Transformational Leadership Is Developing And Transforming...

As discussed in the text, transformational leadership is characteristic of a leader that â€Å"helps bring about major, positive changes by moving group members beyond their self-interests and toward the good of the group, organization, or society. The essence of transformational leadership is developing and transforming people (Dubrin)†. A perfect portrayal of this leadership style is Walt Disney. Walt Disney transformed the hearts and minds by setting forth a visionary reality. Walt knew that by taking his visionary strengths and working with his brother to complement each other’s strengths that they would be able to foster a group of followers and visionary leaders working with them. Walt led with four key tenants: Chase your dream, believe†¦show more content†¦The second characteristic is enthusiasm. Walt motivated his employees and encouraged them to inspire achievement. An enthusiastic leader keeps the employees engaged and more likely to keep them of a p ositive mindset. The third characteristic is confidence. Disney is famous for his quote â€Å"It takes people to make the dream a reality†. Disney was confident in his ideals and his vision, and he was confident in the people he had working with him to make it happen. He worked hard to instill that confidence in those people around him. It takes true confidence in oneself to feel connected to and truly engaged because not only do you know that those around you believe in you, but most importantly that you believe in you. When a leader is confident those that work under that leader are more likely to perform better because they are assured of a confident future. The fourth characteristic is courage. Disney historian Craig Hodgkins said of Walt that he was â€Å"completely focused on his product and his goals, not on himself†(ISU). By being able to do this, the leader’s energy is honed into the mission and not reflective of how one looks or appears and exclusively about the brand. The fifth characteristic is persistence. The things that are worthwhile are hard work. Walt understood this and was persistent to the end. He set out to finish what he started. This is an extremely important