Leadership in Cycling

This is a copy of an essay I submitted for a diploma course I completed in 1998. Coaches and managers may find it of some interest.

Leadership in Cycling

In sport the leader has the power to take the activity and enhance it in the eyes of the participant and the spectator. In this role they can make or break a sport through their behaviour as a role model for personal activity or as a teacher of the way to act in a situation.

This study will look at the some of the leader behaviours exhibited in sport. The sport of cycling will be used as an example. I will draw on my four years of experience as a regional cycling coach to examine the leadership behaviours exhibited by cycling coaches and managers because they are the people who must lead the team. I will finish with some recommendations on how cycling can improve the leaders it has in the sport.

Leadership

A simple definition of leadership is the use of power and the acceptance of a leader by the followers (Gibson, Ivancevich & Donnelly, 1991). The subject has been studied widely in the sport, business and military areas. In sport the initial focus was on the trait approach which tried to identify the characteristics of leaders. This was not satisfactory as there were clear personality differences between many effective leaders. The next approach was to look at the situation determinants of good leaders. Again this did not provide a clear picture of why some people made good leaders while others failed in the role. A combination of the two concepts of traits and situation was needed. Chelladurai (1990) developed the multi dimensional model of sport leadership. It encompassed both external and internal determinants of leader behaviour.

In taking into account the required, preferred and actual behaviours of the leader Chelladurai listed several categories of leadership behaviour in sport. They include ...

-Training and instruction
-Democratic behaviour
-Autocratic behaviour
-Social support
-Positive feedback

This study will focus on these categories in relation to the sport of cycling. The specific area I will examine is when the Canterbury cycling team travels away to a National championship.

The Canterbury Cycling Team

A regional cycling team consists of a group of cyclists who are selected to represent their province. Throughout the year they race either as individuals or as part of their club in local events. Many of the more talented cyclists have personal coaches who will instruct them on what they are to do while at the championships. The team is headed by a Manager and an assistant Manager. Team coaches are also appointed for all grades. Their function is to know the competition environment and to help the personal coach to plan the riders training for the event. For teams' events the Canterbury coach has full control on their preparation.

One role of the manager is to organise the travel and accommodation for the event. At the event they attempt to outline all the specific requirements of the competition. The coach can be seen as a person who at the last minute may be able to make athletes more aware of their opportunities at the event.

Training and instruction

The leader has to be able to make very fast decisions. In cycling the time between selection of the team and the National championships is very short. Because of this lack of early knowledge the manager must quickly determine who they are taking. It is the same for coaches who must shape a group of individuals into a team in the space of three weeks. Initial communication with the riders travelling to the championships is vital to establish who is going and how they intend to get there. The manager must quickly establish themselves as the person in control of such a large team.

The first step is to ensure that every one communicates their intentions about travel and accommodation. This is often the first point of conflict. There are always riders who want to stay elsewhere or want to make awkward travel arrangements. A quick thinking manager will be able to step in and give clear instruction on where a rider is allowed to stay and if they wish to make travel arrangements that don't suit the team then they must take responsibility of getting to the venue and accommodation. The coach is in charge of fine tuning the athlete for competition. The team coach may also be a personal coach. It always transpires that some coaches in the team will have their own riders present. Some riders are trained by rival coaches.

When looking after other riders there is a temptation to try and improve on the work done by the personal coach and put their own touches to a riders final preparations. In the final two weeks before a major event this type of coaching is detrimental and the rider should be encouraged to follow the programme that has worked for them throughout the season. At the championships the instructions of the manager revolve around maintaining a responsible level of discipline. The team includes riders from the age of 14 up to 55 years. The older riders are given free rein of their time while younger riders are advised very clearly of what is expected of them.

Some of the expectations outlined for them are...
-Forget all individual differences while the championships are on
-To stick together at all times
-To get to bed at a reasonable time
-To make sure they eat an adequate diet

The other instructional role of the manager is to set a timetable for activities. A rough schedule can be worked out from previous years and from information from the organisers, however until the actual event the specific details can not be worked out. When the manager and the coach make their decision about the schedule it must be clearly communicated to the riders.

This normally involves announcing to the team in a set meeting that the vans will be leaving at a certain time and all the gear must be packed beforehand. A regional coach is there to assist the riders in making their last minute preparations for the champs. The instructional role of the coach at this point is to set out some clear objectives for their position. The coach should have made themselves familiar with the competitive environment and be knowledgable in all the rules and peculiarities of the all the events a rider will compete in. Their special function is to enhance the work already done by the personal coach. Therefore the team coach should make themselves aware of who they are training.

Coordinating the team activities is another role of the coach. Motivation in team events is a simple process as the team goal is of obvious reward to everyone. The complication comes in individual events where some riders feel that they must sacrifice themselves for an other rider.

In some years the regional team has ridden to help a one individual person to achieve victory. This has been to help them gain selection for national teams or because they are the only likely contender. This can cause dissension within the team and in recent years the policy has changed to one where each rider is racing to reach their own personal goal.At the racing the instructional behaviour of the coach is to give feedback to the riders while they compete. The leader is required to be very autocratic in such a situation because there is little time to allow for a detailed explanation of their recommendations or for the rider to give their opinion (Cox, 1990).

This feedback should be specific to the event and let the rider know how they are progressing in accordance to their plans. This will be covered in greater detail in the last section.

Democratic Behaviour

Chelladurai (1990) lists democratic behaviour as increasing the participation of the athlete in decision making pertaining to the group goals. The first chance to do this comes when the team is named. The rider is given the opportunity to talk with the coach and discuss the plans for the event. For first time riders the main concern is about what will happen at the event. It is a new experience for them and they will no doubt be unsure about what to expect and what the other team members expect of them. For the novice Canterbury Team there is a meeting before they leave where the manager and coach outline what happens at the National championship event.

This covers travel, racing and relaxation time. For the novice group the coach and manager set out a rigid plan which describes all their activities. This meeting is the opportunity for the riders and parents to raise their concerns about what will happen at the championships. Problems can arise when the novice group includes some riders who have been to previous events (sometimes up to 5 National championships). They may feel that this experience entitles them to special treatment and a relaxation of the conditions set out for the team. Others in the team who are of the same age will feel uneasy about this.

A way to solve this is to set the more experienced members some additional challenges like being team captain and by placing them in charge of younger or more inexperienced riders rather than make allowances for them. The selection of rooms is normally made by the manager. In the senior team the discussion is normally over where every one will room and when team training, if required will take place. Problems happen in some grades due to low numbers. Some riders must share with people who they are rivals with for the rest of the season. The manager in this case must emphasise that it is part of representing their province that they must put aside such differences.

In most cases people are placed in groups with their friends or with people who share the same personal coach. At the championship's team meetings are held when required before events. These are good opportunities for the manager to outline the plans for the day and to allow comment from the riders about what may happen. This is a good approach when the team may include riders who have vast racing and travelling experience or those who may have additional local knowledge.

At these meetings the manager will outline the goals and objectives of the team. The manager or coach will let everyone know what is expected of them. A performance standard is set and then the objectives for the event are described. These may include the travel to the venue, warm up, organisation at the start, race tactics, cool down and travel back to the accommodation. Some discussion is then allowed so everyone can become clear about what their role is for the day. The aim of such discussion is to increase the rider's confidence that they have some ownership of the goal.It is helpful during these meetings to ask team members to let everyone know what their plans are. It allows the coach and manager to know what everyone is doing. It lets others in the team know what their team mates are up to. This helps if some team members have special rituals and unique preparation plans. It helps the manager to revise the preparation plan for the day and the coach can give feedback about the individual's preparation.

Autocratic Behaviour

This is where the leader stresses the independent decision making and personal authority the rider has when training and competing (Chelladurai, 1990). The coach or manager will discuss things with a cyclist on a one to one basis. This is normally done in private and the topics covered are kept confidential. At the championships this type of leadership behaviour is often used to help riders who have problems or are suffering from low motivation. Many riders come to the championships under prepared. This can be of either physical or psychological nature.

Racing at national level is very demanding and some riders may not be of the required standard, have trained insufficiently or not had the training opportunities of others. In these circumstances the coach will discuss the other options open to the rider. These include technical and tactical options open to a rider. Riders also come to the championships overwhelmed by the event. They may feel that because it is the National championships they must do things differently than they normally do at home. The coach and manager can take the time to reassure the rider that what they did to gain selection for the team is all they need to do to perform well. Pressure at the event can also come from a lack of experience. For people in some grades the National championship is the only event of its type for the year.

People who race in senior grade will also have stage races and other major selection events where they can experience a high level of competitive pressure. For those in some of the junior and woman's grades this type of competition only happens two or three times a year. The coach will need to spend extra time with these athletes going over the extra preparation tasks they may have to perform at the event. Extra time will also have to be spent on reflection going over what has happened to make sure they understood the implications of their performance.

For some riders the championships can become a nerve wrecking time. If they are new to the sport and show a lot of talent there is the possibility that some people may place unreasonable expectations upon them. If a rider fails to live up to these expectations they may feel that they have let the team down. In these times the manager must support the rider and make them aware of the true realities of the event. For some athletes the championships may be a non event.

This applies more to experienced members who have already won national titles, represented their country or may have already gained selection. Their lack of motivation may cost the regional a title and can also have a negative effect on the other riders. The leader may be called on to recommend that the athlete not attend the event or suggest they take on additional tasks to enhance their activities while competing. They can also set personal challenges like winning by a certain amount or to help another team member win.

Social Support

Chelladurai (1990) describes social support as the leader expressing concern for the welfare of individual athletes, developing a positive group atmosphere and building warm interpersonal relations.

In cycling this can be a difficult process because the championships bring together riders who spend 95% of the year riding in opposition to each other. The leader can enforce a truce for the event although it is better to work on developing true team solidarity. The coach and manager need to be of a personality that sets them apart as leaders of the team. To attain this leadership status rather than that of just a coordinator it helps to have some type of vision for the team.

In Canterbury the team has often lacked focus due to a task orientated approach to running the team. In recent years the manager promoted the vision of a caring supportive team. While all the administration duties were planned and carried out there was also a strong emphasis on everyone participating in the team and supporting the efforts of the others. This led to a very positive atmosphere.

It can be hard for the leader to have a task and interpersonal orientation at the same time (Cox, 1990). A resolution for this could be having a task orientated manager and an assistant with good interpersonal skills. There were still personal problems to be solved but within the time constraints of selection and the team coming together the night before the racing started the supportive approach was very effective.

The concept of social support starts at the championships when the riders come together. For some it is the first time they have met many of the other people in the team. The leader must emphasise equality in all they do. The coach and manager should show the same level of consideration to a novice as they would to Brian Fowler.

Part of the team vision is that all riders adopt this approach. The senior riders should be encouraged to be social with all members of the team and to act like the role models they are to the younger members in the team. The group environment at the championships can always cause problems. Because the team is large, it is not possible to keep everyone together. This would be advantageous when trying to communicate the team goals and objectives. It would also save the manager having to repeat many instructions. This repetition gets boring after a while and the manager may lose enthusiasm.

One approach that has been tried in the last few years is to have a section leader. The team manager will give all instructions to them and they will forward them on to the riders. The leader needs to ensure that all interpersonal relations are friendly and genuine. At the championship's team members spend most of their time staying in their own little groups. The manager and coach often work around this to ensure that everyone receives the appropriate treatment. It will often involve the coach having to knowing all the social relations of each rider to ensure that they don't step on any toes and risk offending anyone.

Conflict can arise if one coach attempts to convert the other to their way of thinking. In the Canterbury team there has been problems when coaches and athletes with markedly different personalities are part of the team. This situation leads to arguments and a lot of bad feeling. It is also very disruptive to the team as many will take sides and others will totally lose faith in both participants in the argument. In this situation it is wiser for the leader to keep doing things their way and lead by example rather than to try and convert others.

To maintain relationships it is necessary that the leader know the team, all the different factions and all the interrelationships within the squad. A useful aid for this is to get riders to fill out a questionnaire that outlines their goals for the event, how they intend to achieve them, and what help they expect from team support. The questionnaire should also solicit personal information about the rider which includes who they are coached by and if they have any concerns about being in the team. From this the coach and manager have a better idea of why each athlete is there and how they can assist them.

Positive Feedback

Chelladurai (1990) describes positive feedback as recognising and rewarding good performance. There are some general considerations in such an endeavour such as what to reward a rider for, and what do the cyclist's themselves want to be acknowledged for. Two cyclists may win silver medals in their events, however if one is a senior who was a favourite and one is a novice who came from nowhere the perception of success will differ between the two riders.

Behavioural psychology has a lot to offer the leader on the subject of positive feedback. A rider can be rewarded for their approach and the theory is that if rewarded they will want to repeat the behaviour (Mazur, 1994). The reality of the situation is that the rewards must be very selective to the rider. A leader will need to know exactly what the rider was wanting as an end goal, the plan they had and what level of success was necessary for them to be satisfied with their result.

Assessment of the team can be done through communicating with the riders. The first question to ask is: what do they want? This will tell the coach exactly what the rider expects to achieve at the championship. Asking the question: why do you want it will help the coach determine why the goal is important and will help the coach to focus the rider on their goal by discussing it in terms of their motivating factors. The next step is to ask: how will you achieve this goal? From this the coach and manager can work out how much planning has gone into the event. The final question to ask is how can we (coach and manager) help you?

From this the coach and manager can determine what is expected of them. From this assessment the coach is now able to work out what the needs of the rider are. Some riders may be so well prepared that they need no assistance. Some may have set over-optimistic goals and will need some counselling to ensure they don't leave the contest disillusioned. Those who are unclear of why they are there may need some help in confirming their part in the team and the benefits of participation. Those who do not have a plan or have a poorly thought out schedule may need some help on working out one that will help them reach their goals.

From questioning the rider on what support they want it is possible to work out what action needs to be taken on the day (Kidman, 1996). Knowing the end goal of a rider can help the coach and manager to give feedback on their preparation. The coach should have a very clear idea of what is required to reach a goal and know best how a certain individual can reach that goal (Rushall & Pyke, 1990).

From this the coach can give feedback to the rider on how they are progressing. This can either take the form of feedback telling them to lift their effort, maintain it, or even suggesting that they may be able to take on greater workload. Knowing the plan of the rider can help the coach to make recommendations on how the cyclist is preparing. The coach should have explicit knowledge of championship conditions and be able to relate them to the rider. This feedback in the planning stage will help the rider to be fully ready for competition. This may conflict with what the personal coach wants but it is then up to the team coach to communicate with that coach about the situation. Knowing what the acceptable level of performance for the rider is will help when acknowledging their efforts. It would be good to offer many congratulations to a rider who surpasses his previous level by a long way. For the rider who does not reach their target the process is more difficult.

Many coaches and managers try to rationalise the rider's performance and offer suggestions that they were beaten by situation factors. This can have the negative effect of building up a fear of racing in such environments. Often it is better to leave the athlete to reflect on their own performance. This can also have a bad effect as riders want to have a shoulder to cry on. The worst problem is when there are two riders in the team and with similar ambitions. One may succeed and the other may fail. It involves a bit of compromise for the coach when rewarding one for success and commiserating with the other over not reaching their goal.

Having a form with the riders' goals and plans can help the feedback process immensely. The rider can be given constant feedback that is based on their actual performance rather on personality traits. If a rider successfully completes a training session at the track and the coach can go over with them how their times will make them competitive in competition and their technique will ensure they will be able to handle frequent competition. Rewards should only be given for behaviours that enhances the rider's performance on the bike. With specific rewards the rider will gain clear understanding of what the coach and manager want from them.

If the coach makes too many general rewards for other things such as the rider having a flash car or having brought a new pair of sunglasses they will gain a distorted picture of what is required to be competitive. The use of negative feedback is always a contentious issue.

Frequently the coach may become frustrated with some members of the team. It is an easy strategy to threaten them with punishment or warn them with all the many negative consequences of their behaviour. This can create problems as the rider will resent the coach and will maintain their poor behaviour. Cratty (1981) warns that the insulter and shouter type leaders are the least liked leader in any team. The best approach is to spend more time with the promising athletes, reward them more and spend time encouraging them (Smith & Smoll, 1989). This will hopefully have the effect of getting those who are not participating to take a more active role in the team.

Conclusions and Recommendations

If any conclusions can be determined from this essay it is that coaches and managers need to be more in touch with their riders. With a clear understanding of what their riders want, how they are going to get it and what they require from their supporters the leader can plan activities that all in the team will respond to.I have suggested that a formal document be used to gain most of this information.

The coach or manager must also make time to speak with team members on an individual basis to get a fully picture on what their goals are. In the Canterbury cycling team this style of leadership has started to prove most effective in recent years when determining the participation and satisfaction of team members. The lack of medal success suggests that to enhance performance measures that there is still some work to be done on leadership.

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