English 106
A true leader inspires others to work hard and accomplish important tasks. The leader delivers duties for the betterment of the society as a whole, be enthusiastic and set right example for others to follow. One such leader was Coco Chanel. She became one of the most powerful business icons at a time when a woman was not allowed in business and men held key positions in business. She had many leadership qualities that differentiated her abilities and helped her reach the top in the then male dominated society. Coco was visionary. She had a clear sense of what future of fashion would be like and what actions she needed to perform to get there. Thesis statement: Coco Chanel was a True Leader.
Coco was a pioneer in bringing positive change to the women in the society. She not only changed the way women dressed those days, but also the way they acted. She did a lot of change to the fashion world as such. Born in France, in August 1883, Coco lost her mother at an early age of six and spent her entire childhood at an orphanage. The orphanage was of a Catholic monastery of Aubazine and she learned to sew there. But not all women who sew become Coco Chanel. Her determination to chase her dreams let her lead one of the most reputed fashion brands of today. What started with selling hats made her the richest business women.
Coco Chanel was in true sense a charismatic leader. She inspired women to change way they think and act. The secret of the success of her unmatched brand was that, her “Chanel” fashion house sold “art of living” for women besides selling clothing line and accessories. Coco became a role model for them to look up to at a time when women was treated with disparity, She was a true rebel, believed in her and dared to do what was difficult to imagine.
Coco was dignified and had enormous courage that forced her to keep her values intact no matter what the situation were. She is known to put herself to test, and work beyond her comfort zone. At the age of seventy when she had enormous luxuries of life she could have very well sat at home and enjoyed. But she chose to do something new and different this time. She produced new designs and launched the at a fashion show. People did not like the designs initially as it seemed old-fashioned. But she kept trying and was successful the second time. Coco worked until she died at the age of 88.
Leadership is also about knowing “who you are” and “what you stand for.”Coco knew her dreams and made all possible efforts to fulfill them. This attitude of her made her exemplary.
As described in the Hersey-Blanchard leadership style, Coco Chanel’s style of leadership was “Selling.” This means she had a high-task, high-relationship style, which works best in moderate-to high-readiness situations. Coco maintained her direct contact with people during the days when she started designing. This attitude of connecting with people directly helped her understand their tastes well and turn her brand into a success. Her close connect with people helped her design simple yet classy clothing and accessory like for all class of people.
Another trait of a leader is to avail all opportunities that come along. This trait helps maintain the leadership position during trying times. Coco moved around with rich people and mixed freely. She had contacts with most influential people in Europe, who helped her survive when her competitors were struggling with business. In 929, when Wall Street crashed and the prices of shares began to fall, the world economy was at threat. During those times, too Coco did not see a problem. She changed the course of her business. Instead of making clothes simple and cheaper, she made it more stylish and expensive for rich people to buy.
In addition to being concerned about the task, she was also concerned about people of her country, trait of a true leader. In 1930, when French economy was in bad shape Coco, employed 4,000 people in her factory. Later this decision proved to be wrong and she had to shut the factory.
Conclusion
Coco Chanel with her hard work and dedication became one of the most powerful fashion icons. She was the only lady from the fashion background listed as in Time magazine as 100 most powerful people in 20th Century. There are many new developments she brought during her leadership. First is the change in the notion of perceiving women and her capabilities and secondly surviving during the toughest challenges. The transition from a poor girl from an orphanage to one of the most influential people in the fashion industry is no joke. She challenged herself, worked hard, showed dedication to whatever she believed in and thus made it to the most coveted place. She is a true leader and a great example for women.
Works cited
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/coco-chanel.html
C, Lisa. Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life. Penguin Books; Reprint edition, 2012.
P, Justine. Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life. It Books; Reprint edition, August 23, 2011.
http://prezi.com/eu4oi79wcjbw/business-leader-coco-chanel/
