The Importance of People Skills in the Sports Industry

“Hard skills are important to getting your foot in the door…but it’s your people skills, your soft skills, and the way you connect with people that make you successful.”

Bailey Wright is a GIS graduate and professional football player, having played for Sunderland and represented Australia at the 2022 World Cup.

Speaking to GIS about his time studying with us, he explained that communication is just as important as what’s on your CV, and the way you interact with others is what can be what defines your success.

Many industry leaders feel the same. During an episode of our GIS Insight Series, our host Mark Clemmit spoke to Dr Matthew Andrew, a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology. 

“How do you deliver your message?” he asked students on the webinar. “How do you feed back the data? How do you present it? Theoretical skills are important, but that doesn’t really come across when you speak,” he explained.

“Your knowledge needs to be there, but you need to be able to communicate effectively.”

This advice extends throughout the sports industry, and remains true from an athlete’s perspective, says Bailey Wright, who has played football across multiple continents.

He spoke of the challenges that come with working in an environment as diverse as a football club, explaining how important it is to learn from other perspectives and the role of emotional intelligence in doing so.

Emotional intelligence is a key skill that Bailey developed while at GIS, saying it was something he hadn’t actively considered before joining the course. 

While Bailey had naturally experienced situations that build emotional intelligence, it was only through formal learning and reflection that he recognised its impact. “It’s helped me as a leader in the football world, and as a person,” he said.

This theme of emotional intelligence isn’t unique to players. Industry experts across all fields echo the importance of communication in success.

For example, football agent Riad Djellab told GIS that a secret to his success is treating his clients “like family”, marketing expert Tom Rowell advised students that people skills are often underappreciated.

“I would definitely say from my experience that the people at the top level aren’t always the best in the room,” he began.

“You can be the smartest person in the world, but if you don’t get along with people, understand how people work and manage them, you’re going to struggle, because a lot of business is about people and management.”

As these industry insights show, success in sport goes beyond technical know-how. At GIS, students develop not only subject expertise, but also the soft skills needed to thrive in the industry.

To see how GIS can help you develop the people skills that set successful sports professionals apart, visit our course page.

Article by Zakaria Anani