A Mixed-Methods Exploration of How Shared Athlete Leadership Influences Teamwork

Empowered athlete leadership may bolster teamwork, while poor leadership might compromise it—yet, how shared athlete leadership influences teamwork remains unclear. In this embedded mixed-methods study, we explored perceptions of how shared athlete leadership and athlete leaders might influence teamwork. In the first qualitative phase, we conducted seven focus groups with three sport teams (n = 24, 50 % female, MAge = 19.9 years). We then used social network analyses to assess the perceived quality of all team members on their task, motivational, social, and external leadership, thereby identifying the four highest-rated athlete leaders whom we invited for interviews in the second qualitative phase. In that second qualitative phase, we conducted one-to-one interviews with athlete leaders. Using deductive framework analysis to analyze all qualitative data, we generated four themes. First, social leadership was believed to lay the groundwork for effective teamwork. Second, task and motivational leadership were perceived to regulate team performance by driving teamwork execution, evaluation, and adjustment. Third, task and external leaders were thought to support or hinder coaches' efforts to facilitate teamwork. Fourth, formal and informal leaders were believed to spread teamwork by setting positive examples for teammates to follow. Overall, our research suggests that the perceived influence of athlete leadership on teamwork is nuanced, with various leadership roles and behaviors impacting teamwork in different ways. Teams could foster effective teamwork by encouraging social and motivational leadership to be shown by all members and appointing high-quality task and external leaders to support coaches’ efforts to facilitate teamwork.