or this week's discussion, I decided to focus on Ford Motor Company. Ford is a great example of how leadership and external factors both influence strategic planning. From a "romantic" leadership perspective, Alan Mulally stands out. When he became CEO in 2006, he introduced the "One Ford" strategy, which helped unite the company globally and focus on fewer, more competitive vehicle models. His leadership helped Ford survive the 2008 financial crisis without a government bailout, which shows the direct impact an individual leader can have (Lussier & Achua, 2016; Ford Motor Company, 2023). On the other hand, the "external control" perspective is evident in Ford's shift toward electric vehicles in recent years. With the rise of EV competitors like Tesla, growing environmental regulations, and customer demand for greener options, Ford invested billions into EV development, launching models like the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E (Ford Motor Company, 2023). Although Mulally's leadership was seen as visionary, it still responded to external pressures, illustrating how these two perspectives often overlap