The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

The 21 laws of the title are John C. Maxwell's distillation of leadership, framed around the promise that people will follow a leader who follows the laws. Published by Thomas Nelson in 1998, it is the book Maxwell is best known for and has sold more than a million copies. It became a New York Times best seller in April 1999 after the marketing company ResultSource made a bulk order look like purchases by thousands of individual buyers. Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik faulted its implied message that outside circumstances play no part in a person's failure, a claim he said research contradicts. John Maxwell Team mastermind groups grew out of its principles.

Bountie.io chief executive Lex Na Wei Ming named it among the Maxwell books he read during his National Service and credits with shaping who he is.