Leadership Style

Leadership Style

First Last

LDR/531

December 10, 2014

Imtha Teecha

Introduction

        “A woman is like a teabag-you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”.  This quote is credited to former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.  Various motivational speakers, replacing the word woman with the word leader, have since adapted the quote.  While there is a standard definition for leadership, the explanation for what makes a great leader is in constant flux.  During research for this assignment, many examples and traits of a great leader, instead of a solid definition, were found.  Amongst the traits are: communication, sense of humor, confidence, commitment, creativity, intuition, and the ability to inspire (Prive, T., 2012).  The well-known leader and innovator, Mr. RuPaul Andre Charles, embody the aforementioned traits.

RuPaul Charles – “You Better WorK!!!”

        RuPaul Andre Charles gained national fame in the 1990s after he released “Supermodel”, an infectious dance tune that seemed to resonate with the masses.  Between then and now, he has been the face of MAC Cosmetics, a talk show host on VH1, he had his own radio show and now RuPaul is gearing up for the premier of the seventh season of aptly titled RuPaul’s Drag Race.  RuPaul has displayed various leadership traits while heading his critically acclaimed television show.  He is a situational leader, adapting to various roles and responsibilities.  RuPaul is creative and committed, during the time he released “Supermodel” the music scene was embracing rap music, gangsta rap in particular.  Instead of breaking out the weapons and the masochism, RuPaul stomped it out on the runway in high fashion and high heels, embracing femininity, a trait our culture hates unless it supports patriarchal power (Ross, T., 2013).  RuPaul displayed intuition when decided to lay low with his drag persona after he sensed the winds had shifted post 9/11.  Sensing again the cyclic nature of the American culture, RuPaul reemerged bigger and better.  RuPaul’s Drag Race, a reality show similar to Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model (both with cult followings of their own) judges contestants on their uniqueness, charisma, nerve, and talent.  Throughout the process, RuPaul uses situational leadership to motivate the contestants through each task.  Some contestants need stroking and others need slapping (with words), RuPaul provides both as he moves throughout the workroom on every episode of “Drag Race”.  He then becomes a different leader on the judges panel as he receives and weighs comments from his appointed judges panel.   RuPaul’s boldness and drive inspires others as evidenced by the thousands of contestants who audition for his show, the countless blogs based on his activities, and the rise of John Wu.  John Wu created the couture dress worn by first lady Michelle Obama during the 2008 inauguration.  A mere three years earlier Mr. Wu was a 21 year old with an idea for the RuPaul Glamazon Doll. He credited RuPaul as his inspiration (Wu, J.).