Abstract

The case discusses the responsible leadership that Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer (Federer) exhibited leading his life with integrity and demonstrated values-driven behavior on court and off the court. As of September 2022, Federer had won 103 titles, 20 Grand Slam titles, and 1,251 wins in tennis. For all these achievements, he came to be known as the ‘Greatest of All Times’ (GOAT) by his fans in tennis. Federer also received appreciation from several quarters for his sportsmanship, for being an epitome of grace and humility on court and off the court, and for being a humanitarian. He handled his wins with humility and his defeats with graciousness. His fellow players often appreciated Federer for his commitment to leading his life with integrity. As of 2022, Federer had won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award 13 times for his professionalism and integrity – an award wherein his fellow players voted for him. Federer was also a responsible leader whose decisions were by driven by values such as giving back to the society. In 2003, at the age of 22, he started the Roger Federer Foundation with the aim to provide education to underprivileged children in Africa and Switzerland. According to industry observers while Federer created social value through his foundation, he created huge economic value for the society as well as for himself. By the end of 2018, Federer had given US$50 million of the money he had earned as prize money and through brand endorsements to his foundation. Federer only endorsed brands which matched his core values, sensibilities, and standards. In September 2022, Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis since he was grappling with some injuries. After his retirement, he planned to focus more on his foundation, participate in exhibition matches, and spend more time with his family. Industry experts believed that Federer’s biggest legacy, going forward would be his portfolio of brand endorsements some of which might continue even after retirement.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the similarities between sport and business leadership
• Know the role of a coach or mentor in developing responsible leadership
• Understand value creation in the context of sports and business
• Explore the challenges faced by leaders in managing stakeholder expectations

Keywords

Responsible Leader; Team Player; Humanitarian; Humility; Integrity; Social Value; Economic Value; The Mighty Federer; King Roger; Swiss Maestro; Association Of Tennis Players; Roger Federer Foundation; Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award; Rafel Nadal, Novak Djokovic