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| Club management

February 9, 2026 |

Whats’ on this page

1. 1. Mistake: Lack of communication

1.1 2. Mistake: No clear vision or goals

2. 2. Fehler: Keine klare Vision oder Ziele

3. 3. Fehler: Alles selbst machen

4. 3. Mistake: Doing everything yourself

4.1 4. Mistake: Avoiding conflicts

5. 5. Fehler: Fehlende Transparenz bei Finanzen

6. 5. Mistake: Lack of transparency regarding finances

6.1 6. Mistake: Not having an open ear for members

7. 7. Mistake: No succession planning

8. Conclusion: Good leadership can be learned!

Good leadership in a sports club is a decisive factor in whether a club is successful in the long term, retains volunteers and keeps members satisfied. Precisely because clubs are heavily dependent on volunteers, there is a need for a clear direction, guidance and functioning structures. The challenges in board work are great, because everyone does the job on a voluntary basis: those in charge bear a lot of responsibility, yet mostly receive no professional training or support.

We show the most common pitfalls and give you practical tips on how to avoid mistakes as a club board member, strengthen your leadership skills and improve cooperation.

First of all, huge credit to you: You have agreed to take on an important voluntary role in your club and bear responsibility. Many board members are passionate about what they do, but quickly fall into typical pitfalls that can negatively affect the club atmosphere and cooperation. After all, leadership in a club is often a balancing act – between commitment, voluntary work and responsibility.

1. Mistake: Lack of communication

A widespread mistake is a lack of communication. Good communication in the club is not a "nice-to-have", but the foundation of every functioning club structure. After all, good communication in the club is a strong driver for motivation, creates transparency and cohesion. Yet this specific area is often neglected in many clubs.

If coaches and heads of department do not know what decisions the board has made, members feel poorly informed. Rumours, uncertainties and unnecessary frustration arise.

Communication should therefore be structurally established in the club: For example, introduce fixed, regular meetings with heads of department and coaches to ensure a transparent flow of information from the board to all areas. Create clear communication structures and contact persons. Digital tools for video calls or chat groups make it easier to reach the right people quickly.

Be visible! As the person in charge and the face of the club, you should also be close to your members and club life in order to have a direct line to the people. This allows you to create transparency, explain yourself and clear up misunderstandings. Presence is therefore a decisive factor for good leadership in a sports club: Attend events, support the organising of tournaments and events and show your face regularly – not just for photos.

2. Mistake: No clear vision or goals

You'll do the vision later when you have a moment? Not a good idea! Not having a clear vision might not be visible at first, but it is a crucial mistake in club management. Because if the big picture is missing, volunteers and members eventually lose motivation. Direction is crucial for people who volunteer for something “meaningful”: What are you committing yourselves to and what do you want to achieve together? Clear goals are important, strengthen identification with the club and make decisions easier.

Our practical tip: Get people on board and develop a club vision together in a workshop, work out values and define goals. Here too: Communication is key. Remember to communicate the result to all members afterwards. Make your vision, your goals and values visible – for example on the wall in the clubhouse, on the website or in the newsletter.

2. Fehler: Keine klare Vision oder Ziele

Vision macht ihr später, wenn mal Luft ist? Keine gute Idee! Keine klare Vision zu haben, ist zwar erstmal nicht sichtbar, aber ein ganz entscheidender Fehler in der Vereinsführung. Denn wenn das große Ganze fehlt, verlieren Ehrenamtliche und Mitglieder irgendwann die Motivation. Orientierung ist entscheidend für die Personen, die sich ehrenamtlich für etwas „Sinnvolles“ engagieren: Wofür engagiert ihr euch und was wollt ihr gemeinsam erreichen? Klare Ziele sind wichtig, stärken die Identifikation mit dem Verein und erleichtern Entscheidungen.

Unser Praxistipp: Hole die Menschen ins Boot und entwickelt gemeinsam in einem Workshop eine Vereinsvision, erarbeitet Werte und definiert Ziele. Auch hier gilt: Kommunikation ist Key. Denke hinterher daran, das Ergebnis an alle Mitglieder zu kommunizieren. Macht eure Vision, eure Ziele und Werte sichtbar – zum Beispiel im Vereinsheim an der Wand, auf der Website oder im Newsletter.

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3. Fehler: Alles selbst machen

„Bevor ich es lange erkläre, mache ich es lieber selbst.“ Den Satz kennen wir alle. Was gut gemeint ist, endet aber oft in Überlastung, Chaos und Mikromanagement. Denn es ist schlicht nicht möglich, alles zu übernehmen und zu kontrollieren. Wenn wenige alles machen, brennen sie irgendwann aus. Der Verein wird abhängig von einzelnen Personen – ein großes Risiko, das mit Vertrauen und Delegation gelöst werden kann.

Delegieren bedeutet nicht, die Kontrolle zu verlieren, sondern anderen zuzutrauen, Aufgaben zu übernehmen. Menschen wachsen an Verantwortung. Aufgaben selbstständig und verantwortungsvoll zu übernehmen, stärkt die Motivation. Und es entlastet dich als Vereinsvorstand, wenn du dich auf deine Mitglieder verlassen kannst.

Unser Praxistipp: Schaffe klare Rollen und Verantwortlichkeiten – am besten schriftlich. Verteile Aufgaben so, dass Kompetenzen genutzt werden. Und noch wichtiger: Lass die Personen selbständig arbeiten. Diese offene und vertrauensbasierte Führungskultur motiviert und schont deine Ressourcen.

3. Mistake: Doing everything yourself

“Before I spend ages explaining it, I'd rather do it myself.” We all know that phrase. But what is well-intentioned often ends in overload, chaos and micromanagement. Because it is simply not possible to take on and control everything. If a few people do everything, they will eventually burn out. The club becomes dependent on individual people – a major risk that can be solved with trust and delegation.

Delegating does not mean losing control, but trusting others to take on tasks. People grow with responsibility. Taking on tasks independently and responsibly strengthens motivation. And it relieves the pressure on you as a club board member if you can rely on your members.

Our practical tip: Create clear roles and responsibilities – preferably in writing. Distribute tasks so that competencies are utilised. And even more importantly: Let the people work independently. This open and trust-based leadership culture motivates and conserves your resources.

4. Mistake: Avoiding conflicts

Conflicts are part of life – and club life too. Different opinions, feelings, expectations – a board member must be able to endure and manage this. It only becomes problematic when those in charge avoid issues. Because what is not spoken about simmers in the background. People gossip, members lose trust, volunteers drop out. Pre-empt this and face the conflict before it smoulders for a long time.

Offer a discussion in a neutral environment and with constructive conflict resolution. Think of clear rules for the discussion and let everyone involved have their say. The most important thing: look for solutions instead of culprits.

Difficult case? Deadlocked situations can often be solved better if a neutral person moderates – for instance from within the club environment or externally. Click here for our tips on the right conflict management

Our practical tip: Don't let conflicts arise in the first place by ensuring understanding early on. If you know that a decision could be critical, speak to the affected groups or people beforehand. Explain reasons, goals and backgrounds – this prevents ill-feeling.

5. Fehler: Fehlende Transparenz bei Finanzen

Finanzen sind ein genauso wichtiges wie schwieriges Thema. Mangelnde Transparenz schafft Misstrauen: Werden die Gelder richtig verwendet? Wieso bekommt die Jugendabteilung dieses Jahr weniger Geld als im letzten Jahr? Selbst wenn es nichts zu verheimlichen gibt, kann Misstrauen entstehen.

Vorab: Transparenz in Sachen Finanzen ist unheimlich wichtig, denn Mitglieder und Partner wollen wissen, wofür ihr Beitrag oder ihre Spenden eingesetzt werden. Je offener ihr kommuniziert, desto weniger Raum bleibt für Spekulationen und Unmut.

Unser Praxistipp: Veröffentlicht einen jährlichen Finanzbericht oder eine Finanzübersicht für Mitglieder. Das schafft Vertrauen – und verhindert Gerüchte. Nutzt die die jährliche Mitgliederversammlung: hier hat jedes Vereinsmitglied die Chance, sich zu informieren. Kommuniziert dort offen und leicht verständlich über Einnahmen und Ausgaben, Veränderungen der Mitgliedsbeiträge und die Pläne für den nächsten Haushalt.

5. Mistake: Lack of transparency regarding finances

Finances are just as important a topic as they are difficult. Lack of transparency creates mistrust: Are the funds being used correctly? Why is the youth section receiving less money this year than last year? Even if there is nothing to hide, mistrust can arise.

First off: Transparency when it comes to finances is incredibly important, because members and partners want to know what their membership fees or donations are being used for. The more openly you communicate, the less room there is for speculation and resentment.

Our practical tip: Publish an annual financial report or a financial overview for members. This creates trust – and prevents rumours. Use the annual general meeting: here, every club member has the chance to get informed. Communicate there openly and in an easy-to-understand way about income and expenditure, changes to membership fees and the plans for the next budget.

6. Mistake: Not having an open ear for members

Nothing happens without members! They are the foundation of the club, they know where the problems lie and where action is needed. As a board member, having an open ear for members at all times is therefore super relevant. People want to be heard. If someone is not asked what they think, they do not feel included. It is just as annoying in the long run not to get an answer. Long-term, this leads to lower motivation and declining loyalty to the club. By the way, this applies to volunteers just as much as to athletes, parents, coaches and passive members. However, thanks to online tools, avoiding this mistake is quite simple and time-saving to implement.

Our practical tip: Show your face regularly at events and help out actively, for instance on match days or at events. Integrate feedback sessions (for example after a big event) or digital surveys (perhaps regularly every few months). This way, you can not only measure the mood in the club, but also capture important ideas and feedback from members. You quickly understand where there is friction, can take counter-measures in good time and even recognise developments. At the same time, this type of involvement shows appreciation towards the members – so feedback is a real win-win!

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7. Mistake: No succession planning

Yes, failing to plan for succession is also a leadership failure! Clubs often only address this topic when it is almost too late: For example, you announce shortly before the AGM that you are not standing again, or you can suddenly no longer fulfil your position for personal reasons. And what now? If succession planning is missing, gaps, chaos and, in the worst case, an inability to function loom.

Changes in leadership are part of every club; very few board members are in office for decades – especially today in fast-moving times. If your club spreads the load across many shoulders – including in the second tier – this is not a problem, but a strength.

One thing is clear: Recruiting young talent and volunteers is a permanent task nowadays. If your club has gained young, committed people, involve them early on. Many are motivated, but they need clear tasks, feedback and trust. Here we show how more young people can get involved in your club:

Our practical tip: Give younger volunteers concrete areas of responsibility, such as social media, event teams or youth projects. Take their feedback and opinion seriously and, over time, integrate them into board tasks and major decisions too. This way, they grow into leadership roles – and the club secures its future.

Conclusion: Good leadership can be learned!

Good leadership in a sports club does not mean doing everything yourself, but bringing others along with you. Anyone who shares responsibility, places trust in others and creates an appreciative environment promotes motivation, cohesion and club loyalty. This is how you establish an open and motivating leadership culture. The basis for this is open communication, transparency as well as a shared vision with clear goals.

Leadership can be learned – and our tips are a first step towards this. No one is born a perfect leader – but everyone can develop into one.

If you want to further develop your skills or are looking for concrete tips, you will find many practical tools and tips in the spized Club Academy that support you in your club work.