Leadership style is known as the behavioral patterns that a leader follows to influence

others' behavior. It refers to the way a leader motivates, directs, and guides other
people. Furthermore, it includes the accomplishment and performance of different plans
to achieve a particular target. The leadership styles can be demonstrated in all fields,
including sports, nursing and entrepreneurship. Once this field passes through various
challenges, the leadership style will operate more efficiently and in a better way.

In this case study, both coach k and coach knight are successful in their career path as
college basketball coaches and present great achievements in their performance as
leaders. Yet each one of them used different leadership styles.  Coach knight Leadership
style is demonstrated through intimidation and toughness, whereas coach k leadership
style is demonstrated through trust and confidence.

Coach K and Coach Knight shared common values and goals to achieve. Both are
dedicated, competent, and disciplined in his work as well as they are passionate about
what they do. Both directed the basketball teams to achieve a fabulous success in winning
and maintaining adequate records. Moreover, both coaches maintain a good relationship
with the players and students, a relationship that is exemplified by morality, appreciation,
and respect even after they left the teams. They showed empathy and compassion as well
as attention to others when needed. Coaches had both sides, the first one is tough and
strict, and the second one is sympathetic and understanding. But one of the two sides was
controlling their leadership styles.

Although the two coaches shared the same goals to achieve, they have different
personalities that have a noticeable effect on their leadership styles as well as on the
working atmosphere of their teams.

Coach Knight has a demanding, intense, and harsh leadership style as well as he seems to
follow a task oriented style. During the performance of different activities, coach knight
leads through rigorous discipline and severity. He believes that people build naturally
with no self-drive. He commands his players to obey his rules and to do exactly what he
told them so that they will win and prevent losing the game. On the other hand, Coach
Knight believed that the team should be a force to become successful. He assumes that
people need strict follow-up and should pursue a motivation path to achieve the desired
goals. He was a perfectionist and expected from all his players to be ideal and flawless,
along with the optimum outcome.  Coach Knight was very competitive and firm to win
excelling in academics. As being a talented athlete, he never admits to losing and always
wants to win. Coach Knight never neglects or allows any mistakes where he includes
sanctions and punishment for his players like sitting on the bench, throwing out of
practice, and dropping out from the team. He believed that a coach is a person that
influences the team and affects their behavior and thoughts. Thus a person will act and
perform in the same way as the coach, meaning that if the coach can accept and permit
mistakes, the players will do that too, which will lead to problems and troubles. Coach
Knight not only focuses on the players' physical skills and abilities but also on special
motivational tools such as push-ups and wind sprints. Thus, coach Knight coaching style
was a combination of a coercive leader and an authoritative leader.

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Throughout his career in college, he attains remarkable results and accomplishes
extraordinary consequences. Starting by becoming a basketball coach  than a program
director. He trained many players that later on became coaches and NBA players. He was
very enthusiastic and filled with passion due to all the achievements he
gained throughout his life. He focused on supporting others out of fear to become the best
version of themselves and helping them achieve their targets. His main objective was to
be respected as a coach regardless of people's opinions and thoughts.

Coach k was a sociable and friendly coach. His style is based on confidence, honesty, and
trust. It involves leading through kindness, giving advice, helping, and supporting the
players and students. Processing this specific leadership style, coach K was capable of
motivating and supporting his team. He worked on the confidence levels of the players
and built a trust relationship between him and the team and among the team members. He
believed that having trust and providing encouragement would facilitate motivation to be
acquired.  Motivating people should be in a pleasant and personable way. According to
coach k, leading others to encompass the use of positive support and care, also having
confidence and trust.

Coach k created a familial environment during his work and considered the

team members as part of a family. He was sensible, where he analyzed his players and
acknowledged their needs and wants. Each one in the team felt valued and respected, as
well as trusted. This helped him to stay alongside to his players. He focused on
connection and communication among the players in order to have unity and teamwork
between them. All these actions and behavior raised confidence and faith and helped to
improve everyone else’s behavior. Coach k leadership style has a positive effect on the
working environment where he became a visionary leader who inspired and influenced
his team players.

 Based on their accomplishment and performance, along with the great results throughout
their coaching career, I believe that both leadership styles work and are effective in the
sports field.

When talking about coaching, it does not only rely on the leadership style to be followed
but also depends on other factors like knowledge, strategy, and talent. On a personal
level, some athletes believe that through strictness and toughness, their performance and
achievement will be better. Others believe that sympathy and patience are the behaviors
that will enhance their accomplishment. However, at the team level, individual
approaches cannot unite a team. A bond inside a team and the union of its members is
what leads to success.

In my opinion, I would choose coach k to work with rather than coach knight because
coach k leading style is closer to mine. It represents the behavior and attitudes that I
would imply to lead a team. I think that coach k is an improved version from coach
knight. He relied on the strength of his personality and his experience and ability to
benefit others by the skills he acquired. He prefers to use soft power over applying a
tough one. Undoubtedly, coach k is a transformational leader where he provides both
emotional support and managerial support. On another hand, he concentrated on
performing the chores and attaining the desired objectives. He learned from coach
knight as he was his student, where he took from him the technical skills and the form of

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being the best. His passion to be successful and the amount of experience he gained
throughout the knowledge he grasped and intensive preparation for the games, led to
great success and remarkable results

On the other hand, he focuses on human skills which he creates through connection and
communication, harmony and consistency with his players. As well as he builds
emotional bonds and relationships with the team. His power in leading emerged from the
high level of confidence and trust that he distributed for the people around him. He used
this power as his motivation to influence, support, and empower his team. Coach k  was a
big influence to his basketball players in addition to his colleagues and staff as
well. Family, love, care, and honesty are most of the core values that he used with his
players throughout his career. Finally, coach k was not only a sufficient coach but a true
tutor who taught character and shaped behaviors besides teaching basketball.