Explaining the role of critical thinking and communication skills on the personal brand promotion of Iranian football league players

Personal brand management is very necessary for both athletes and sports organizations. Therefore, with respect to the importance of personal brand for players, the purpose of this research is the explaining the model of the impact of critical thinking and interpersonal communication skills on the personal brand promotion in Iranian football league players.

The research community of this study was 288 players of the Iranian football league (Persian Gulf Cup). According to Krejcie and Morgan table, the sample size was estimated to be 165 players. This study is a causal research and by survey method was conducted. The questionnaires of critical thinking, interpersonal communication skills and personal brand are the main tools of variables measuring. The content validity of the research tool was confirmed by 10 experts and sport management professors, and the reliability of these questionnaires was also confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, being 0.88, 0.86 and 0.92, respectively.

The results of data analysis by using partial least squares (PLS) method, showed that critical thinking had significant effect on personal brand and interpersonal communication skills of Iranian football league players. Also, interpersonal communication skills had significant effect on the personal brand of Iranian football league players.

So, we can conclude that by using the appropriate and desirable way of critical thinking in the Iranian football league players, we will see development and promotion of interpersonal communication skills and personal brand in the Iranian football league players.