For the leadership of any organization to be effective, it must espouse certain ideals. These ideals are what may otherwise be termed, elements of effective leadership. This paper will focus on analyzing the leadership styles of several characters within the movie, ‘Remember the Titans’. The said characters are Coach Boone, Coach Yost, Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell.
Coach Boone employs motivational speaking to inspire industry among the members of his team. I see him as a fair leader who strives to put an end to racial prejudice by encouraging his team members to appreciate their diversity. He even pairs them into mixed racial groups to improve on the quality of their interactions through sharing customs, beliefs, and value systems. This trait reflects the role of a good leader as a healer of all kind of prejudice in whatever social setting.
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Coach Yost is morally upright and honest, which are character traits representative of good leadership. He is a highly respectable figure, who is revered by all players within his team. His passion towards his work enables him relate amicably with all of the players, whether black or white.
Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell. These two are the best players on their respective teams, each representing their particular races. Gerry is an honest leader who puts his team first and upholds his beliefs. He could best be described as a servant leader, much like Coach Yost. Julius on the other hand is portrayed as selfish, especially in the moments when he only looks out for himself in the field. When confronted by Gerry; he claimed he was entitled to look out for himself since the white players were not obligated to cover up for the black players. He is a poor leader in every sense of the world
Similarities/Differences in their Leadership and Management Styles
The most outstanding similarity in the leadership styles of the two coaches would be their supportive attitude towards their subordinates. They apply the participative style of leadership, involving their subordinates in most decision-making processes. Both coaches are also very particular on achievement, and are always looking for innovative ways to better their performance. This includes encouraging their respective teams to be self-reliant when faced with problems.
Coach Boone’s leadership style is dictatorial and is clearly indicated by how he accepts to take instructions from no one. This case is clearly illustrated when he is approached by two white players with suggestions to the coach on how to run his team (Remember the Titans,15:30).He is seen publicly humiliating them by shooting down their suggestions, boasting that he is the one in charge of his team and is therefore, answerable to no one.
Coach Yost on the other hand does is a thoroughly inclusive leader. He has a great relationship of open dialogue and understanding with his players and with the community. His leadership style is accommodative to divergent opinion and is therefore very different from that of Coach Boone.
Leadership styles and Theories in the Movie
Transformational “theory y” leadership (Yukl, 2006) is, in my opinion, a prototype for ideal leadership of all the styles that are represented in the movie. In this style, both leaders and employees work in unity and mutual respect of each other. Employees are constantly encouraged and motivated, with their leaders viewing them in the best light possible. Leaders invest in the performance of their subordinates in the best manner possible.
Transactional leadership style (Yukl, 2006) has been portrayed in the movie through the character of Coach Boone. This is also known as theory ‘x’ leadership style. In this style, leaders are authoritative figures who exercise ironfisted rule. There is reward for exemplary as well as poor results, which is incentive to work or punishment depending on the specificity of the case. This is a detrimental form of leadership since it instills fear in the subordinates, blocking free communication with their leaders.
Remember the Titans is a good study of the kinds of leadership skill and challenges of leadership in equal measure. The movie shows perfections and imperfections of the kinds of leadership in society today. The movie goes ahead to show the adaptive measures taken to counter the challenges, as well as the resulting emotions that bring about the challenges.
References
Bruckheimer. J., Oman, C. (Producers), & Yakin, B. (Director). (2000). Remember the Titans . Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Home Video: Distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organisations . Upper Saddle River, NJ.Pearson Prentice Hall.
