such power to the process of handling strategic plans is necessary. The reason for conducting this study will be to examine how the sporting activities can enhance the necessary skills related to personality and management. The connection between learning and application of the cognitive skills is associated with the experience. Managers have been taught the practical skills required to steer process in an organization; however, the experience plays a crucial role in making it a daily occurrence. The sporting activities subject individuals to insightful thinking and strategizing for a win through the available mechanisms and resources. The study seeks to investigate whether these competencies have enabled the sports people with leadership and managerial positions to be successful in their undertakings through the acquired interpersonal skills. The study seeks to investigate whether those who participate in sports have an added advantage regarding skills and behavior that can enhance management competence as compared to persons who do not engage in sports. Through the results of the study, a correlative relationship will either be established or proved not to exist depending on the values of the coefficients and the research hypotheses. The knowledge in this area is essential in eliminating the controversy that exists regarding the effect of sport on interpersonal skills that enhance management and leadership. Brief Literature Review Ewing et al. concluded from their research that participating in sports activities assist in building the learning skills of individuals. In the study, they found out that the process of integrating with other people during sports activities enables the individuals to develop values that are essential for the success in education. According to the researchers, they found a link that associated game to the development of competencies necessary for workforce efficiency and applicable throughout the lifetime (Ewing et al., 2002). The results showed a relationship to the findings of an early investigation conducted by Astin in 1993 and Ryan in 1989 where both studies showed how those who participated in athletics had elevated interpersonal skills that enabled them to handle management issues more efficiently. The study also linked the participation of the individuals in athletics to the dynamic relationships the respondents had with their peers since they exhibited excellent leadership abilities. Most of the skills witnessed among the persons related to the abilities to work under pressure, face challenges, meet short deadlines and solve problems efficiently. According to the relationships that were concluded, the capacity of one accepting failure or handle success emanated from their participation in their respective sports. An examination of the team captains showed that they acquired their competence skills from the interaction with the team members sharing in their challenges and reorganizing their diversity into a common goal (Dupuis, Bloom, & Loughead, 2006). The elements of leadership and management exhibited by the team captains included effective communication, behavior management, organizations, and planning. The critical behaviors acquired by individuals who participate in sports are essential when the persons engage in activities that require leadership support apart from their game teams. Snyder and Spretzer (1992) examined over 4000 male students and found out that the participation in athletics encouraged individuals to lead in their respective capacities. The skills were extended later in life as the students started participating in active economic activities. A critical examination of their data showed that the skills gained from sports experience lasted into the future to maintain competent professionals. Sports participation improves the social integration abilities (DeMoulin, 2002). The examination of the human capacity of those who like sports showed that they could easily get along with everybody irrespective of their personality. The results were characterized a high measure of reliability since Aries et al. (2004) showed how the athletes were more focused with an active mind as compared to those who did not engage in athletics. The effect of constant engagement with vigorous activities encourages the persistent on assignment activities and programs. The experiences gained could boost their capabilities based on the interpersonal behavior and managerial skills acquired (Dobosz & Beaty, 1999). Sports participation is essential for team building, and it enhances the capacity to work with others. The games that require one person for each side also encourage the internal self-motivation. The introduction of social interaction regarding games in organizations has enhanced the potential of workers in realizing their personal goals as well as the institutional objectives, which is a collective responsibility of each member. It is essential to deliberate the power of synergy in team involvement because there are advantages that could accrue to those who love sports as compared to those who do not engage in such activities. The exercising of the essential skills in other forums could hint how such attributes could be employed in the compound tasks within an organizational setup. However, these concepts regarding the association of sport to personality development to enhance leadership and management capacity have been criticized. Some anthropological studies have negated the fact that games can strengthen the character of an individual about integration qualities. Some scholars have shown in their findings that games do not support the capacity of leadership and change of the primary prejudice. The research by Danish, Hale, and Petitpas (1990) showed that participating in any game does not transform the self-image of the persons and does not support the development of the competent skills witnessed among the people. Although the studies were based on the research data collected from the sample population, there was no reference to the effect of learning and developing cognitive skills from the immediate environment of those who participated in the study. Besides, the results were not dependable since there was no universal measure of personality reflecting maturity that was employed in the results. It is also essential to acknowledge that such studies have not explained why it was not possible to incorporate the reason why the selected participants engaged in the respective sports. For example, an athlete who participates in competitions as a career will find it difficult to integrate with non-athlete individuals; however, such aspects as how the person has acquired skills to manage schedule and training sessions is not accounted in the findings. Research Questions and Hypotheses The exposition seeks to survey the association between sports and the development of interpersonal skills that are essential for leadership and management competence. There has been controversy whether sports participation could be linked to the process of acquiring necessary skills that define how an individual perform tasks or relate with others. The study will analyze the contribution of sports to the personality of an individual. Moreover, the exposition will focus on whether the interpersonal skills affect the management capacity of an individual. The process of investigating these two related aspects of the topic will be summarized by answering the research questions with their respective hypotheses. The two issues will be the baseline for data collection as well as the analysis of the facts to build a theory regarding the topic of the study. The hypotheses define the possible outcomes from the investigation that will be conducted by the researcher. Q1: What is the association between sport involvement and the process of interpersonal skills development? H.0.1: There is a substantial association between sport participation and the process of interpersonal skills development. H.1.1: There is no substantial association between sport participation and the process of interpersonal skills development. Q2: What is the association between the sport involvement and the process of enhancing leadership and managerial skill? H.0.2: There is a substantial association between the sport participation and the process of enhancing leadership and managerial skill. H.1.2: There is no substantial association between the sport participation and the process of enhancing leadership and managerial skill. Research Methodology The study seeks to investigate the relationship between two variables. The exposition, therefore, will base the discussion and conclusions on the collected facts and relate then to the existing literature. A mixed approach will be employed in this study. Hence, the research will be both qualitative and quantitative. The approach is essential because the theory that will emanate from the findings of the survey will require comparison of the variables under investigation as well as the existence of correlation or reliability connection with the past investigation relating to the current topic. The technique will let the investigator account for the information existing in the secondary sources used in the exposition as well as confirming these initial findings with primary data collected through the selected instruments. The survey requires the baseline to define the relationship that exists between sports and interpersonal skills for effective leadership and management. A mixed approach is essential whenever a theory is to be established in social research. Using the method in this study will assist to build the level of reliability of the results and the result-based recommendations. Data Gathering and Analysis The study will incorporate the information that is available in the secondary sources related to the topic of the survey. The previously conducted research will provide the scholarly perception of the subject of investigation, which will improve the understanding of the association between sports and interpersonal skills for effective leadership and management. Using information from the secondary sources will save on time and cost of conducting the investigation. Moreover, the researcher will collect primary data from randomly selected leaders to affirm the experience in their working environment and the sport they engage in whether o competitive basis or for leisure. The study expects to interview 15 leaders who engage in sports and 15 administrators who do not participate in any game. The secondary and primary data will be categorized according to the research variables of the questions. The independent and dependent variables for each question will be compared through statistical analysis. The correlation coefficient will be obtained from the square of the sum of the difference between the two variables in each issue. The analysis will be computed using SPSS because the software offers a diversity of research variables. The value of the coefficient for each issue will determine whether the substantive hypothesis will be accepted or the null hypothesis will be rejected. A value less than one will show that the substantive theory does not hold, values greater than one will demonstrate that the null hypothesis does not hold, and a value equal to one will indicate that the variables for that particular research question are not related. The analysis of variance will reveal the magnitude by which the results could be extended to a population with having similar features as the study sample. The definitive results will be presented using the statistical tool for data presentation. Ethical Consideration The research will be conducted under the ethical guidelines of social studies. There is need of considering the confidentiality and privacy policies regarding the information required. The study, therefore, will seek consent to information before accessing or incorporating it into the analysis. The research will allow the respondents to participate in the study on willing grounds. It is the right of the selected individual to choose to be parts of the study or neglect the offer. The participants will be informed of the intentions of the survey and how the information collected will be utilized before they sign the consent forms. Explaining the details of the study to the respondents will ensure that they are aware of the tasks they are expected to play in the exposition process. The university will provide the letter of participation to the researcher that guarantees the collection of the information to be used for academic fulfillment. Moreover, the administration of the randomly selected organizations will assist in authorizing the study to be conducted in the units. Limitation of the Study In the process of investigating the topic, the measured value for competence and level of interpersonal skills will not be effectively accounted in the findings because there is no global standard test or strategy currently accepted. Therefore, the study will focus on the success of the individuals who participated in the survey. Focusing on the skills exhibited by the respondents will establish a baseline that will not compromise the findings. Moreover, the study could not segregate the effect of competencies acquired from other sources such as learning and work experiences. Measuring the competence and expertise of an individual over a short time according to the research schedule is subjected to results that will not reflect the reality of what is being measured. However, this limitation will be solved through the comparison of the findings to the previous research conducted by other scholars to determine the extent of validity and reliability. Conclusion The notion of leadership development has been the focus of scholars over the years. The need for competent leaders is the desire of major organizations in the political, social, and economic sectors. Sports platforms are essential grounds for interaction for a common purpose whenever teams are involved. Whether the participant is engaged in a team or as an individual, the results are based on the internal inspiration and determination. The study seeks to investigate whether these competencies have enabled the sports people with leadership and managerial positions to be successful in their undertakings through the acquired interpersonal skills. A mixed approach will be employed in this study. Therefore, the research will be both qualitative and quantitative. The approach is essential because the survey will require comparison of the variables under investigation as well as the existence of correlation or reliability connection with the past investigation relating to the current topic. However, in the process of investigating the topic, the measured value for competence and level of interpersonal skills will not be effectively accounted in the findings because there is no global standard test or strategy currently accepted. Appendix: The Proposed Research Plan Items Description of Activities Approximated Duration Design the research methodology Designing, outlining and scheduling of the qualitative research 2 day Literature review stage Literature review 2 days Data collection section 1 Data collection concerning the topic of study from secondary sources 2 days Data collection 2 Data collection from the interviews 2 days Review of results A keen analysis of the collected data 2 days Review & drafting the dissertation Analyze the results, interpretation of knowledge, and making recommendations 2 days Final correlative & conclusion Confirmation of the contents 1days References Aries, E., McCarthy, D., Salovey, P., & Banaji, M. R., 2004. ‘A comparison of athletes and non- athletes at highly selective colleges: Academic performance and personal development.’ Research in Higher Education, 45 (6), 577-602. Astin, A. W., 1997. Four critical years: effects of college on beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Danish, S. J., Petitpas, A. J., & Hale, B. D., 1990. ‘Sport as a context for developing competence.’ In Gullotta, T. P, Adams, G. R., & Montemayor, R., Developing Social Competency in Adolescence, 169-194). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. DeMoulin, D. F., 2002. ‘Examining the impact of extra-curricular activities on the personal development of 149 high school seniors.’ Journal of Instructional Psychology, 29 (4), 297-304. Doh, J., 2003. ‘Can leadership be taught? Perspectives from management educators.’ Academy of Management Learning and Education, 2 (1), 54- 57. Ewing, M. E., Gano-Overway, L. A., Branta, C. F., & Seefeldt, V. D., 2002. ‘The role of sports in youth development.’ In Gatz, M., Messner, M. A., & Ball- Rokeach, S. J. (Eds.), Paradoxes of Youth and Sport, 31-47. Albany: State University of New York Press. Ryan, F. J., 1989. ‘Participation in intercollegiate athletics: Affective outcomes.’ Journal of College Student Development, 30 (2), 122-128. Snyder, E., & Spreitzer, E., 1992. ‘Scholars and athletes.’ Youth and Society, 23, 510-522. Read More