Celebrity as Catalyst: Connecting Leadership Development to Pop Culture
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| Title: | Celebrity as Catalyst: Connecting Leadership Development to Pop Culture |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Brittany Devies (ORCID |
| Source: | New Directions for Student Leadership. 2025 (185):9-16. |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 8 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Descriptors: | Popular Culture, Leadership Training, Change Agents, Reputation, Social Status, Teaching Methods, Cultural Context, Socialization, Teacher Leadership, Curriculum, Educational Environment |
| DOI: | 10.1002/yd.20650 |
| ISSN: | 2373-3349 2373-3357 |
| Abstract: | Pop culture has served as a catalyst for leadership development, both creating and manufacturing culture while also creating the parameters for us to understand culture in a public context. While pop culture has influenced how people engage with leadership development across contexts, celebrities have been the manifestation of pop culture throughout history. Through the influences of socialization and the evolution of pop culture, the field of leadership development has been impacted in a myriad of ways. This article will explore pedagogical techniques that leadership educators can utilize in curricular and co-curricular learning environments and unique recommendations, implications, and applications across various contexts. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1462378 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwF8cQ0wE4MuUi-xe3Y0BNwuAAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDJfEj_x4xcbU_Y6uvwIBEICBm--2WVfCjKpri-IklFrAHNVcsLMQTw8PX8jrHTcv2ZMjzRB6PQWS0h5oza8EknRjzyUDHoqeWK9nyLKw4b0ZW_H7e3zjkVJhJqEi7bj5W2O-0PzB4RivvOgN1wiHTUEgDqdUHgF1y6rPX2NLFXcJyRZ2kmRBCeGt0fz4iFMY2VVWzViOlYwuxBXE-44Ov_b-VrJQZlraawXrAtZa Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN0183689323;[i75m]01mar.25;2025Mar18.06:13;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0183689323-1">Celebrity as Catalyst: Connecting Leadership Development to pop Culture </title> <sbt id="AN0183689323-2">Introduction</sbt> <p>Pop culture has served as a catalyst for leadership development, both creating and manufacturing culture while also creating the parameters for us to understand culture in a public context. While pop culture has influenced how people engage with leadership development across contexts, celebrities have been the manifestation of pop culture throughout history. Through the influences of socialization and the evolution of pop culture, the field of leadership development has been impacted in a myriad of ways. This article will explore pedagogical techniques that leadership educators can utilize in curricular and co‐curricular learning environments and unique recommendations, implications, and applications across various contexts.</p> <p>Pop culture acts as a medium for individuals to gain inspiration, escape from reality, and become socialized behind a screen. While using celebrities as a medium of leadership development, it is evident how understanding of leadership has been influenced by celebrities, especially through the socialization process. While using celebrities as a modality for leadership development is inherently challenging and flawed, as authors, we posit the same philosophy as author Roxane Gay uses to describe the feminist movement. Gay ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref1">14</reflink>]) stated, "...in truth, feminism is flawed because it is a movement powered by people and people are inherently flawed" (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref2">5</reflink>). This is comparable to using real humans, such as celebrities, as methods and examples of leadership learning. Celebrities make mistakes and have shortcomings. Guthrie and Devies ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref3">17</reflink>]) stated, "...leaders are humans and make mistakes" (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref4">3</reflink>). In theory, the complexities of their humanity and identity as leaders make celebrities perfect catalysts for leadership development.</p> <p>In this article, we explore the ways in which celebrities serve as a catalyst for leadership development through their impact on the socialization process. Specifically, it is critical to examine the influence of celebrities and how these circumstances can be translated into pedagogical tools for leadership learners and educators in various contexts. As an author team, we will offer a framework to better understand the influence of celebrities as actors of pop culture, recommendations for pedagogical tools, implications for practice, and critiques of using pop culture influences for leadership development. Simultaneously, we uphold the importance of context in this conversation. As individuals, our unique contexts influence the ways we are socialized and exposed to different celebrities when discussing pop culture.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-3">Overview of Topic</hd> <p>Harro ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref5">20</reflink>]) described socialization as a cycle that individuals are forced to participate in, even before birth, and that can change as people develop their own identities, values, and life choices. Similarly, the process of leadership development is heavily influenced by various experiences throughout one's lifespan. This process of leadership development can be seen as it applies to celebrities and the evolution of pop culture across different environments due to social construction, or the ways that one develops their own understanding of the world due to their lived experiences, cultural contexts, and environments (Billsberry [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref6">4</reflink>]; Guthrie et al. [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref7">16</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-4">Celebrities and Pop Culture</hd> <p>Pop culture has evolved in all aspects throughout time. Rafique et al. ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref8">27</reflink>]) defined pop culture as, "...a culture that is used by the public at the mass level," (<reflink idref="bib175" id="ref9">175</reflink>) across diverse environments that can change rapidly. There are many varied sources of pop culture, such as films, TV programs, online gaming, politics, music, sports, advertisements, e‐commerce, and mobile applications (Rafique et al. [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref10">27</reflink>]). One of the reasons that pop culture has increased in prevalence in society and includes international influences is due to the general rise in mass media, and in specific, digital mass media (Rafique et al. [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref11">27</reflink>]). Due to the rapid rise of digital mass media (especially in the United States), we can see the impact of socialization at a much faster rate.</p> <p>For example, in the age of cable TV, people had to wait for a specific time to watch television programs, but as digital mass media has progressed, we have moved away from this model of watching television to one that relies on the click of a button through streaming services. In this digital mass media age, the omnipresence of media and pop culture exposes people to one another with greater frequency, especially when a fan base is developed around celebrities. Another example that greatly steers and reinforces one's socialization is the influence of algorithms on what types of media are presented to a user. It is known that social media applications, namely TikTok, present users with content identical to or similar to content they have previously engaged with. This means, while there are theoretically more pieces of content from a diverse array of voices that exist in these spaces holistically, it is unlikely that users on these platforms will be exposed to content that contradicts their accepted‐through‐engagement perspective. Despite these challenges, this saturation and familiarity with celebrities is a well‐known concept, allowing it to be a bridge to less familiar concepts of leadership development.</p> <p>As members of society, we view celebrities as both products of, and contributors to, pop culture. Pop culture can be seen as a driver of influential aspects of identity, as seen in films, music, and television programs (Rafique et al. [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref12">27</reflink>]). Celebrities act as either curators or subjects highlighted throughout these mediums, giving them power, influence, and impact on society. Similarly, leaders hold this same power, influence, and impact, especially when power dynamics exist over their followers (Dugan [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref13">12</reflink>]).</p> <p>Popper ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref14">26</reflink>]) detailed three types of followers; one type is social‐psychosocial followers, who follow leaders who, "...are seen as symbols of culture" and leaders who craft a story that their "followers [can] anchor their identity within the story" (Guthrie and Devies [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref15">17</reflink>], 25). Guthrie and Devies ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref16">17</reflink>]) went further to state how these, "...followers see themselves as collaborators within the storyline," (<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref17">25</reflink>). With this concept, we see celebrities as the literal actors of pop culture, which allows us to understand leadership through observation.</p> <p>Something important to consider when using celebrities as a springboard for leadership development is <emph>identity assumption</emph>; that a person engaging in the discussion of leaders or leadership personally identifies as a leader. When we talk about leadership, it may be easier to identify others as leaders or see the process of leadership as external to oneself. If we remember that self‐identification as a leader is not a prerequisite to learning about leadership, then pop culture conversation can open the door to thinking about what leadership is and allow people to see such thinking, behaviors, and actions within themselves.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-5">Leadership</hd> <p>Burns ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref18">8</reflink>]) noted leadership is one of society's most explored phenomena and still is one of the least understood, which is still true today! Leadership is a socially constructed and culturally contextual developmental process (Beatty and Guthrie [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref19">2</reflink>]; Bertrand Jones et al. [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref20">3</reflink>]; Dugan [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref21">12</reflink>]; Guthrie and Jenkins [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref22">18</reflink>]; Guthrie et al. [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref23">16</reflink>]). Bertrand Jones et al. ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref24">3</reflink>]) described leadership as a process of exploring leader identity, capacity, and efficacy. There are moments of socialization that influence these three processes, and there are ties for us to compare our experiences to those of celebrities. This comparison and connection of experiences is due to the social construction that comes with understanding leadership, and, specifically, leadership development from <emph>inter</emph>‐ and <emph>intra</emph>‐national perspectives. While it is important to understand the leadership process from an international perspective, engaging with it from intra‐national perspectives allows us to understand how different diverse communities engage in the leadership process in our shared context. Bordas ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref25">5</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref26">6</reflink>]) discusses the importance of intra‐national perspectives in leadership, as commonly shared and centered Western perspectives of leadership do not always apply to diverse communities within our shared society.</p> <p>Leadership development is, "...the reflection and integration of leadership knowledge, skills, and values" (Bertrand Jones et al. [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref27">3</reflink>], 5). Bertrand Jones et al. ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref28">3</reflink>]) further described leadership development as a process that, "...focuses on the group—its interpersonal growth and relationships, [whereas] leader development focuses on the individual—intrapersonal growth and opportunity to understand the self" (<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref29">11</reflink>).</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-6">Culturally Relevant Leadership Learning</hd> <p>The culturally relevant leadership learning model (CRLL) can be used to critically interrogate leadership development programs (Beatty and Guthrie [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref30">2</reflink>]; Bertrand Jones et al. [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref31">3</reflink>]). This model specifically addresses the ways individuals engage in the leadership process through a critical analysis of leader identity, capacity, and efficacy (Bertrand Jones et al. [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref32">3</reflink>]). CRLL considers both the individual in the leadership process and the environments where the leadership development and learning process occurs through five environmental factors (Bertrand Jones et al. [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref33">3</reflink>]). Utilizing models and theories that center leadership learning and development from a growth mindset (Dweck [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref34">13</reflink>]) and a culturally relevant perspective (Ladson‐Billings [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref35">22</reflink>]), leadership educators can engage with leadership learners in unique and innovative ways, such as when we use celebrities as a medium for pop culture.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-7">Leadership Observation</hd> <p>When creating leadership development experiences, it is important to understand how leadership observation is situated in the leadership learning process. Guthrie and Jenkins ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref36">18</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref37">19</reflink>]) created the leadership learning framework (LLF) as a guide to leadership learning. Leadership observation is one of the core aspects of LLF, and suggested leadership observation can occur when, "...the learner is a passive recipient of the learning" (Guthrie and Jenkins [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref38">18</reflink>], 65). This suggests leadership learning, and in some cases, leadership development, can occur from observing others in the leadership process. Devies ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref39">10</reflink>]) suggested leadership observation can be used to enhance the meaning‐making process alongside additional leadership pedagogical tools. Devies et al. ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref40">11</reflink>]) evidenced in Figure 1 four types of leadership observation: passive‐inductive, active‐inductive, active‐deductive, and passive‐deductive. To understand how celebrities have impacted our understanding of leadership development, it is critical to explore additional connections to theories and concepts of leadership and their links to the experiential learning process (Devies [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref41">10</reflink>]).</p> <p> <img src="https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/embimages/rdk/I75M/01mar25/yd20650-fig-0001.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNXb4kSepq84yOvqOLCmsE6epq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS" alt="yd20650-fig-0001.jpg" title="1 The four quadrants of leadership observations. Reprinted with permission from Devies et al. Copyright 2024." /> </p> <p></p> <hd id="AN0183689323-9">Pedagogy</hd> <p>Pedagogically, there are many avenues leadership educators can use as they consider using celebrities as catalysts for leadership development. One pedagogical method this article seeks to showcase is leadership observation as pedagogy. Leadership observation, "...refers to the social, cultural, and observational aspects of leadership learning" (Guthrie and Jenkins [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref42">18</reflink>], 65). It is a constructivist approach to learning that allows the learner to make meaning, "...of the effectiveness of the leadership process they are observing within the sociocultural context" (Devies [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref43">10</reflink>], 102). Two types of leadership observation are inductive and deductive (Guthrie and Jenkins [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref44">18</reflink>]; Mitra [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref45">23</reflink>]). Devies et al. ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref46">11</reflink>]) presented four sub‐types of leadership observation: passive‐inductive, active‐inductive, passive‐deductive, and active‐deductive. These concepts of leadership observation are important tools as we explore using celebrities as catalysts for leadership development.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-10">Leading With Theories and Models for Leadership Development</hd> <p>When leadership educators begin their learning with leadership models and concepts, it can be classified as deductive observation. Guthrie and Jenkins ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref47">18</reflink>]) defined <emph>deductive leadership observation</emph> as, "...observing in which inferences are made from previous experiences" and in which "conclusions are [made] from either general or universal principles we infer" (<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref48">66</reflink>). Devies et al. ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref49">11</reflink>]) claimed deductive leadership observation, "...can look like teaching a new leadership theory or concept and then positing the question, 'Where have you seen this unfold before?' This most often happens through recalled observations, many times those that were passively observed" (<reflink idref="bib93" id="ref50">93</reflink>).</p> <p>When using deductive leadership observation to observe celebrities, leadership educators would teach a new leadership model, theory, or concept, and then challenge learners to recall past observations or experiences as examples of the content. For example, a leadership educator may teach the five practices of exemplary leadership (Kouzes and Posner [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref51">21</reflink>]). This leadership model includes five practices: model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart (Kouzes and Posner [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref52">21</reflink>]). Each of these practices could be used to help students recall a celebrity example, someone who they believe engages in that leadership practice particularly well (or perhaps has room for improvement).</p> <p> <emph>Model the way</emph> encompasses finding your voice, knowing your values, and carrying out actions aligned with your values as a leader (Kouzes and Posner [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref53">21</reflink>]). Christian Siriano may be a good example for this practice. He was the first major designer to begin creating garments for plus‐size celebrities when other designers refused to even meet with these celebrities. <emph>Inspiring a shared vision</emph> challenges leaders to, "...envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities" while also enlisting "others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations" (Kouzes and Posner [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref54">21</reflink>], 18). When looking for examples of <emph>inspiring a shared vision</emph>, Michelle Obama could be a great case study of this practice, particularly when we think of her work uniting the country to support her school lunch initiatives.</p> <p> <emph>Challenge the process</emph> is understood as a practice that allows leaders to, "...search for opportunities by seizing the initiative and by looking outward for innovative ways to improve" (Kouzes and Posner [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref55">21</reflink>], 20). This practice can sometimes be challenging to think of a good example for; an example leadership educators could use to highlight this practice is the US Women's National Soccer Team addressing the women's pay gap, particularly the actions taken by the team from 2016 to 2022. <emph>Enabling others to act</emph> is a leadership practice that celebrates collaboration grounded in trust and relationships (Kouzes and Posner [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref56">21</reflink>]). Greta Thunberg's speech at the United Nations convening is a prime example of enabling others to act.</p> <p>Finally, <emph>encouraging the heart</emph> is a practice to, "...recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence" (Kouzes and Posner [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref57">21</reflink>], 23). In thinking of encouraging the heart, the Birmingham‐Southern baseball team is a great case study, as they proceeded to the College World Series after their college closed in 2024. The team learned of the school's impending closure in March and rallied against statistical and medical odds (a stomach virus ravaged the team's roster) to win its super‐regional tournament. The team lost in Game Two of the College World Series but continued to capture the hearts and minds of baseball fans and nonfans alike, for 2 days longer than the 106‐year‐old college existed.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-11">Leading With Celebrity for Leadership Development</hd> <p>Alternatively, sometimes leadership educators challenge students to look inductively at the media to learn. Guthrie and Jenkins ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref58">18</reflink>]) defined inductive leadership observation as, "...a way of being introduced to new concepts, interactions, and relationships...[to]...make sense of the world" (<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref59">66</reflink>). Additionally, Devies et al. ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref60">11</reflink>]) asserted, "Inductive leadership observation allows learners to find their own course concepts to map on something new they observe'' (<reflink idref="bib93" id="ref61">93</reflink>). Using pop culture references, this could look like observing a moment in pop culture, like action by a celebrity, and asking leadership learners to think through what leadership models, theories, and concepts they are seeing within that person, action, or observation.</p> <p>One of the many examples of approaching this challenge from an inductive approach can be found in Derrick's Latinx Leadership Development course. Bordas ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref62">5</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref63">6</reflink>]) discussed the many ways leadership development can be seen from an intra‐national perspective, especially around how African American, Latiné, and Native communities engage with the leadership process. By teaching these perspectives of leadership from a non‐US‐centric perspective, we come to understand that leadership is culturally contextual and socially constructed (Guthrie et al. [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref64">16</reflink>]). In this course, he intentionally creates a space where students add songs to a Spotify playlist throughout the semester.</p> <p>He has noticed that this not only helps him connect better with his students but also aids in his pedagogical techniques. If students do not have any news or conversation starters, he asks his class to pick an artist from the playlist they co‐created and talk about the ways that those artists have exemplified leadership or leadership development. One vivid example of this is when students had a conversation about Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, and how her achievements as an Afro‐Caribbean woman landed her a spot in the 2024 American Women Quarters Program, which allows her image to be featured on the upcoming circulation of U.S. quarters. Utilizing Bordas' ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref65">7</reflink>]) Latino leadership principles as a framework, the class co‐constructed an analysis of her experiences related to the leadership development of Celia Cruz as she was both a Black Latina woman and a trailblazer for the music industry.</p> <p>Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny, is a prime example of a celebrity who challenges the traditional paradigms of leadership. Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican Reggaeton* artist who took to fame in 2016. Reggaeton is a genre that for decades has been dominated by heteronormativity, cis‐males, and machismo*. Bad Bunny entered Reggaeton, following suit to the genre and its normativity. Benito's progression through the genre has ushered in a new wave of Reggaeton that is more inclusive than decades before. Benito has challenged gender norms through his dressing in drag in his music video "Yo Perreo Sola" as well as in his day‐to‐day life by publicly showcasing gender nonconforming styles.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-12">Recommendations</hd> <p>The significance of a celebrity or a person capable of influencing others often reflects the values, identities, and priorities of an individual. When considering celebrity as a tool to understand leadership development, including examples promoting diversity of identity, thought, influence, and impact invites more people into the conversation. As leadership learners' experience with or recognition of leadership development varies, utilizing celebrities as a medium can invite them into a conversation where some may feel they lack the language to contribute otherwise.</p> <p>As we have witnessed countless times in pop culture, many adored, idolized, or celebrated celebrities have developed a unique fanbase. Each celebrity has a <emph>unique</emph> contribution to the pop culture collective. Many leadership learners have watched their favorite celebrity's journey to fame—from blogs to SoundCloud music releases to podcasts. Leadership learners have developed buy‐in for the celebrities they follow due to the celebrity's ability to fuse their identity with their craft. Celebrities hold various identities, including different races, ethnicities, linguistic backgrounds, religious backgrounds, gender and sexual identities, neurodiversity, ability, and many more.</p> <p>The moment celebrities step into fame, their identities and actions become discourse evaluated by the public, and every breath is now analyzed. Their continuance to exist, to move forward, and to thrive sets an example in leadership, for what resistance looks like for diverse populations. This is what authenticity looks like even while existing in spaces that were not designed for them. However, it is important to acknowledge the discourse surrounding the capability of leading authentically depending on the setting. Pop culture and celebrity influences serve as a potential medium for understanding how to integrate various traits that have not existed within traditional leadership discourse.</p> <p>Bridging this to leadership development and co‐curricular spaces provides a nuanced opportunity for leadership learners to have an entry point for understanding leadership development that can feel natural to them. This creates buy‐in for leadership learners to understand that leadership development goes beyond that specific context. Leadership development is something they can build and strengthen now and take into the world as their favorite celebrities do. Bringing in relevant celebrities to aid in analyzing their leadership development makes leadership more accessible to the next generation of leaders. This offers leadership development spaces the opportunity to provide a direct message to learners that not only is it okay for them to show up as their whole selves, but it also empowers their full, authentic personhood.</p> <p>When reviewing the myriads of diverse celebrities, leadership learners can view their leadership development as existing outside of the traditional paradigms of leadership. Leadership development is a process mainly theorized through Western discourse (Ospina and Foldy [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref66">24</reflink>]). Ospina and Foldy ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref67">24</reflink>]) emphasized the significance of populations from diverse racial and other backgrounds being left out of mainstream discourse regarding leadership being the rationale for its slow movement toward a more inclusive and equitable process of theorizing leadership development.</p> <p>When learners view leadership development through this framework, those who do not "fit the mold" begin to question whether they possess the capacity to lead. There exists a debate between nature and nurture: either you are born with such capacity, or you can learn it. Nature promotes a fixed mindset, while the other promotes a growth mindset (Dweck [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref68">13</reflink>]). In continuing to present students with diverse examples of leadership development and examples of how leadership development does not present monolithically, qualities of leadership development become more accessible to those who believe they do not possess the capability or traits.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-13">Implications</hd> <p>Often, people are quick to recognize the negative impacts of today's media landscape: the impact of constant online presence, communication that lacks the nuance of face‐to‐face engagement, overwhelming access to news, trends, and feelings of expectancy, and the glorification of overconsumption and unrealistic or unattainable standards. Recognizing these symptoms of media and culture can allow examination of the environments of celebrity leadership that may differ from our daily lives. It may also allow space to examine how the process of leadership is often still present. If pop culture is a microcosm of the larger society, this also provides an opportunity to wrestle with the challenges and injustices that persist and impact how people engage with the process of leadership differently.</p> <p>Since celebrities are people who exist uniquely, using celebrities as examples of leadership is not a universal, one‐size‐fits‐all process. One individual will not reflect every form or theory of leadership at one time; some may come in the direct challenge of one system while serving as a great example of another. Leaving space for these "what about" conversations creates an opportunity to examine leadership as a process in reality.</p> <p>Any consumer of media can likely recall a shortcoming of a person of interest, and how the individual was received in the aftermath. These experiences, like Steve Harvey's likely accidental but embarrassing misnaming of the 2015 Miss Universe winner, are often hot buttons of discussion. The complexity of personhood can fog and harm the concepts of leadership but can also lead to meaningful examples of leadership in support of others. Sometimes, moments of moral failure or shortcomings can create an environment where leadership exists in an impactful way.</p> <p>In 2006, the "Me Too" Movement, led by Tarana Burke, empowered victims/survivors of sexual violence to seek support through community and influence systems to seek justice against perpetrators. In the face of violence and injustice, Tarana led and influenced others. The persistent nature of injustice that spawned and underlined the "Me too." movement created an environment that moved others to action, from a grassroots movement to a national and international stage over many years.</p> <p>With the study of any social concept, the complexity of personhood complicates what it means to examine leadership and the "leader" identity. A person can exhibit leadership in one space while actively failing in another environment. Guthrie and Devies ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref69">17</reflink>]) reinforced this, noting the important influence of context in the leadership process. Consider this—if you asked 10 people the question, "what qualities make a person a good leader," you would likely collect 10 unique answers with some level of consistency, perhaps with words like honesty, respect, and courage.</p> <p>If you took those qualities and did a quick internet search, like "honest leader," you would yield names of individuals who, to the author of the identified article, embodied that trait. This does not mean, however, that the individual is universally accepted as a person who exhibits leadership. This person may have committed acts of harm or hold beliefs that devalue or deface others. They may have, on one or multiple occasions, conducted themselves in a poor manner. The list of actions or inactions that could challenge the idea of leadership is never‐ending. This is especially true with celebrities, as their public and private lives are fodder for consumers. An implication of using celebrity to teach or discuss leadership is emphasizing the importance of nuance and allowing individuals to differentiate for themselves between a discrete moment of challenge experienced by an individual and someone whose actions support systems of power that harm others, notably historically disenfranchised or marginalized groups of people.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-14">Application</hd> <p>It is important to note that in a culture of increased political polarization, the diversity of opinion, and the impacts caused by the ways we were socialized, leadership learners may share examples of leadership that align with their personal beliefs, but that are contrary to those of their peers. Leadership educators should create and prioritize spaces to create challenges without causing undue harm. It is important to weigh the options of discussion versus redirection. Leadership educators may find benefit in opening points of contention with questions, prompting leadership learners to share their thoughts, or posing questions that may lead to a new framing of contexts and processes, such as shown in the examples provided above. Preparation as a leadership educator is of great importance to build personal skills that aid in navigating complex environments and controversial viewpoints. Understanding these nuances can create space for deeper conversations around the complexity of leadership.</p> <p>Considering how leadership development is a continuous, and quite frankly messy process, utilizing reflexive practices can reveal many aspects of a leadership learner. For example, reflection can expand how a leadership learner arrived at their understanding of leadership, their positionality within leadership, and reveal what aspects of leadership the leadership learner seeks to grow in. Challenging one's leadership style as a leadership learner provides the opportunity to understand growth points, which can produce a contemporary approach to leadership and its applicability to various contexts and environments. As authors, we seek to encourage shared dialogue in which leveraging pop culture and celebrities can serve as mediums for reflexive discourse to explore how other leadership learners have come to understand leadership development consciously or unconsciously, especially through our unique socialization processes.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-15">Critiques</hd> <p>With the 2000s boom in social media, information about celebrities and notable people has become increasingly more accessible. While we now have greater depth and breadth of knowledge, it is not to be confused with a true understanding of the multi‐dimensional aspects of a person. Parasocial relationships are relationships that form between an individual person and a person notable in culture that are one‐sided and often involve the notable person having no knowledge of the existence of the other party.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-16">The Complexity of the Parasocial Relationship</hd> <p>Parasocial relationships have become increasingly prevalent and can be seen in the relationships some fans have with artists like Taylor Swift, where a false sense of intimacy and connection is created through performances and writing styles (Cleveland Clinic [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref70">9</reflink>]). This perception of closeness and authenticity can lead to misinformed assumptions about a celebrity's values, personal beliefs, and even political stances. Such assumptions become evident when students engage in discussions around leadership concepts. Students may identify their favorite celebrity as an honest leader, or a strong communicator when, in reality, it is highly unlikely that the student can attest to the celebrity's character or ability.</p> <p>This false assurance may lead a student to "doubling down" in defense of their chosen celebrity due to their sense of, albeit unfounded, connectivity to the person. To become a celebrity, a perceived level of talent is needed; mastery in their given discipline requires a skill set to succeed. The danger is when parasocial relationships create a false understanding of a wider breadth of knowledge, and students may view celebrities as leaders not just in their industry but across politics and popular culture.</p> <p>There could be an inclination to connect this understanding to the relational leadership model led by the students' assumption of trust in the celebrity. However, a key difference is the absence of reciprocity (Antonakis and Day [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref71">1</reflink>]). This over‐glorification can create a slippery slope when celebrities fail to adhere to assumptions made about their demonstration of leadership. An overinflated sense of expertise on a celebrity could lead to extrapolation on the part of the individual about a celebrity's knowledge, viewpoints, and experiences. This "stretch" of understanding may lead the individual to elevate their chosen celebrity to the point of universal good, labeling them as a prodigal example in all realms, even those outside their discipline.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-17">Celebrities and Cancel Culture</hd> <p>With the integration of pop culture examples into leadership development pedagogy, we must also consider the role of the nuance of containing multitudes and concepts like "cancel culture." The false interpersonal relationship created by parasocial environments does not allow for personal accountability; because there is no actual relationship between the "leader" (celebrity) and "follower" (consumer), the follower seeks accountability through controllable avenues like reputation, making accountability a challenging leadership concept to teach in this context.</p> <p>For the better part of her career, Ellen DeGeneres was a clear example of <emph>model the way</emph>. She was one of the first openly gay celebrities and was intentional in serving as a representative and advocate for the gay community. However, the latter half of her talk show career was marred with allegations of mistreatment of her staff and the creation of a toxic work environment. The impact of these allegations on the people subjected to mistreatment is plenty and significant, and it would be unfair and unreasonable to dismiss this impact out of reverence for DeGeneres' prior actions.</p> <p>As we examine leaders and leadership, recognition of the failures of celebrities and the impact of such failures also leads to learning; when students are challenged to critically reflect on "cancellations," they are encouraged to practice empathy and other relational skills that underpin numerous leader‐follower relationship theories, like leader‐member exchange (Graen and Uhl‐Bien [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref72">15</reflink>]). Failure to explore cancellations beyond a headline or ignore them entirely promotes an incomplete picture of celebrity and leadership. Often, "leader" (celebrity) accountability in parasocial relationships looks like half‐hearted apologies released by publicists meant to target the human nature of the follower rather than the genuine, relational accountability we often share in leadership processes. It is the role of leadership educators to make learning moments from the complexity of the human experience, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.</p> <hd id="AN0183689323-18">Conclusion</hd> <p>While leadership development can be defined and operationalized in a variety of ways, dependent on context, lived experience, and identity, we must understand the many ways we can shift our pedagogical tools to better understand and define this process. Utilizing celebrities as a medium for leadership development can empower leadership learners with a tangible way of connecting with leadership theories to increase leader identity, capacity, and efficacy. While it is important to ensure that leadership learners do not get lost in the glorification and idolization of celebrities, the use of celebrities as pedagogical tool allows leadership educators to center their experiences and actions as mapped onto theory.</p> <p>As individuals, we all have preferences, especially when it comes to celebrities in different industries. While it is important to celebrate these differences in preferences, it is the role of leadership educators who are using celebrities as a medium for leadership development to utilize diverse examples to create culturally relevant leadership environments. Pacheco and Devies ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref73">25</reflink>]) specifically speak about the ways that engaging in culturally relevant learning environments not only aids leadership educators and learners in their exploration of identity, capacity, and efficacy but also in their development. Utilizing celebrities as a medium for leadership development comes with many pitfalls, but when utilized as a pedagogical tool, it can aid leadership learners in making real‐world connections that inform leadership theory and practice.</p> <ref id="AN0183689323-19"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref71" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Antonakis, J., and D. V. Day. 2018. The Nature of Leadership. SAGE Publications.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref19" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Beatty, C. C., and K. L. Guthrie. 2021. Operationalizing the Culturally Relevant Leadership Learning. Information Age Publishing.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref4" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Bertrand Jones, T., K. L. Guthrie, and L. Osteen. 2016. " Critical Domains of Culturally Relevant Leadership Learning: a Call to Transform Leadership programs." In New Directions for Student Leadership: No.152. 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Drummond and Derek Estrella‐Padilla</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib175" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref14"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref17"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref22"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref29"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref34"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref35"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref37"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref39"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref45"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib66" firstref="ref48"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib93" firstref="ref50"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref51"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref66"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref72"></nolink> |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Celebrity as Catalyst: Connecting Leadership Development to Pop Culture – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brittany+Devies%22">Brittany Devies</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3025-5613">0000-0003-3025-5613</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Derrick+Raphael+Pacheco%22">Derrick Raphael Pacheco</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0409-3809">0000-0003-0409-3809</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lauren+A%2E+Haynes%22">Lauren A. Haynes</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8025-1771">0009-0000-8025-1771</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Madison+B%2E+Drummond%22">Madison B. Drummond</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8240-0023">0009-0003-8240-0023</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Derek+Estrella-Padilla%22">Derek Estrella-Padilla</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6489-2975">0009-0007-6489-2975</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22New+Directions+for+Student+Leadership%22"><i>New Directions for Student Leadership</i></searchLink>. 2025 (185):9-16. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 8 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Popular+Culture%22">Popular Culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership+Training%22">Leadership Training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Change+Agents%22">Change Agents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reputation%22">Reputation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Status%22">Social Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Context%22">Cultural Context</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socialization%22">Socialization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Leadership%22">Teacher Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum%22">Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1002/yd.20650 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 2373-3349<br />2373-3357 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Pop culture has served as a catalyst for leadership development, both creating and manufacturing culture while also creating the parameters for us to understand culture in a public context. While pop culture has influenced how people engage with leadership development across contexts, celebrities have been the manifestation of pop culture throughout history. Through the influences of socialization and the evolution of pop culture, the field of leadership development has been impacted in a myriad of ways. This article will explore pedagogical techniques that leadership educators can utilize in curricular and co-curricular learning environments and unique recommendations, implications, and applications across various contexts. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1462378 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1002/yd.20650 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 8 StartPage: 9 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Popular Culture Type: general – SubjectFull: Leadership Training Type: general – SubjectFull: Change Agents Type: general – SubjectFull: Reputation Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Status Type: general – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods Type: general – SubjectFull: Cultural Context Type: general – SubjectFull: Socialization Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Leadership Type: general – SubjectFull: Curriculum Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Environment Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Celebrity as Catalyst: Connecting Leadership Development to Pop Culture Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Brittany Devies – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Derrick Raphael Pacheco – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lauren A. Haynes – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Madison B. Drummond – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Derek Estrella-Padilla IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 2373-3349 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 2373-3357 Numbering: – Type: issue Value: 185 Titles: – TitleFull: New Directions for Student Leadership Type: main |
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