buy into it.20” Also known as the authoritative style, this style is often appropriate when a new direction is required or a clarification of the goals to be achieved is needed.21 The visionaries with the greatest lasting impact are often the leaders most remembered in the history books. Here are a few examples of notable leaders that are considered visionaries by theorists of today include: •
The founding fathers of the United States for their ability to envision a new future of circumstances and helped bring a revolution, and then a new nation, into being .22
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Mohandas Gandhi for rejecting the status quo, and starting a non-violent revolution that ultimately resulted in the independence of India from British rule. 23
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Walt Disney for his excellence in innovation of animation and theme park design and setting a new precedent for making dreams come true.24
“The Mentor” – An individual with a mentoring leadership style works closely with individuals and strives to bring out the best in people by building relationships.25 A simple way to illustrate this style is to imagine a coach of a little league team that puts his arm around a player who might be struggling on the field and helps him to realize what areas he needs to improve by setting a strong, positive example. By investing his time into the player, the coach will begin to be able to help mold the player into a better athlete and performer in the sport. This style is often characterized as compassionate and caring. These leaders are highly empathetic individuals who are able to see the best in others. They are champions of customer service in the work place, and gain their deepest satisfaction from helping to develop others.26 People are often very receptive to mentors, as they often provide the encouragement and motivation needed to help you to excel and overcome your own feelings of inadequacy. Mentors can be found in almost every profession
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