CrossFit Coaches are Trapped: Considering Morality Through Servant Leadership Approaches
Introduction- CrossFit Coaching
CrossFit is a fast-growing sport within the United Kingdom (Henderson, 2018). Originating in the United States it has made it way across the pond establishing roots as the predominate form for both recreational fitness and elite fitness competition.
It is a sport that combines the fundamentals of movement such as Cardiovascular Fitness (Running, Rowing and Cycling), gymnastics (Handstand variants, Muscle Ups, and Toes to Bar) and the more extreme Olympic weightlifting (Snatch, Deadlift and Clean and Jerk) (Paine, Uptgraft and Wylie, 2010). This came about from co-founder Greg Glassman who developed CrossFit as training methodology for the military, however, later commercialised it for the average civilian.
Due to its origin CrossFit came, as default, with a military, authoritarian, methodology in which athletes are expected to follow rather than explore (Nash, 2018). The subscription to this methodology comes from the search for ‘the improved self’ suggesting that CrossFit is more of a cult than a sport (Dawson, 2017).
As a part of my research I have spent time in a number of boxes listening to the perceptions of those who participate in CrossFit. It is clear from this that there are both limitations and advantages to this authoritarian culture. At its heart CrossFit develops a central inner community, which works well to support those that find themselves liked enough to be welcomed in.
This community, however, is selective and although some may be involved in CrossFit, others may sit on the periphery never truly apart of the group. It is these people that are seen as finance numbers that tip the scales from debt to profit (Visnovsky, 2015). They are also the people that are indoctrinated through manipulation to continue although it may not be in their best interest as they are sold an unrealistic improved self if they remain (Dawson, 2017).
It can be assumed that this is a by-product of CrossFit’s underlying organisational focus; business (Visnovsky, 2015). This trickles from the top down to owners and coaches alike, polluting the perception of athletes from people to numbers.
With personal development being fundamental to sports and sports coaching it is difficult to conceptualise the subsequent pedagogical practice that occurs; suggesting that more needs to be done by coaches in CrossFit (Light, and Harvey, 2019).
It should be noted that this assumption may not be indictive of all CrossFit boxes as CrossFit works as a franchise suggesting inconsistencies amongst boxes.
What this blog post will do is present an alternative consideration for CrossFit coaches and owners. Demonstrating through the adoption of servant leadership qualities where possible will help to remain athlete orientated and morally true; no matter how enticing the idiosyncratic gain may be.
Servant Leadership- Why leadership?
When considering sports coaching often it is conceptualised as leadership (König, 2013). Much like mangers use leadership in organisations to yield more positive outcomes sport coaches can utilise leadership to inspire, motivate and support athletes (Gray,Wharf Higgins and Rhodes, 2018).
However, there is a suggestion that leadership may not always be used positively or that there is always an adoption of behaviours to get to the desired result; known as ‘dark behaviours’ (Cruickshank and Collins, 2016).
In this context ‘dark behaviours’ are demonstrated through the manipulation that is suggested to occur for financial gain rather than holistically developing people. Suggesting an in this context there is an adoption of a very basic transactional type leadership approach.
Therefore, I urge CrossFit coaches and owners to consider their morality and not get sucked into this commercialised reality. To go against the grain and focus on fulfilling athletes need satisfaction (Welty Peachey et.al. 2018). To do this I suggest adopting a servant leadership approach to their practice to better traverse this rough landscape of ethical best practice within coaching pedagogy.
What is servant leadership?
Servant leadership is fundamentally about working as a servant to your team. Fulfilling others needs before your own. In this context, this could be demonstrated through safety in which coaches need to serve the athletes needs to not get injured in more complex movements such as the snatch.
The insperation for this approach came from Greenleaf through his time at AT&T (Greenleaf, 2014). By reading Journey to the East, he concluded that leadership is not about dictating but rather a fundamental desire to serve.
This leadership approach would encourage coaches to understand and support their athletes as people first and foremost, instead of as a number on a paycheck. Ensuring that their athletes get what they need to progress. Ultimately, according to Close et.al. (2018) adopting such a style positively impacts on feelings of satisfaction as well as positive social integration (Chen, Zhu and Zhou, 2015).
Principle not definition
A fundamental concern echoed by Eva et.al. (2019) is that not singular, consistent, definition arises. Through a review of the servant leadership literature at the time, it was concluded that an amalgamated definition should read as follows:
“Servant leadership is an 1) other-oriented approach to leadership 2) manifested through one-on-one prioritizing of follower individual needs and interests, and 3) outward reorienting of their concern for self towards concern for others within the organization and the larger community.”
Here a clear distinction is made between three central pillars of priority others through motive, mode and mindset (Eva et.al., 2019).
It should be noted however, that this again is not homogeneous of all servant leadership approaches nor does it have the power to override other definitions. Most simply put it is the one I feel that encapsulates what it means to be a servant leader.
Although this helps clear some conceptual fog on what actually servant leadership looks like it does not identify how CrossFit coaches can be more servant. Concluding then that servant leadership is more a quality than a skill.
An attempt to explore particular barriers to adopting servant leadership behaviours came from Savage-Austin and Honeycutt (2011). It was determined that it was the environment and the structure in which the individual sat which then influenced the adoption of servant leadership behaviours.
In this case it is the broader brand of CrossFit that begins to sour the taste of coaches and owners. Moving from humble athlete orientated beginnings to self-centred coaching. Completely disregarding an athletes needs and most certainly not fulfilling them.
This then suggests a fundamental issue with coaching in this context. As coaching at its core is about the betterment of athletes (Côté and Gilbert, 2009).
Without the consideration for such a key element leads me to question the moral code of coaches that adopt such self-centred approach. Choosing to prioritise financial gain over a focus on the athletes that pay for your services then begins to undermine the very principle of coaching. With it comes the respect for the sport of CrossFit.
How to be servant
The question still remains however, in the how of adopting servant leadership behaviours or even a purely servant leader approach. Getting coaches to think more about their athletes is certainly a better moral endeavour but does not subsequently produce servant leadership practice.
In such a place of manipulation of top down approaches coaches in these settings need to begin to question both their identity and philosophy. Such considerations will enable coaches to identify better moral direction along with better ethical practice.
It may be that servant leadership is not the correct direction for such coaches to take. However, it certainly feels like a better, morally accurate, consideration when faced with an indoctrinating culture of top down approaches.
This of course is only a result of the coaches’ moral predisposition as it is not central to the style of servant (Yasir, and Mohamad, 2016). Therefore, such a call for coaches to be self-critical and understanding of their moral direction is needed to ensure that coaches impliment servant leadership effectively.
Conclusion
I hope to have made it clear throughout; that I urge you as corssfit coaches in CrossFit to consider your morality. That the adoption of servant leadership, categorised by Eva et.al. (2019) through three aspects of motive mode and mindset, will help you steer away from such darker paths of manipulation. In which morality can be clouded with curent images of success orientated from financial roots(Visnovsky, 2015).
I hope that you choose to tackle such manipulation from the top down by adopting servant leadership choosing to prioritise others over yourself. To know your own direction and follow it regardless of enticement. Becoming, as a result, moral in your endeavour to coach. Ultimately to focus in the development of your athletes as the fundamental aspect of your practice.
What would you say; Do you consider yourself as a coach to be morally good/right as a leader and is that indictive of need fulfilling leadership such as servant leadership?
References
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