Olympic ice hockey medalist and former Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Emma Terho said sports organisations need leaders who are not afraid to delegate responsibility and include different voices in decision-making.
Speaking to participants of the Her Turn session in Tallinn, Terho said strong leadership is not about trying to know everything yourself, but about building teams with diverse expertise. “A leader should not be afraid to delegate,” Terho said. “You need people around you who may know more than you do.”
Much of the discussion focused on representation in sports leadership and the need for more women in decision-making roles. According to Terho, organisations make better decisions when leadership includes people with different backgrounds and experiences. “If we include both genders and people from different walks of life,” she said, “we gain broader knowledge and broader understanding.”
Terho said progress in gender equality in sport does not happen automatically. In her view, sport organisations need to actively identify talent, encourage participation and support future leaders.
Asked what kind of leaders she personally admires, Terho pointed to people whose actions match their words and who lead through everyday behaviour rather than titles alone. “People follow leaders who set an example,” she said.