My guest this week, Jim Kouzes, is a fascinating and accomplished man whom The Wall Street Journal calls one of the 12 best executive educators in the U.S. His groundbreaking work with Barry Pozner in organizational culture and leadership behavior is considered the foundation for many executive leadership programs in place today.

Jim is a best-selling author and an award-winning speaker. During our conversation, he shares his personal journey from eagle scout honor guard who got invited to JFK's inauguration, to serving in the Peace Corps, to becoming a pioneer in the world of executive development, to writing the ground-breaking book The Leadership Challenge with Barry Posner, to the work he is doing today to empower leaders, teams, and organizations all over the world.

Key Takeaways:

[3:42] JFK was an influential person in Jim's life and career choices.

[10:47] The early days of Executive Development work.

[18:15] The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Model.

[22:27] Encourage the heart and create community spirit.

[35:04] The importance of good leaders.

Resources:

Mike Robbins Website

Mike Robbins Podcast

Mike Robbins on Facebook

Mike Robbins on Twitter

The Leadership Challenge Organization

The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations by James Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner

Stop Selling and Start Leading: How to Make Extraordinary Sales Happen, by Barry Posner, Deb Calvert, and James M. Kouzes