“We are not selling soap here, you know”: Eight humanistic leadership qualities in sport

Abstract

One of the main tasks for leaders is to make work purposeful for others. As the promotion of purpose through leadership is often context-specific and dependent on interpersonal relations, this study explores the relation between humanistic leadership, existential reflections, and the Jungian theory on ‘individuation’ among non-profit sports leaders in Europe. To that end, the research questions in this article are (a) what kind of existential learning sports leader veterans have gained through their positions, (b) how it has enabled them to grow as persons and leaders, and (c) how these experiences may be helpful to other leaders. To explore these questions, this study drew upon the principle of episodic inquiry and qualitative interviews with highly experienced Norwegian sports leaders ( N = 16). Through an episodically based recollection of life experiences, the study specifies eight qualities that enable today’s leaders in European sport to develop a humanistic leadership practice.