ABSTRACT
This chapter examines four international leaders, Confucius, Immanuel Kant, the Dalai Lama, Thomas Aquinas, and Pope Francis, who have influenced their followers across diverse regions worldwide. Leveraging transformational or transactional behaviors, these exceptional leaders have changed global thinking in the areas of philosophy, ethics, moral behaviors, fostering meaningful relationships, and spirituality – key attributes of effective leadership today. These topics will validate the need to understand virtues and character strengths in leadership development and how these areas are essential for building meaningful relationships with followers. These unique perspectives from a diverse group of leaders will provide relevant examples of leadership behaviors in action affecting millions of followers around the globe.
