What is it about?
This study investigates whether formally assigned leaders (team captains) or informal leaders (All-Star players) have a greater impact on their teammates' performance in professional basketball. Using data from the NBA, I analysed how players perform when these different types of leaders unexpectedly leave games due to injuries or foul trouble. The research reveals that players who are both team captains and All-Stars have the strongest positive influence on their teammates' performance, while those who are only captains or only All-Stars don't significantly affect their teammates' productivity. This suggests that effective leadership in team settings requires both formal authority and exceptional skill. When players possessing both qualities are absent, their teams take more risky shots and are less likely to win games, highlighting the unique value of leaders who combine formal authority with star-level talent.
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Why is it important?
This study is the first to empirically examine and compare the effectiveness of different types of leadership roles in professional basketball. While previous research has explored the impact of star players, no study has directly investigated how formal leadership (team captains) and informal leadership (All-Stars) affect team performance. The findings are particularly important as they reveal that maximum team benefit comes only when formal authority is combined with exceptional talent. This insight has implications beyond sports, offering valuable lessons for team management across various industries about how to select and develop effective leaders. The research is especially timely given the increasing focus on team-based work structures and the growing importance of understanding how different leadership styles affect team productivity.
Perspectives
This work began with a straightforward observation: while teams invest heavily in both superstar players and assign team captains, we lacked empirical evidence about which type of leadership was more effective. The findings were noteworthy because they challenged conventional assumptions about leadership in sports. The evidence that being either just a team captain or just an All-Star player is insufficient to positively influence teammates' performance presented an important discovery. What I find particularly meaningful about this research is its potential applications beyond basketball. As a researcher interested in both sports economics and organisational behaviour, I believe these findings offer useful lessons for any organisation aiming to build effective teams. The research suggests that formal authority alone is insufficient - leadership influence emerges from combining formal roles with exceptional skill and talent. The use of professional sports data offers unique advantages for studying human behaviour and organisational dynamics. Professional sports provide detailed performance metrics, clear organisational structures, and high-stakes environments where individuals are strongly motivated to excel. The competitive nature of sports, with its substantial financial incentives and transparent performance indicators, creates an ideal laboratory for studying leadership effects with a precision that would be difficult to achieve in traditional corporate environments.
Dr. Alperen Kocsoy
Durham University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Captains vs. All-Stars: Who makes better leaders?, PLoS ONE, November 2024, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309374.
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