ABSTRACT
This chapter’s focus on the intercollegiate athletics industry segment notes that creating a high-performance workforce has become an essential management responsibility, particularly with the increased level and intensity of global competition that sport organizations face. Reflecting ideas from this range of theories, sport organizations increasingly are focusing their efforts in four areas: (1) defining tasks in the most challenging and specific terms possible; (2) providing continuous training to ensure the competence and confidence required for high performance; (3) empowering employees by sharing responsibility with them for decisions and problem solving around their own performance; and (4) providing employees a stake in the success of the organization, a reason to pursue high performance. The chapter also outlines the fact that the leadership responsibility in all sport organizations is a critical one, and understanding how to develop and to maintain the leadership connection is a significant challenge.
