What could an Executive Coach do for an Association Football Manager? A Commentary

The lead article in this volume highlights several critical aspects of effective leadership in modern times. First, the importance of leadership as an interpersonal, relationship-building endeavor cannot be overstated. Second, the exemplary leader is a caring individual who demonstrates understanding and empathy toward others. For our commentary, we draw upon a well-developed stream of literature germane to these two core issues presented in the article. We compare and contrast the feminine and masculine aspects of leadership. In particular, we discuss the contemporary feminization of leadership and describe several integral attributes of feminine leadership – a communal orientation, transformational behaviors, emotional intelligence, and empathy – each of which relate to the facets of sports coaching and leadership presented in the lead article