John C. Maxwell is an American speaker, author, and pastor renowned for his expertise in leadership development. He is the author of three best-selling books: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (1998), Developing the Leader Within You (1993), and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader (1999). Maxwell routinely speaks at leadership conferences for the United Nations, Fortune 500 companies, the US Military Academy, and the National Football League. His most famous work, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, has sold over one million copies to date and has been translated into 50 languages. Maxwell is also the founder of the John Maxwell Company, INJOY Stewardship, Maximum Impact, EQUIP, and the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation. In 2014, he received the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership and was named the world’s most influential leadership expert by Business Insider and Inc. magazine.

Born in Michigan in 1947, Maxwell’s father worked as a pastor. Maxwell initially pursued a career in ministry, earning a doctorate from the Fuller Theological Seminary in his 20s and serving as a pastor for 14 years. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Maxwell describes his time at the San Diego Skyline Church as formative for his personal development as a leader.