Why are some pro sports teams perennial contenders while others can’t seem to get out of the cellar? Great players are essential, but that’s not enough. Often, the unheralded MVPs of a successful team are people who wear suits, not uniforms, to work.

In his research, George Foster, the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Management at Stanford Graduate School of Business, has highlighted the crucial role of leadership and effective organizations in sports. His recent work focuses on the importance of strategic alignment among owners, general managers, and head coaches.

In the ebb and flow of a game, sports announcers often talk about which team “has the momentum.” Teams also have momentum from season to season, Foster says, and it has a lot to do with making good decisions off the field: “Building a solid organization with alignment between key stakeholders is just as important in sports as in any other kind of company.”

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