Leadership [Paperback]

James MacGregor Burns (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0061319759 | ISBN-13: 978-0061319754 | Publication Date: November 9, 1982 | Edition: 1

One of America's leading historians on the role of leadership in American history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...An impressive book. Although Burns is sophisticated about the frailties of people, Leadership is also an optimistic book..." -- Walter Johnson, The Washington Post

"...an important book..." -- Kenneth B. Clark, City News

About the Author

James MacGregor Burns received his doctorate in political science from Harvard. In 1971, Burns won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for his biography Roosevelt: Soldier of Freedom. A past president of the American Political Science Association, Burns is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and serves as Distinguished Leadership Scholar at the Academy of Leadership that bears his name at the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1 edition (November 9, 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061319759
• ISBN-13: 978-0061319754
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leadership: an analysis study, November 23, 2005

By 

Kimberly M. Gay - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Leadership (Paperback)

The world of leadership is examined through a sweeping assessment on its power and purpose to its origins in James MacGregor Burns's book, Leadership. This book is a very comprehensive overview of the study of leadership as it distinguishes not only what are the two basic styles of leadership: transforming and transactional, but evaluates the theory and practice of leadership skills as well. Burns stated in Leadership, "I define leadership as leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals that represent the values and the motivations¬-the wants and needs, the aspirations and expectations-of both leaders and followers" (19).
Throughout the book, Burns discussed the leadership styles of political leaders to religious and social leaders. From Martin Luther King, Jr to Moses to Mahatma Gandhi to Napoleon, plus Machiavelli and even Adolf Hitler, Burns cited how these leaders made vital distinctions between wants and needs. According to Burns, "the process of leadership must be seen as part of the dynamics of conflict and of power; that leadership is nothing if not linked to collective purpose; that the effectiveness of leaders must be judged not by their press clippings but by actual social change measured by intent and by the satisfaction of human needs and expectations" (3).

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cornerstone of leadership literature, February 11, 2002

By 

Daniel Wilson (Huntington Beach, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leadership (Paperback)

This is the definitive book on leadership. It is long, dense with historical facts, sparkling with insights, and is essential reading for the leadership scholar. Few other leadership books merit a place on the essential reading list for this field.

Burns's accomplishment of recognizing the taxonomy of leadership is unmatched to this day. He distinguishes, for example, intellectual leadership from executive leadership, and explains how each is forged in the "crucible" of circumstances.

Rather than serving as a "how to" guide on leadership, Burns provides the reader with a framework for understanding his or her leadership role, and the requirements that accompany each role. Finding one's own reflection in this catalog of leadership roles can be an exciting and satisfying moment for the reader.

Burns is best known for developing the concept of "transforming" leadership, or "transformational" leadership as he calls it in this book. It stands in contrast to "transactional" leadership, which holds that every leader-follower encounter is an isolated event.

Whether the reader perseveres through the whole book, or just reads the introductory chapters, he or she will be in the presence of some of the best thinking to date on leadership.

24 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Egghead, not worth it, October 30, 1999

By 

Leon M. Bodevin "Do right and fear no man" (Lemoore, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leadership (Paperback)

I am currently halfway through this book. The odd thing is that throughout the book, you get the feeling that you are reading a monumental book. The wealth of historical data that he brings to bear is huge. But somehow, it always turns out to overanalyzed and incohesive. The psychological models used are done so rigorously but to what real effect? He picks up a different model every couple pages; it makes you wonder if he actually supports any of them. This book lacks the formulation of broad theories on leadership that make a John Gardner book or a Howard Gardner book so great. If you are looking for a lot of historical background on leaders, this is a great place to look. If you are looking to become a better leader, look elsewhere.