The best manager I've had as a dev is a first-generation Nigerian-American, and in the year I worked for I saw him get legit fired up once, and it was incredibly effective. At least for me and I think the team as a whole.

Though to support your point, from what I could tell he had that rep with some in the office. But that was probably inevitable given the environment (very white collar) and his personality (certainly not angry but not at all passive either).