THE ROLE OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN MANAGING PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CLUBS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62207/g58xt229Keywords:
Transformational Leadership, Human Resource Management, Sports Clubs, Team Performance, Talent RetentionAbstract
The professional sports industry faces high competitive and operational pressures, including performance demands, fan loyalty, sponsorship expectations, and media scrutiny. Human resource (HRM) management plays a strategic role in determining the success of professional sports clubs, yet the application of transformational leadership (TL) in this context remains limited, particularly regarding the mechanism of its influence on club performance through HRM practices.This research uses an approach/narrative review, with literature analysis from Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases (2010–2025), using keywords such as “transformational leadership,” “sports management,” and “human resource management.” The literature was analyzed based on the dimensions of TL, HRM practices, and club performance outcomes, while identifying patterns, gaps, and mediating mechanisms of HRM.The results show that the TL dimensionidealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, And individualized consideration encourage motivation, job satisfaction, talent retention, and innovation for staff and athletes. Effective HRM practices, such as adaptive training, coaching, and performance management, serve as key mediators who translate the influence of TL into improved team and overall organizational performance.Effective integration of TL and HRM practices is essential for superior performance and sustainable success of professional sports clubs, and provides practical implications for managers and coaches.
References
Akdere, M. and Egan, T. (2020). Transformational leadership and human resource development: linking employee learning, job satisfaction, and organizational performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 31(4), 393-421. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21404
Ali, M., Ullah, M., & Haque, A. (2023). Effect of transactional and transformational leadership on talent engagement: mediating role of talent development. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 42(6), 120-137. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.22214
Amoah-Oppong, D. (2025). Psychological safety in division two soccer teams in the central region of ghana: exploring the impact of transformational leadership on player well-being and performance.. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6463966/v1
Arthur, C., Woodman, T., Ong, C., Hardy, L., & Ntoumanis, N. (2011). The role of athlete narcissism in moderating the relationship between coaches’ transformational leader behaviors and athlete motivation. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 33(1), 3-19. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.33.1.3
Deloitte. (2025). Sports Industry Outlook. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-telecom-outlooks/sports-industry-outlook.html
Doherty, A. (1998). Human Resource Management in Sports: A Critical Review of its Importance and Pertaining Issues. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297659029_Human_Resource_Management_in_Sports_A_Critical_Review_of_its_Importance_and_Pertaining_Issues
Domuschieva-Rogleva, G., Doneva, V., & Yancheva, M. (2022). Motivation and leadership style of athletes., 372-378. https://doi.org/10.37393/icass2022/65
Engelsberger, A., Cavanagh, J., Bartram, T., & Halvorsen, B. (2023). Maximizing team development for open innovation in digital product development: the role of collaborative hrm and relational leadership. Personnel Review, 53(4), 1022-1038. https://doi.org/10.1108/pr-09-2022-0657
Euromonitor International. (2024). Understanding Consumer Loyalty in the Evolving Sports Industry. https://www.euromonitor.com/article/understanding-consumer-loyalty-in-a-rapidly-evolving-sports-industry
Fransen, K., Vanbeselaere, N., Cuyper, B., Coffee, P., Slater, M., & Boen, F. (2014). The impact of athlete leaders on team members’ team outcome confidence: a test of mediation by team identification and collective efficacy. The Sport Psychologist, 28(4), 347-360. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2013-0141
Gershgoren, L., Basevitch, I., Filho, E., Gershgoren, A., Brill, Y., Schinke, R., … & Tenenbaum, G. (2016). Expertise in soccer teams: a thematic inquiry into the role of shared mental models within team chemistry. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 24, 128-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.12.002
Han, J., Liao, H., Taylor, M., & Kim, S. (2017). Effects of high‐performance work systems on transformational leadership and team performance: investigating the moderating roles of organizational orientations. Human Resource Management, 57(5), 1065-1082. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21886
He, J., Morrison, A., & Zhang, H. (2019). Improving millennial employee well-being and task performance in the hospitality industry: the interactive effects of hrm and responsible leadership. Sustainability, 11(16), 4410. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164410
Islam, M., Furuoka, F., & Idris, A. (2021). Employee engagement and organizational change initiatives: does transformational leadership, valence, and trust make a difference?. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 40(3), 50-62. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.22078
Kloutsiniotis, P., Mihail, D., & Gounioti, S. (2022). The effects of transformational leadership and hrm practices on employee outcomes and productivity in the greek hospitality industry during covid-19. Employee Relations, 45(3), 653-676. https://doi.org/10.1108/er-08-2021-0360
Matić, R. (2022). Marketing concept in elite team sports clubs in serbia: impact of leadership styles, organizational learning culture, and climate for innovation. Montenegrin Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 11(1), 71-80. https://doi.org/10.26773/mjssm.220309
Mir, M., Khan, A., & Abbas, Q. (2020). Transformational leadership style and talent retention in pakistani banks: a serial multiple mediation model. Etikonomi, 19(1), 63-76. https://doi.org/10.15408/etk.v19i1.11264
Moradi, J., Bahrami, A., & Dana, A. (2020). Motivation for participation in sports based on athletes in team and individual sports. Physical Culture and Sport Studies and Research, 85(1), 14-21. https://doi.org/10.2478/pcssr-2020-0002
Murray, R., Koulanova, A., & Sabiston, C. (2022). Understanding girls' motivation to participate in sport: the effects of social identity and physical self-concept. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.787334
Papaioannou, A., Dimitropoulos, P., Koronios, K., & Marinakos, K. (2023). Perceived financial performance in sport services firms: the role of hrm practices and innovation. Evidence-Based HRM a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, 12(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebhrm-10-2022-0250
Para‐González, L., Jiménez, D., & Lorente, Á. (2018). Exploring the mediating effects between transformational leadership and organizational performance. Employee Relations, 40(2), 412-432. https://doi.org/10.1108/er-10-2016-0190
Phunsawat, P. and Taweepornpathomkul, S. (2016). Untitled. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 2016(s02). https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2016.s2177
Plessis, L., Barkhuizen, N., Stanz, K., & Schutte, N. (2015). The management side of talent: causal implications for the retention of generation y employees. Journal of Applied Business Research (Jabr), 31(5), 1767. https://doi.org/10.19030/jabr.v31i5.9390
PMC. (2024a). Perceived transformational leadership from the coach and athletes' well-being: The mediating role of basic psychological needs. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9885209/
PMC. (2024b). The role of transformational leadership in the associations between coach-athlete relationships and team resilience in elite football players. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11439260/
Price, M. and Weiss, M. (2011). Peer leadership in sport: relationships among personal characteristics, leader behaviors, and team outcomes. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 23(1), 49-64. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2010.520300
Putra, A. and Adawiah, A. (2023). Improving financial efficiency through integrated human resource management and the mediating role of leadership and organizational culture in organizational performance. Atestasi Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi, 6(2), 546-569. https://doi.org/10.57178/atestasi.v6i2.712
Rasheed, M., Odeesh, J., & Ibrahim, T. (2022). Financial compensation and talent retention in covid-19 era: the mediating role of career planning. Management Science Letters, 12(1), 35-42. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2021.8.003
ResearchGate. (2024). An Analysis of the Influence of Brand Sponsorship and Social Media on the Reconfiguration of Athlete Value. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/387716465_An_Analysis_of_the_Influence_of_Brand_Sponsorship_and_Social_Media_on_the_Reconfiguration_of_Athlete_Value
Safwan, N., Ahmad, M., & Abdullah, M. (2023). The effect of hrm practices on organizational performance: a survey of malaysian state sports councils’ employees. Information Management and Business Review, 15(2(I)), 47-53. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v15i2(i).3448
Shah, M. (2021). Integrating hrm and leadership: a proposed framework for effective leadership in contemporary organization. Journal of Business & Tourism, 6(2), 49-60. https://doi.org/10.34260/jbt.v6i2.153
Sportsology Group. (2023). Modernizing the role of HR Departments to Build High-performing Sports Teams and Organizations. https://sportsologygroup.com/articles/modernizing-the-role-of-hr-departments-to-build-high-performing-sports-teams-and-organizations
The Sport Journal. (2016). Transformational Leadership Behaviors of Winning College Athletic Program Directors: A Qualitative Exploratory Study. https://thesportjournal.org/article/transformational-leadership-behaviors-of-winning-college-athletic-program-directors-a-qualitative-exploratory-study/
Warner, S. and Dixon, M. (2013). Sports and community on campus: constructing a sports experience that matters. Journal of College Student Development, 54(3), 283-298. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2013.0044
Zhao, S., Liu, M., Zhu, C., & Hong, L. (2020). The role of leadership in human resource management: perspectives and evidence from asia pacific. Asia Pacific Business Review, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602381.2020.1779496
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Badaruddin Badaruddin (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

















