Evaluating the Relationship between Managers’ leadership Styles and Customer Satisfaction in Sport Clubs: The predictive role of personality attributes in the leadership styles of general managers

This study aimed to determine the relationship between leadership styles of general managers and club customer satisfaction in sport clubs. In addition, the next goal of the current study was to evaluate the predictability of general managers' leadership styles based on their personality attributes. The population of the study was 32 general managers of sports clubs in district one of Tehran city who were selected by simple random sampling. All the customers of these sports clubs, including the sample number to calculate the customer satisfaction score, were 10 people from each sport clubs, who commented on the management of that sports club. Customers were randomly selected on the day and time of their visit to the club. To collect data, three questionnaires were used, which were: The Clark Leadership Style Survey, The 60-item NEO Five-Factor Inventory, and a researcher-made sheet of satisfaction of sports club customers. Taken together, the results suggest that all types of leadership styles have a significant correlation with customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the personality attributes of general managers have been explained and predicted, which were 79% for authoritarian leadership style, 47% for democratic leadership style, and 77% for devoted leadership style. In short, sports club owners can be assisted to recognize the best leadership styles and consider the best style as important criteria for selecting club general managers. As a result, general managers will achieve one of their most important business goals, which is to satisfy club customers.