The Disney movie, Mulan, is a great example of the relational leadership model. At the start of the scene, the men and Mulan are unorganized, unskilled, and unsuccessful in completing the challenges. Shang is determined to whip them into shape and increases his involvement in their training. The lyrics to the song are harsh in depicting how ill-equipped they are for the challenges that await them, however it is a part of his process. Shang needs the men to work harder than they ever have before and starts by breaking down their inflated egos. The training is rigorous and requires them to practice over and over.
Shang singles Mulan out and chastises her more than any of the other troops. While brutal at times, Shang is actually empowering Mulan to become a leader in her own right. She needed the extra push from Shang, so that she could rise to the occasion. The lyrics of the song also have an empowering message about what is is "to be a man". They will have "the force of a great typhoon" and "the strength of a raging fire" if they follow Shang's orders and keep pushing on.
Two thirds of the way into the video, there is a shift in the group dynamic. Mulan has risen to the occasion and overcome some of her own challenges. By climbing to the top of the pole and retrieving the arrow, she becomes a leader within the group. She was originally an outcast in the group, but she is now included and revered by her peers. The team is now united under Shang with Mulan as a leader amongst them. They are working as a cohesive unit and completing the challenges with ease. The troops are finally united in the cause to defeat the Huns.
Shang had to refocus and reshape the troops into men capable of taking down the Huns. His process consisted of rigorous training and beratement, which may not seem effective in theory. However, the underlying process was empowering his troops to be the best they could be. His tactics were ethical because he treated each of the men fairly and held them to the same standards. While Shang was not intentionally inclusive, the team developed a culture of inclusiveness in the face of Shang's challenges.
I really like your move choice, and your right I never really thought about it that way but Shang is truly trying to empower his troops even if his methods are questionable. Also Mulan could be seen as a leader as well through where own actions she sets a standard for the team to follow and empowers them as well to reach their common goal.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I didn't think of this movie in regards to relational leadership! It's perfect. Shang is a great example of someone who starts out as a positional leader, but evolves into a leader that has a genuine concern for the group. There are many situations in the movie when he wants to give up, but others rise to positions of leadership to encourage him and often save the day, like Mulan does! Great choice, Taylor.
ReplyDeleteI like how you said about Shang's leadership model. When I watched the movie, I thought Shang was giving Mulan a hard time simply because he disliked her. But now thinking what you said, I feel like he actually is a good leader and really empowered Mulan to be a great leader.
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