FACULTY OF BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT

UNIVERSITY TEKNOLOGI MARA

KAMPUS BANDARAYA MELAKA

SUBJECT : ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR (MGT544)

PREPARED FOR : MADAM SURAYA HAMIMI MASTOR

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 2

SUCCESSFUL LEADER (WALTER ELIAS DISNEY)

PREPARED BY

NAME NUR SHAHNAZ SYAHIRA BT ADNAN

MATRIC NUMBER 2018644928
GROUP BA243 4D
DATE 16th JUNE 2020

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1.0 Introduction/background of the leader

Walter Elias Disney was an American entrepreneur, animator, writer, voice actor and
film producer. He introduced several developments in the production of cartoons and became
the pioneer of animation industry in America. Disney was born in Chicago, December 5, 1901,
and lived most of his childhood in Marceline, Missouri, where Disney developed an early
interest in drawing when he began drawing, painting, and selling pictures to neighbors and
family friends.

He attended McKinley High School in Chicago and took art class, where he involved
in cartoonist for the school paper while taking drawing and photography classes. At night, he
took courses at the Art Institute of Chicago. At the age of 18, he got a job as a commercial
illustrator. Then, he moved to California and set up the Disney Brothers Studio with his brother
Roy. Disney was originally founded on October 16, 1923.

The company named Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio also known as The Walt Disney
Studio and Walt Disney Productions before officially changing its name to The Walt Disney
Company in 1986. In the 1950s, besides focusing as a leader in the American animation
industry, they are diversifying into live-action film production, television, and theme parks. The
personality of Disney was a shy, self-deprecating, and insecure man in private but adopted a
warm and outgoing public persona. He also had high standards and high expectations of those
with whom he worked. In December 966, he died of lung cancer as Disney was a heavy
smoker throughout his life.

1.0 The Successful Story of The Leader

Some of the achievements of Disney, he received 59 Academy Award nominations,

including 22 awards. For Golden Globe Awards, Disney failed to win the awards even though
he was nominated for it, but he was presented with two Special Achievement Awards which
are for Bambi and The Living Desert. He also received four Emmy Award nominations, winning
once, for Best Producer for the Disneyland television series. In 1998, Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs, and Fantasia was listed in the 100 greatest American films which the list is
made according to industry experts.

In February 1960, Disney was awarded with two stars, one for motion pictures and the
other for his television work for Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also received national awards
such as Thailand's Order of the Crown, Germany's Order of Merit, Brazil's Order of the
Southern Cross, and in the United States, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in
1964. He was also awarded honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, the University of Southern
California and the University of California, Los Angeles.

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2.0 The Leadership Style of The Leader

According to Leadership in Organizational Setting’s chapter, one of the early theories

of leadership is trait theory. Trait theories assume that possess certain core personality that
significantly contribute to their success. The core traits identified such as achievement drive,
leadership motivation, knowledge of business, and emotional maturity. These traits were
possessed by Walt Disney such as his determination to realize the goals (achievement drive).
The initial goal of Walt Disney is to create a theme park where everyone can enjoy both kids
and adults. In 1955, he was able to complete this theme park with the created of Disneyland
in Anaheim, California.

Walt Disney has set a simple vision in the company to accomplish his goal which is “I
dream”. This is always the focal center in the company to keep people aware and motivated
by this vision (leadership motivation). By this vision, he was able to be a leader and develop
Disneyland. Besides, he is the salesman who was able to convince people to invest on his
dream (knowledge of business). He was a great leader because of his salesmanship and his
personality who upheld characteristics of honesty, enthusiasm, and persistence (emotional
maturity). Finally, Walt Disney was a servant leader who is known for caring so much for his
employees because he believed when he respected his employees and in return the
employees will return the respect.

Walt Disney is known for his transformational leadership. As defined in Chapter 7,

transformational leaders are visionary, inspiring, daring, risk-takers and thoughtful thinkers.
Disney has showed each four necessary qualities in transformational leader in his leadership.
Firstly, idealized influence where the leaders act as role models for employees. Disney
demonstrated hard work in making anything possible. He was a dreamer; even after he
achieved success, he continued to innovate. Disney used charisma and respect everyone who
works with him to inspire the importance of collective sense of mission.

Secondly, inspirational motivation where promotion of consistent vision, mission, and

values that able to motivate his staff and support it. His vision is to instill the objectives that
Disneyland will never be completed, and it will continue to grow when imagination is still left
in the world. The value instill by Walt Disney was he encouraged the sharing of ideas and
created a work environment. He also used storytelling in meetings to illustrate his company
vision. He believes that by telling a compelling story, it would help others make better decisions
and help everyone to communicate the vision of the team.

Intellectual stimulation, where the leader encourages new ideas from their followers
and never criticize the publicly. Disney empowering followers to innovate was by encouraged
them to tackle problems in certain way.

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 As in the entertainment industry, creativity is an important competitive advantage in a
firm. Disney ensured employees felt challenged as he never stopped creating new characters
or trying new things and motivate the employees to do so. He set high expectations for his
followers, for example the rules he set for those playing characters in the theme park must
immersed in his role and character. Finally, individualized consideration where they are
empowered to make decisions and supported to implement the decision. He went above and
beyond for his employees, by funding the California institute of Arts (Cal Arts) where people
could work together, and create art meant that given their emotional ties with their leader.

3.0 Opinion Towards Leadership Style

In the entertainment industry, creativity and continued innovation is critical factors that
determine the competitive advantage of the company. The Walt Disney’s leadership style
which are align with trait industry and transformational leader, is a suitable style to lead the
company. Walt Disney manage to prove both leadership style successfully and lead the team
to create various memorable history through their creation around the world.

My opinion towards Walt Disney’s leadership style is he who upheld characteristics of

honesty, enthusiasm, confidence, courage, and persistence. He is not only a leader but also
innovator, he was able to get people to trust him and his dream. His salesmanship makes him
a great leader because he was able to sell his innovative idea and have people invest in him.
He also is a great role model to his employees. His characters and personality inspire many
people, especially the workers.

The transformational leadership also helps the employees to brings the best out of
them. As Walt Disney has high expectations on his workers, Walt Disney practiced a variety
of method to motivate the employees and help them to produce an exceptional result. The
vision set by Walt Disney is also simple but inspirational to the workers. He also introduces a
method how to communicate the vision so that everyone clears about it and motivated to
achieve it. He who concern on the employees’ well-being and the environment of the
workplace invest on Cal Arts where people could work together with their leader.

5.0 Conclusion

Walt Disney has proven to have behavioral characteristic that leaders share, which are
achievement drive, leadership motivation, knowledge of business, and emotional maturity. He
is not only the leader but also the salesman. Besides, he was also identified as
transformational leader who meet each four factors that include inspirational motivation,
intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and idealized influence. Alongside with
his personality and leadership skills, Walt Disney is proven a great leader figure in history.

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REFERENCES

(n.d.). Retrieved from Biography Online: https://www.biographyonline.net/artists/walt-disney.html

Walker, M. J. (2018). The Magic of Walt Disney. Retrieved from Pennstate Liberal Arts Online:
https://sites.psu.edu/leaderfoundationsdobbs/2018/09/24/the-magic-of-walt-
disney/#:~:text=He%20upheld%20characteristics%20of%20honesty,trust%20him%20and%2
0his%20dream.&text=In%20conclusion%2C%20Walt%20Disney%20was,to%20be%20a%20gr
eat%20leader.

Walt Disney – A Transformational and Charismatic Leader. (n.d.). Retrieved from Aspiring Leaders in
Education: https://aspiringleadersineducation.wordpress.com/leadership-styles/walt-
disney-a-transformational-and-charismatic-leader/

Williams, P. (2019). Learning Leadership From Walt Disney, Master of Soft Skills. Retrieved from
Training Industry: https://trainingindustry.com/articles/leadership/learning-leadership-
from-walt-disney-master-of-soft-skills/