Implicit leadership theories (ILTs) matter because they are used as the benchmark against which people determine who is a leader and who is not. This assessment informs their behavioral responses. People are thought to have a superordinate-level ILT representing their prototypical mental model of leadership and a series of basic-level ILTs. Each of these represents how people conceptualize leadership in particular domains (e.g., sport, politics, and popular culture). In this study, the authors generate the structures of basic-level sport management ILTs for women and men who are about to enter this industry. These form the baseline from which socialization to work, organizational cultures, and the sport management industry begins. The ILTs of women entering sport management careers have a 35-item, 6-factor structure (Sensitivity, Knowledgeable, Physical Attractiveness, Inspirational, Dedication, and Focused), whereas men entering the industry have a 32-item, 7-factor structure (Sensitivity, Dedication, Physical Attractiveness, Focused, Creativity, Inspirational, Courageous). The resulting sport management ILT profiles differ from superordinate ones by emphasizing physical and vitality attributes, incorporating emotional elements, and by eschewing antiprototypical elements. The paper ends with a discussion of the implications for leadership research in sport management.

隐式领导理论（ILT）很重要，因为它们被用作人们确定谁是领导者和谁不是领导者的基准。该评估告知他们的行为反应。人们被认为拥有代表上级领导心智模型的上级ILT和一系列基础级ILT。每一个代表人们如何概念化特定领域（例如体育，政治和大众文化）中的领导。在这项研究中，作者为即将进入该行业的男女生成了基本水平的体育管理ILT的结构。这些构成了工作社会化，组织文化和体育管理行业开始的基准。从事体育管理职业的妇女的ILT具有35个要素，6个要素的结构（敏感性，知识渊博，身体吸引力，灵感，奉献和专注），而进入该行业的男性则具有32项7要素结构（敏感性，奉献精神，身体吸引力，专注，创造力，灵感，勇气）。由此产生的体育管理ILT档案与上​​级档案有所不同，其强调身体和活力属性，结合了情感要素并避免了反原型要素。本文最后讨论了运动管理中领导力研究的意义。由此产生的体育管理ILT档案与上​​级档案有所不同，其强调身体和活力属性，结合了情感要素并避免了反原型要素。本文最后讨论了运动管理中领导力研究的意义。由此产生的体育管理ILT档案与上​​级档案有所不同，其强调身体和活力属性，结合了情感要素并避免了反原型要素。本文最后讨论了运动管理中领导力研究的意义。