🧠 Journal Summary: How servant leadership impact the cohesion and burnout of female athlete and how self-identity intermediate the association between servant leadership, cohesion and burnout
Authors: Yong Sheng Wang, Hong-Quan Hu, Zhao Chen, Yan Yang
Published In: Revista de Psicología del Deporte/Journal of Sport Psychology Vol. 30. n.°1 2021
🔍 Study Summary
This study investigated how servant leadership, particularly when practiced by team captains, affects team cohesion and burnout among female athletes. It also explored the role of “self-identity” as a mediator in these relationships. The research aimed to fill a gap in existing literature, which often focuses on servant leadership from an upper management perspective, by specifically examining its impact in a team captain context in sports. Using questionnaires collected from 245 participants, the study employed Smart PLS for data analysis to test its hypotheses.
💡 Key Concepts
- Servant Leadership: A leadership style where the primary focus is on serving the needs of followers first, rather than achieving organizational goals. In a sports context, this means the team captain prioritizes the well-being and development of the athletes.
- Cohesion: Refers to the unity within a group. The study differentiates between:
- Task Cohesion: The perception of team members regarding their unity towards achieving collective performance goals.
- Social Cohesion: The quality of social interactions and the tendency for members to enjoy spending time with one another.
- Burnout: An extended reaction to long-lasting emotional and personal stressors, characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion, sports devaluation (loss of interest), and reduced self-efficacy (sense of accomplishment).
- Social Identity: A person’s sense of self based on their group membership. It involves prioritizing group benefits and goals over personal ones, fostering a “we” mentality rather than “I.”
📊 Key Insights
- Servant leadership positively influences cohesion (both social and task cohesion) among female athletes.
- Servant leadership negatively influences burnout levels among female athletes, helping to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress.
- Self-identity plays a mediating role in the relationship between servant leadership, cohesion, and burnout, meaning that servant leadership enhances team cohesion and reduces burnout by strengthening the athletes’ sense of social identity within the team.
- Team captains acting as servant leaders can significantly improve team performance by fostering unity and reducing emotional distress among players.
📘 Example Application
In a university women’s basketball team, the captain adopts a servant leadership style. Instead of solely focusing on winning games, she prioritizes listening to her teammates’ concerns, helping them with academic stress, organizing team-bonding activities, and offering support during challenging training sessions. This approach fosters a strong sense of unity (cohesion) within the team. When a demanding coach implements an intense training schedule, the athletes, feeling supported and part of a close-knit group (strong social identity), experience less individual burnout. They are more motivated to work together, communicate effectively, and maintain their performance levels, leading to better overall team success and individual well-being despite the pressure.
💬 Comment from Dr. Dwi Suryanto
“The findings of this study underscore the profound impact of servant leadership, especially from a team captain, on athlete well-being and team performance. It highlights that true leadership in sports goes beyond strategy; it’s about nurturing human connections and fostering a collective identity. Understanding how social identity mediates these relationships offers valuable insights for coaches and sports organizations looking to build resilient and successful teams, emphasizing the importance of a ‘we’ over ‘me’ mindset.”
📌 Takeaway
Servant leadership, particularly when embodied by team captains, significantly enhances team cohesion and mitigates athlete burnout by fostering a strong sense of shared social identity. Prioritizing the needs and development of team members is key to building united, resilient, and high-performing sports teams.
