James MacGregor Burns

James MacGregor Burns was an influential American historian and leadership expert, best known for his work on transformational leadership. Born in 1918, he gained prominence through his book "Leadership," published in 1978, where he distinguished between transactional leaders, who focus on exchanges and rewards, and transformational leaders, who inspire and elevate their followers. Burns emphasized the importance of values and moral responsibility in leadership. His ideas have significantly shaped the study of leadership and organizational behavior, influencing both scholars and practitioners across various fields. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt.