Swinney Leadership Style

Dabo Swinney: A Transformational Leader

Leadership is a very important part of having a successful organization. A strong leader brings a vision, and provides the motivation needed to unite a group bring them to achieve a common goal by aligning the organization to its vision. Good leaders are inspirational and charismatic they lead their organization through the internal and external changes that occur (Gupta, 2009). Dabo Swinney, the head coach of the Clemson Tigers football team is an exemplary example of a strong leader.

Bass Leadership Approaches

Leadership styles vary between leaders. The Bass leadership continuum of leadership styles goes from laissez-fair to transformational, with the transactional style falling between the two. The

By displaying idealized influence, Sweeney has been able to gain the respect and admiration of his team members by showing concern for them and displaying a high level of ethical behaviors (CSU, n.d.). Part of his philosophy is that he would rather lose while doing the right things, than win by doing what is wrong (Price, 2014). Individual consideration is used by leaders when they form relationships with their followers based on each one’s personal needs (CSU, n.d.). Coach Swinney shows individual consideration by developing personal relationships with all his players, both on and off the field (Brenner, 2014). He has a genuine interest in all of his players and builds bonds with them. He has fun with them, he even dances with them in the locker room doing the Whip and Nae Nae and not caring if he makes a fool of himself. His players consider him, and he considers them to be family (Couch, 2015).

Intellectual stimulation offers challenges to followers by giving them the opportunity to use their individual skills to solve problems (CSU, n.d.). Dabo Swinney’s leadership style incorporates intellectual stimulation to not only the players on the team, but his staff as well. He lets the coaches that work for him do what they know how to do and lets them coach. He is involved,

Balance processing means that a leader can be objective and aware of both his strengths and weaknesses (CSU, n.d.) Because Coach Swinney has this awareness he surrounds himself with a staff that can do the things he doesn’t do as well as others. He has even given some of his salary so there are more funds available to pay for the best assistants (Scott, 2016). As part of authentic leadership, there is also relational transparency, which means being open and honest about the good and the bad about oneself (CSU, n.d.). Players on the Tiger’s football team use the term “transparent” to describe their coach. They say that because of his transparency he can be “goofy” or awkward, but he doesn’t have a problem showing vulnerability and emotion (Couch,