Jim Kouzes is co-author with Barry Posner of the The Leadership Challenge, the award-winning, best-selling book that has become the industry standard, with more than a million copies sold.
Jim also is an executive fellow of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University.
In addition to The Leadership Challenge, Jim and Barry co-authored Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It, chosen by Industry Week as one of the ten best management books of 1993. Their other books include, Encouraging the Heart (1999, 2003), The Leadership Challenge Workbook (1999, 2003), and The Leadership Challenge Journal (2003). Based on solid research, these books describe the leadership principles and practices that generate high performance in individuals and organizations.
In 1988, Jim and Barry developed the widely used and highly acclaimed Leadership Practices Inventory® (LPI), a 360° questionnaire assessing leadership behavior (Jossey-Bass/ Pfeiffer, 1988, 1997, 2003). The LPI has been administered to over a million individuals, and over 400 research studies by others have been based on it.
In 2001, the International Management Council (IMC) honored Jim and Barry with the prestigious Wilbur M. McFeely Award, joining the ranks of past recipients that include Peter Drucker, Lee Iacocca, Tom Peters, Ken Blanchard, Norman Vincent Peale, Francis Hesselbein, Stephen Covey, and Rosabeth Moss Kanter.
Jim is featured as one of workplace experts in What Works at Work: Lessons from the Masters by George Dixon (1988) and in Learning Journeys: Top Management Experts Share Hard-Earned Lessons on Becoming Great Mentors and Leaders edited by Marshall Goldsmith, Beverly Kaye and Ken Shelton (2000).
Not only is Jim a highly regarded leadership scholar and experienced executive, The Wall Street Journal has cited him as one of the twelve best executive educators in the U.S.
A popular speaker, Jim shares lessons learned about leadership from over 30 years of original research. He leaves his audiences inspired with practical leadership tools and tips to apply at work, at home, and in their communities. His client list is impressive.
Jim served as president, then CEO and chairman of the Tom Peters Company from 1988-2000. Prior to his tenure at TPC he directed the Executive Development Center at Santa Clara University from 1981 through 1987. Under his leadership the EDC was awarded two gold medals from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. In 1972, he founded the Joint Center for Human Services Development at San Jose State University, which he managed until 1980.
Jim’s commitment to service was nurtured during his years growing up in the Washington, D.C. area. His lifelong career in education began in 1967-1969 when he served for two years in the Peace Corps. Jim believes it was on January 20, 1961 when he was first inspired to dedicate himself to leadership. That was the day he was one of only a dozen Eagle Scouts who served in John F. Kennedy's Honor Guard at the Presidential Inauguration.
Find out about key messages that can be included in Jim Kouzes keynote speech.