The Strategic AD: Elevating Programs Through Vision, Discipline, and Alignment
The role of a Director of Athletics has evolved dramatically over the last decade. Today’s AD is no longer simply a manager of sports programs. The AD is a strategist, fundraiser, communicator, culture architect, and institutional partner responsible for shaping the long-term future of the university.
Throughout my career, I’ve learned that true athletic leadership requires a vision that extends beyond wins and losses. A strategic AD brings clarity to complex problems, alignment to diverse stakeholder groups, and discipline to decisions that impact the entire institution.
1. Vision: Seeing the Program Several Years Ahead
Great ADs build forward, not backward. Every decision—capital investments, coaching hires, NIL strategy, conference alignment, community engagement—must be grounded in a long-term vision. My approach is simple:
Build the department you want five years from now, not the one you inherited.
This mindset forces leaders to remain innovative, ambitious, and proactive.
2. Alignment: Turning Departments Into Unified Systems
Athletics departments are complex, interconnected ecosystems. Coaches, staff, student-athletes, faculty, donors, alumni, presidents, and the broader community all influence the department’s momentum.
The strategic AD’s role is to align them.
Alignment occurs through:
Clear expectations
Consistent messaging
Transparent decision-making
Relationship-building
Culture reinforced through action
When everyone knows the priorities, understands the mission, and sees their role in achieving it, progress accelerates dramatically.
3. Discipline: Leading With Consistency and Accountability
Strategy fails without discipline.
The AD must set the tone for how the organization operates. That includes:
Budget discipline
Ethical leadership
Communication standards
Staff accountability
Strategic fundraising practices
Competitive expectations
Student-athlete welfare
Discipline protects the integrity of the mission and ensures sustainability, regardless of external pressures.
4. Communication: The AD as the Department’s Chief Translator
One of the most underrated responsibilities of an AD is communication. Athletic Directors must constantly translate between coaches, presidents, board members, donors, conference offices, fans, and student-athletes.
Great communication creates trust.
Trust creates permission.
Permission creates momentum.
5. The Strategic AD Measures Success Differently
Success is not defined solely by wins, facilities, or revenue. A strategic AD evaluates success by the health of the department:
Are student-athletes supported?
Are coaches aligned and energized?
Are donors engaged and believing again?
Is the institution proud of athletics?
Is the department improving year over year?
A strategic AD creates a model where excellence becomes sustainable—not sporadic.
Leadership That Moves Programs Forward
Athletic departments need leaders who can inspire confidence, build systems, and create alignment between big-picture institutional goals and day-to-day operations. Through vision, discipline, and alignment, the modern Athletic Director becomes one of the most influential leaders on campus.
And done well, this leadership elevates not just athletics—but the entire university.
Further Reading
• Leadership Through Personal Accountability
https://www.dr-brian-wickstrom.com/leadership-through-personal-accountability
• Ethical Leadership & Organizational Trust
https://www.dr-brian-wickstrom.com/ethical-leadership-accountability
• Executive Leadership Philosophy
https://www.dr-brian-wickstrom.com/executive-leadership-philosophy
Look at these two articles from my experience at St. John Bosco:
https://www.dr-brian-wickstrom.com/articles/st-john-bosco-student-centered-leadership-wickstrom
https://www.dr-brian-wickstrom.com/articles/st-john-bosco-operational-excellence-wickstrom
