(3)

Then, aside from unethical behavior, the firing of John Lasseter also indicates the existence of political behavior within the company. As Lasseter had observed upon his employment with the firm, management at Disney had been based on loyalty to the firm and seniority, rather than actual performances, competence or innovative style. As he put it:

"You put in your time for 20 years and do what you're told, and then you can be in charge" (case).

The decision to fire Lasseter was not related to his competence in his job, but to his frictions with his managers. The situation eventually materialized in the manager's decision to have him fired, and the decision was a political one -- supported by executives -- rather than a justified one.

(4)

Today, John Lasseter is the creative force behind the films of both Pixar and Disney and finds himself in a position in which he has to exert leadership...

His leadership style is nevertheless different from the structured and political one at the old Disney Company. Lasseter seeks to motivate, inspire and empower his employees, so that innovation is created. He strives to avoid office politics, and prefers to focus on people and creativity.
"Nearly all of the principles that govern Lasseter's management style can be explained by one of two things. First, there is the wisdom instilled by working closely with mentors like Jobs and Catmull at Pixar. And second, there is the direct experience gained from having suffered under bad bosses, which translates to a determination not to repeat their mistakes" (Debruge, 2011).