Exploring cognitive restructuring: A multi-foci leadership perspective

• Shared leadership may assist in managing cognitive restructuring in teams.
• Shared leadership is an ongoing process that requires continuous management.
• Leaders are involved in mentoring behaviors that are essential in cognitive restructuring.
• Followers are equal partners in the cognitive restructuring process.

Athletics teams operate in contexts where team culture fluctuates with constant change (i.e., player turnover). In such dynamic sport environments, a strong leadership core needs to be in place to effectively navigate changes in team culture. The purpose of this study was to use the multi-foci perspective of leadership to explore the values and shared leadership qualities associated with proactively managing cognitive restructuring. A case study approach was used to examine a female sport team that recently encountered a shift in team culture. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with players and coaches (N = 31) who represented both leaders and followers from a shared leadership perspective. The findings contribute to sport management theory by defining the complexity of cognitive restructuring and establishing the necessity of shared leadership (i.e., leaders and followers) during this stage of the change process.