Sports management is a field that has recently opened up to offer a wider range of career possibilities than ever before. This field of study offers opportunities to work with a variety of people and travel all over the world. If you aren’t sure what your next move is to get your career on track, read through these five qualities of a successful sports manager to see if pursuing a degree in sports management is the right choice for you.
1. You are a Leader
Sports management, like any other type of management, involves all of the good qualities of a leader. You must be someone that other people want to follow. Because you are a key player in your athlete’s success, you must be able to exude constant confidence and inspire optimism in your clients no matter what the situation. You must be able to find a compromise in difficult situations. Most importantly, you need to inspire loyalty and reward hard work with recognition. Forbes offers several great tips on additional qualities of a good leader.
2. You are Versatile
Sports managers have a broad, ever-changing list of duties and responsibilities. Because they are responsible for everything that goes on with the team off the field, each day presents a new set of challenges to face. You may be hired to manage an entire team or sometimes even just a single athlete. Managers must help clients stay focused on winning rather than getting bogged down in the day-to-day administrative side of things. This may mean simply keeping your client on schedule or even acting as a spokesperson for your client to the team or the media.
3. You are a Good Listener
Whether you are managing an entire team or just one athlete, a good sports manager is a good listener. In order to provide the best, most effective management for your clients, you must be able to sympathize as well as empathize with them. It is helpful for managers to have a background in performance psychology, management and business. You must be able to create rapport with a client to build a trusting relationship. This relationship allows them to trust your judgment and allows you to make the best decisions for your client’s success.
4. You Are Interested in Business or Law
While you do not need an additional degree in business or law to be a successful sports manager, having a working knowledge in either or both of these fields will be incredibly useful to your career. Having a broad-strokes knowledge of basic principles of business, marketing, law and analytics can help you make the best decisions for your future clients. It can also help you know when to call a lawyer.
5. You Love Sports
This may seem obvious, but having a love for sports will go a long way in helping you create a successful career in sports management. Whether you played sports in high school and college, or you just have a lifelong love for certain sports, being invested in the teams and athletes you represent makes a world of difference. In addition, understanding the inner workings of whatever sports you become involved with can really give you an advantage when it comes time to make decisions about the future of your athletes.
If one or more of these five signs sounds familiar, you may have a great career as a sports manager ahead of you. If you’re not sure where you want to end up, but you want a career that will keep you excited and engaged, consider a degree in sports management.
You may also like:
