EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN IN SPORTS LEADERSHIP

Leadership is a critical element in many spheres of human societies. Although scholars
hold divergent views on the definition of leadership, most concur on the need for leaders to bring
about positive changes in societies. According to Nohria and Khurana (2010), leadership refers
to "a certain quality of an individual personality" that sets a person a part from others (p. 8).
From a behaviorist perspective, Northouse (2007) defines leadership as "a process whereby an
individual influences a group of people to achieve a common goal" (p. 3). Scholars (Brinia,
2011; Gunbayani, 2005) concur that leadership is a position of influence that allows a person to
motivate, inspire, and to set direction for the purpose of achieving certain goals. Leadership
operates under three dimensions that include: context, vision, and action (Levitt, 2010).
Considering varying definitions of leadership, Bass (1997) and Fiedler (1993) suggest the
meaning of leadership be defined and understood within specific situations or contexts.