The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how the instructor uses transformational leadership with the students in the classroom and how this interaction impacts the online learning experience for the student. By incorporating this leadership style to the instructional learning methods used in the classroom instructors can reinforce what is being taught in the lesson. The methodology looked at barriers that hinder or prevent instructors from excelling in online teaching. Data was collected from online teachers and the results were analyzed and put into themes. One area researched was the instructor's ability to incorporate leadership methods into their online lessons. The instructors commented on their observations of the student's participation and leadership development. The implications of these findings suggest that instructors who employ transformational leadership strategies have the capacity to affect organizational change. Instructors must be intentional in their communication with their students and be strategic in their decision making while encouraging students to take risks. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]