Sport & organization dynamics institute
SODI announces its second seminar series:
Sport Leadership as We Emerge from Crises; Series II
Top minds & leaders
Consistent with SODI best practices, our seminars are based on Leaders in Sport co-creating with Experts in Organizational Dynamics
SERIES I HIGHLIGHTS
Series II Sessions
Series II will comprise six 75-minute sessions; one per week, 10:00 – 11:15 AM EST, during May and June, 2021.
Session 1: How effective is a “Playbook for Dealing with Crises” in reality?
Dr. Mike Barger, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan;
Susan Williamson, Sr. VP. Business Operations, Philadelphia 76ers and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Joe Bohringer, Retired MLB Executive, Former Assistant GM – Seattle Mariners
SODI has presented approaches for addressing the challenges posed by crises including Mike’s “Understanding the Stages of Crises: A Necessary Precursor to Successful Emergence.” Mike and Susan will discuss how his approach lines up with that employed by the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils.
Tues. May 25
Session 2: Various situations, including crises, present personal and societal challenges which result in typical sport objectives (e.g., winning games, selling tickets) appearing to be unimportant; how does one motivate in such circumstances?
Lyndon Garrett, Carroll School of Management, Boston College;
Lucinda McRoberts, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, USA Swimming
Lyndon will discuss his research addressing how team “higher purpose” can lead to motivation in spite of personal/societal challenges with Lucinda who works in a context wherein personal/team motivation is a requirement.
Tues. June 1st
Session 3: Successful sport leaders adapt to changes in their environment--some brought on by crises, others exacerbated by them. What can we learn from sport leaders who have successfully adapted to dramatic changes?
Sim Sitkin, Faculty Director of the Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University;
RC Buford, CEO, Spurs Sports & Entertainment
In this session, Sim Sitkin, will interact with RC Buford on how he worked with the Spurs and the outside community on important crisis-related issues. Some specifics to be addressed: handling race issues as an organization, handling crises as a team and not only as individuals (i.e., having many voices, not just that of the CEO), sport and corporate activism in a politically fraught time.
Tues. June 8
Session 4: The Role of the Athlete-Advocate in Crises and in the Transformation of Major College Sports Programs
Robert Quinn, Center for Positive Organizations at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan;
Chris Borland, Advocate for mental health who has partnered with The Concussion Legacy Foundation; former NFL Linebacker for San Francisco 49ers who was an All-Rookie Team player for the 2014 season, after which he retired.
While it might be assumed that the Buccaneers success can be attributed to their acquiring a Hall of Fame quarterback as well as to other very important personnel acquisitions—that, of course, is overly simplistic. Despite its personnel moves—TB, as is the case with all teams over the past year, had to address challenges brought on by crises. Robert and John will address this from the perspective of what we can all learn from the Buccaneers experience.
Wed. June 16
Session 5: How to support athletes coping with extreme disappointment, e.g., cancelation of the Olympics; a team unable to participate in NCAA playoffs due to Covid-19 on campus
Kim Cameron, Center for Positive Organizations at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan;
Emily Klueh, US Olympic and Paralympic Mental Health Officer;
Dr. Richard Dopp, University of Michigan Medicine; Psychiatry Department;
Sean Bormet, Olympic Wrestling Coach;
Myles Amine, Olympic Wrestler
Providers of support to athletes (Kleuh, Borland, McGehee) will describe interventions in such cases; an expert on such initiatives (Dopp) will provide commentary; while the recipient of such interventions (Amine) and his coach (Bormet) will describe their experiences with such initiatives.
Tues. June 22
Bonus Session: The Next Frontier of Sports Performance: Mindfulness and Mental Skills Training
Kim Cameron, Center for Positive Organizations at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan;
Chad McGehee, Director of Meditation Training at University of Wisconsin, Athletics Department
Chris Borland, former NFL Linebacker; Current Advocate for Mental Health and Well Being in Sports
Tues. July 6
Session 6: The essential challenge of the sport leader is to “lift the notes off the page”; i.e., it is implementation. We have been exposed to many best practices in the 11 previous SODI seminar sessions. How can such practices be successfully adopted and implemented?
Kathy Babiak, Sport Management, University of Michigan;
Joel Brockner, Columbia Business School;
Richard Wolfe, SODI;
Oliver Luck, Commissioner XFL (2018-2020); Executive VP, NCAA (2014–2018); AD, West Virginia University (2010 –2014)
Bobby Scales, Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives for Player Development, Pittsburgh Pirates
We have been exposed to many best practices in the 11 previous SODI seminar sessions. How can such practices be successfully adopted and implemented? Kathy, Joel, and Richard will interact with Oliver and Bobby — with a focus on the latters’ challenges and successes in implementing new ideas in their organizations
Tues. June 29
Testimonials
(from previous conferences)

Registration Fee
The registration fee for the six sessions is $1001,2
The fee for SODI’s second Virtual Seminar Series has been kept artificially low. Moreover, in a manner consistent with leadership during and emerging from crises, all revenue above expenses will be donated to worthy causes; our “Collaborator Cause”: Good Sports, as well as one “Presenter Cause” each series; that very worthy cause for this series is John Spytek’s choice: National CMV Foundation.
1. a limited number of student registrations discounted by 50% are available.
2. registrants receive a video of each session.