The digital transformation in the manufacturing sector, which encompasses the coexistence of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, has been fundamentally changing the way the world works, communicates, and organizes itself. In addition to demanding rapid technological adaptation of their processes, the dynamism of this scenario also significantly impacts the human factor within their areas of operation. In this sense, the demand for new competencies and new forms of people management are outcomes of this transformation, making leadership a key position for organizations’ success and culture of innovation, directly influencing their results. Therefore, this study aims to measure the main impacts on industry management in the context of digital transformation from the perspective of transformational leadership. The research was conducted through a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA methodology. Among its main findings, five positive impacts and four potential challenges of transformational leadership within the context of digital transformation were identified. These findings were subjected to analysis by leaders from a Brazilian automotive industry to assess their empirical perception of them. The outcome of this analysis consisted of validating the positive impacts of this leadership style and invalidating its challenges as potential risks in practice, corroborating its relevance in the context of the industry undergoing digital transformation.