Case Study Analysis Paper one: A Tale of Two Coaches

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In contrast, Krzyzewski has both positional power and personal power. He is certainly able to influence those around him because he is “the coach,” however his players have also allowed him to lead. He has earned his position of control because his players like him and they believe in his abilities. Coach K’s methods of running the Duke Men’s Basketball Team are tough, family-oriented, and wildly successful and are an excellent example of referent and expert power. (2016).

Leadership vs. Manager

Both of these men are seen as “leaders,” and the term leader and manager are often used synonymously despite their functions being quite different. According to our text, the functions of leadership include: directing, aligning, motivating and inspiring people (2016). Coach K demonstrates many of these functions. He is able to direct and align his players with the goals of the team during drills and during games. He shares his time, his heart and his discipline with all of his players which serve to motivate and inspire his players by making them all feel like they are a part of a family.

The primary functions of a manager are to; plan, organize, and control (2016). This is an appropriate description of the role that Coach Knight plays both on and off the basketball court. Knight plans and organizes practices, sets rules, selects and recruits players and conducts drills and practices. He states that his success stems from being prepared to win (Snook, S., Perlow, L., Delacey, B., 2005). He motivates in negative ways by fear, insults, profanity, intimidation and humiliation. These are not traits that are typically found in leadership definitions.

Conclusion

These two men demonstrate very similar accomplishments in the realm of college basketball, if winning is the ultimate goal. Despite the similarities in achievements, the legacy that both of these men will leave will be exceptionally different. Coach K will long be recognized for his leadership both on and off the court, while Coach Knight will be remembered for long list of controversial encounters and offensive behavior.

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References

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Norlander, M. (2015). With 1,000 wins achieved, coach K's career has no feats left to topple. Retrieved August 4, 2015, from http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24993136/coach-k-wins-no-1000

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership Theory and Practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Puma, M. Knight known for titles, temper. Retrieved August 4, 2015, from http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Knight_Bob.html

Snook, S., Perlow, L., & Delacey, B. (2005). Coach Knight: The Will to Win (No. 9-406-043). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Snook, S., Perlow, L., & Delacey, B. (2005). Coach K: A matter of the heart (No. 9-406-044e). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

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