Abstract
Research with coaches has shown that these individuals influence perceptions of team cohesion (e.g., Jowett & Chaundy, 2004) and affect a team's performance (e.g., Garland & Barry, 1990). However, research has examined these relationships primarily using only the athlete's perspective of their coach's leadership behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the congruency between athlete and coach perceptions of the leadership behaviours the coach displays, and its relationship to perceptions of cohesion and performance. Participants were varsity athletes (N = 199) and their coaches. The athletes completed inventories measuring their coach's leadership behaviours (transformational and transactional), cohesion, and performance. The coaches rated themselves on the leadership behaviour inventories. Difference scores were used to determine congruency between athletes and coaches. As such, two groups were created: (a) athletes who under-evaluated and (b) athletes who over-evaluated their coach's leadership behaviours. Results of multi-group path analysis indicated adequate model fit (?2 = 112.98, df = 78, p = .006, CFI =.96, TLI = .90, RMSEA = .05, SRMR = .07). Additionally, 21 significant relationships (p's = .05) were found between specific leadership behaviours and specific dimensions of cohesion and performance. Results are discussed in terms how being an under- or over-evaluator of coaching leadership impacts perceptions of the team environment.Acknowledgments: SSHRC