Leadership is defined as the process in which an individual influences a group in order to achieve a common goal. An effective and good leader is a person who has a vision for the future, motivates and encourages people to get involved in achieving these common visions. When creating a vision leaders analyze the current situation in the industry and focus on the strengths of the organization. Leaders think about the different ways in which to make changes, shape strategies, and do business so that the organization can succeed in the future. The natural strategic choice of every company is to have the company grow and develop. Companies differ in the strategy they apply and in the success of the implementation. Successful companies develop and grow by applying different strategies and can only survive if they develop and maintain a competitive position on the market. This paper explores the role of the decision makers – the leader in selecting and implementing the ways in which to conduct developmental strategies, and that is internal (organic) growth, which means achieving the desired change in strategic positions in the company exclusively with their own resources. By applying this strategy, the company gradually relies on its own competencies. The purpose of this thesis is to define the role of leadership in the implementation of developmental strategies of internal growth and to explore the connection between leadership and the implementation of developmental strategies. A survey was conducted on a number of strategic business units operating within the company Podravka d.d.. The survey analyzed selected internal growth strategies of the company and the role of leadership in implementing the defined internal growth strategy. At the end of the paper, a comprehensive conclusion was drawn which argues the existence of a significant role leadership has in successfully implementing developmental strategies of internal growth.