James M. Kouzes is an American author, speaker, and leadership expert. He is best known for his work on The Leadership Challenge, a book he co-authored with Barry Z. Posner, which has sold over 3 million copies and been translated into 20 languages. He is also the author of A Leader's Legacy, Credibility, Encouraging the Heart, and Learning Leadership. He is a recipient of the Thought Leadership Award from the American Management Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Leadership Association.