1. Running head: THE LEADERS MODEL 1
The LEADERS Model
Dana Wavle
Indiana University
SPH-R 511
Organizational Leadership of Park, Recreation, and Public Land Organizations
February 15, 2016

2. THE LEADERS MODEL 2
Introduction
According to Daft (2011), “defining leadership has been a complex and elusive problem
largely because the nature of leadership itself is complex” (p. 4). Leadership is both an art and a
science with inherent polarities. For example, a leader of many must be a master of one (through
personal mastery). One of the most famous Supreme Court opinions provided a test that can be
used to describe leadership – it is known when it is seen (Gewertz, 1996). The LEADERS
model provides a framework that defines core leadership principles and behavioral attributes.
The model is based upon the following mnemonic:
Table 1
L Lead by example
E Earn and extend trust
A Adopt a bias for action and proactivity
D Demonstrate core values
E Engage the four E’s of involvement
R Respect the three C’s – communication, culture, and change
S Succeed by planning and prioritizing
Table 1. The LEADERS model.
This paper will explore each of the components of the LEADERS model in order to provide a
framework to achieve leadership independence and increase organizational effectiveness.
Lead by Example
Leaders perform their work in the “leadership fishbowl.” Every behavior, decision, and
action is on display for all to see. Leaders must master themselves in a way that facilitates
leadership effectiveness and “achieves desired results” (Daft, 2011, p. 144). John Maxwell’s The
21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is an excellent resource for leaders to cultivate and attain key
leadership attitudes and attributes that establish and build credibility among followers (see
Appendix A for a summary of the 21 laws). “Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing

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less” (Maxwell, 1998, p. 17). Maxwell’s view of leadership aligns with Daft’s definition of
leadership. “Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend
real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes” (2011, p. 5).
Maxwell’s Law of Connection establishes the need for leaders to connect with followers.
He highlights another leadership polarity: “A key to connecting with others is recognizing that
even in a group,” leaders must “relate to people as individuals” (p. 103). Further, connection
occurs when the leader shows genuine care and concern for others. Followers will not care how
much a leader knows until they know how much the leader cares (p. 102). Once again, Maxwell
and Daft are in agreement: “good leadership springs from a genuine caring for the work and a
genuine concern for other people” (Daft, 2011, p. 18).
The Law of Sacrifice states that leadership requires sacrifice (Maxwell, 1998, p. 189). As
the level of leadership increases, “responsibilities increase and rights decrease” (p. 189), as
illustrated in Figure 1:
Figure 1
Figure 1. The cost of leadership. As leadership responsibilities increase, rights decrease.
Source: https://glerio.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/the-law-of-sacrifice/
This principle could be considered an “acid test” for leadership. Some may aspire to high level
leadership positions for the big salary or big title. Such individuals, who are driven by desires
for more “rights,” are unlikely to make the sacrifices that are required for the greater good. On
the other hand, a person who aspires to a high level leadership position because he or she

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genuinely cares for the employees of the organization, has the ability to influence “real changes
and outcomes” (Daft), and is willing to make the personal sacrifices to achieve success is well on
the way to servant leadership. “Servant leaders transcend self-interest to serve the needs of
others, help others grow and develop, and provide opportunity for others to gain materially and
emotionally” (Daft, 2011, p. 176). People will follow a servant leader who is willing to make the
sacrifices that are needed to move an organization forward. For example, a leader who is willing
to take a cut in pay when an organization is not doing well financially is demonstrating the Law
of Sacrifice and building credibility among followers.
Another critical leadership attribute is self-control, which is highly dependent on personal
sacrifice. Leaders must be aware of and manage the broad range of emotions that are typically
amplified by challenging or stressful situations. For example, being angry over something is a
natural emotion, but it is also one that could alienate people. Leaders must manage their
emotions, understand the impact of their reactions on others, and make hard emotional sacrifices
(e.g., avoiding the display of anger that alienates) for the higher purpose of encouraging people
to follow. According to Stephan and Pace (2002), effective leaders stay on the peaceful path.
They must have the strength and discipline to avoid the visceral response, which will almost
always make matters worse. Leaders are tested daily with problems, questions, endless e-mails,
phone calls, scheduled and unscheduled meetings, interruptions, deadlines, and more work than
hours in a day. A "peaceful-path" leader who can remain cool, calm, and collected in a chaotic
work environment will quickly earn the trust, respect, and support of his or her employees.

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Earn and Extend Trust
According to Stephen M. R. Covey, trust is “the one thing that changes everything”
(Covey, 2006, p.1). The five “waves” of trust are illustrated in Figure 2:
Figure 2
Figure 2. The five “waves” of trust (Covey, 2006, p. 33).
Source: http://www.speedoftrust.com/How-The-Speed-of-Trust-works/book
Effective and successful leaders must work to establish and build trust at all levels, from the self
to society. Positive and productive relationships are foundational to leadership effectiveness.
Accordingly, Covey provides thirteen succinct, two-word behaviors that establish relationship
trust:
Table 2
1. Talk straight 8. Confront reality
2. Demonstrate respect 9. Clarify expectations
3. Create transparency 10. Practice accountability
4. Right wrongs 11. Listen first
5. Show loyalty 12. Keep commitments
6. Deliver results 13. Extend trust
7. Get better
Table 2: Thirteen trust-building behaviors (Covey, 2006).

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Stephen R. Covey, the father of Stephen M. R. Covey, recommends that leaders view
relationships as bank accounts where deposits increase trust and withdrawals decrease trust
(1989, p. 188). The six types of “deposits” or trust-building activities are (1) understanding the
individual, (2) attending to the little things, (3) keeping commitments, (4) clarifying
expectations, (5) showing personal integrity, and (6) apologizing sincerely when withdrawals
occur (pp. 190-197). Leaders should view every conversation and encounter as an opportunity to
make a trust deposit. Earning and extending trust requires a sincere, long-term commitment.
Maxwell’s Law of Process states that “what matters most is what [leaders] do day by day over
the long haul” (1998, p. 23). This law can be extended to include relationships that require
continual investments to generate compound growth over time (p. 23).
Relationships and collaboration go hand in hand. The two-fold definition of
collaboration should be enlightening for leaders: "1. to work, one with another; cooperate, as on
a literary work; 2. to cooperate, usually willingly, with an enemy nation, especially with an
enemy occupying one's country" (from dictionary.com). Collaboration can be easy, such as
working with a like-minded colleague on a project or report. It can also be among the most
difficult things for any professional. With reference to the second definition, true collaboration
means that leaders must work with people who are different in subtle or obvious ways
with opposing viewpoints and differing opinions -- as extreme as "cooperation with an opposing
enemy." Leaders must learn how to find common ground and be open to the ideas, opinions, and
suggestions of others. Effective leaders unite people, build relationships, and engage in the "lost
art" of listening.
Powerful Leadership by Stephan and Pace (2002) is another excellent resource for
leaders. Stephan and Pace provide seven leadership principles or “essential changes” that

7. THE LEADERS MODEL 7
support and foster high-trust environments for leadership effectiveness. The first essential
change is that powerful leaders must free people to take the lead. Leaders succeed or fail not by
what they do but by what they encourage and allow others to do (p. 21). This first leadership
principle is another acid test for all leaders. The unspoken reality is that 21st century leaders are
overburdened with vast responsibilities and unrealistic expectations. As mentioned previously,
there are not enough hours in the day to get the job done. Leaders must rely on their direct
reports to “own” and run their functional areas. Any attempt to micromanage (as a “sheep dog”)
will destroy morale and impair productivity. Leaders will “pass the test” if they can take the
bold step to free people to take the lead.
Freeing people to take the lead aligns well with the findings of both McGregor and
Herzberg. McGregor’s Theory Y is based upon the belief that employees want responsibility,
self-control, and empowerment. According to McGregor (1957), a Theory Y organization is
characterized by decentralization and delegation, job enlargement, and participative/consultative
management. Employees want to direct and control their own activities, accept more
responsibility, and have a voice in the management of the organization. McGregor’s work is
based upon Maslow’s Hierarchy and the principle that “a satisfied need is not a motivator of
behavior” (McGregor, 1957). For example, if physiological and safety needs are met, the only
way to motivate employees is to provide opportunities to satisfy psychological and self-
fulfillment needs. Similarly, Herzberg found that responsibility and growth opportunities
are motivators (Daft, 2011, p. 231). In short, freeing people to take the lead liberates them to
achieve their full potential and liberates the leader as well. By liberating direct reports, leaders
create a high trust environment that can increase employee performance, morale, and

8. THE LEADERS MODEL 8
productivity. Great leaders articulate goals and allow the operational experts the freedom to
figure out the best way to achieve them.
Adopt a Bias for Action and Proactivity
As mentioned previously, leaders must rely on their direct reports to “own” and run their
functional areas. This means that direct reports must be fully accountable for their areas – the
first to see problems and opportunities for improvements. The Oz Principle by Connors, Smith,
and Hickman (2004) provides an accountability model for leadership independence, illustrated in
Figure 3:
Figure 3
Figure 3. The Oz principle.
Source: https://www.ozprinciple.com/self/steps-to-accountability/
There is an imaginary “accountability line” in the workplace. Employees operate “below the
line” when they ignore, deny, point fingers, cover their “tail,” blame others, or have a “wait and

9. THE LEADERS MODEL 9
see” attitude (Connors et al., 2004, p. 11). Clearly, this is not a healthy Theory Y environment.
Leaders must strive to create an accountability environment where employees accept
responsibility and operate “above the line.” The mantra for the Oz Principle is “see it, own it,
solve it, do it!” (p. 11).
In this type of environment, direct reports must anticipate problems and lead solutions.
They must assume that Murphy’s Law will prevail and always be prepared for the worst case
scenario.
In the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, Lieutenant Dike had earned a reputation for
disappearing, avoiding action, and providing little or no direction to the troops. He was a leader
in title only – an “empty uniform.” Sergeant Lipton would later reflect that “Dike was not a bad
leader because he made bad decisions. He was a bad leader because he made no decisions”
(Yost, 2001). Leaders must be decisive and have a bias for action and proactivity.
Indecisiveness can occur when there is a desire for perfect or complete information, which
seldom occurs in the current fast-paced work environment. The Marine Corps is well known for
making rapid decisions with incomplete or imperfect information in order to achieve what is
referred to as the “70% solution” where completion is more important than perfection
(Freedman, 2000, p. 8). Leaders must create and foster an environment where direct reports can
implement “70% solutions” without fear of making mistakes, and where mistakes are viewed as
lessons that will repeat themselves until learned (Daft, 2011, p. 432).
The first step for followers to move from dependence to independence and eventually
interdependence is to “be proactive:”
“Proactive people recognize that they have the ability to choose
and to act with integrity. They do not blame others or life’s
circumstances for their outcomes. . . . Proactive people know that it

10. THE LEADERS MODEL 10
is not what happened to them but how they respond to it that
ultimately matters.” (Daft, 2011, pp. 204-5)
Leaders must understand that the starting point is dependency. Maturity does not happen
instantly or overnight. Effective leaders cultivate an environment that encourages long-term
growth and development. With Maxwell’s Law of Process in mind, incremental improvement
over a long period of time can lead to significant change.
Demonstrate Core Values
Leaders must understand the culture of the organization in which they serve.
Understanding and demonstrating the organization’s core values will increase leadership
effectiveness. Core values are the beliefs and “guiding principles that dictate behavior and
action” (www.yourdictioonary.com). For example, Indiana University Southeast has four core
values: integrity, connectedness, holistic learning, and nurturing environment. Bright Horizons
Family Solutions’ core values are summarized by the HEART acronym: honesty, excellence,
accountability, respect, and teamwork. Zappos has ten compelling core values: (1) deliver
“WOW” through service, (2) embrace and drive change, (3) create fun and a little weirdness, (4)
be adventurous, creative, and open-minded, (5) pursue growth and learning, (6) build open and
honest relationships with communication, (7) build a positive team and family spirit, (8) do more
with less, (9) be passionate and determined, and (10) be humble (www.zappos.com/core-values).
Leading by example and using the organization’s core values as a guide for decisions and actions
will increase leadership effectiveness.
According to Stephan and Pace (2002), powerful leaders take the high road. They have a
value system and code of ethics that guide decisions and actions. In addition, the personal traits
of an ethical leader are much different than the traits of an unethical leader. Ethical leaders
exhibit high levels of humility, concern, honesty, commitment, fairness, responsibility, respect,

11. THE LEADERS MODEL 11
encouragement, service, and courage compared to unethical leaders who are arrogant, self-
serving, self-interested, and generally destructive in nature (Daft, 2011, p. 168). Similarly,
Stephan and Pace describe a good (or ethical) person as showing humility, respect, loyalty,
righteousness, and trust (Stephan & Pace, 2002, p. 157). With power and position comes
temptation. A quick Google search of “corporate fraud” will provide evidence of leaders who
failed to take the high road. Now more than ever, powerful leaders must exhibit and engage in
ethical behavior. Stephan and Pace recommend that powerful leaders develop and disseminate
an Ethical Bill of Rights to instill ethical values and standards throughout the organization.
Engage the Four E’s of Involvement
Stephen and Pace’s fourth essential change is that powerful leaders engage the four E’s of
involvement: envisioning, enabling, energizing, and ensuring (2002, p. 96). Each of the four E’s
are highlighted below.
Envisioning. The need for leadership vision is supported by ancient wisdom from the
Book of Proverbs (“Where there is no vision, the people perish”) and Maslow’s assertion “that
there must be more to life than meeting physiological needs” (p. 100). Further, John Maxwell’s
Law of Navigation states that “anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course”
(Maxwell, 1998, p. 33). In order to “chart the course,” leaders must have vision. Leroy Eims
provides an excellent description of the visionary leader: “A leader is one who sees more than
others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others do” (p. 36).
Enabling. Stephan and Pace distinguish the difference between empowerment and
enablement. Empowerment is the transfer of permission and authority. Enablement provides the
tools, resources, assistance, and leverage to get the job done. Enablement is an act of
amplification, whereas empowerment is an act of abdication. Daft includes empowerment in the

12. THE LEADERS MODEL 12
new leadership paradigm (2011, p. 8) because it is the antithesis of control. Empowerment is
certainly not a bad thing. Stephan and Pace are simply attempting to highlight the notion that
powerful leaders will go beyond empowerment to enable employees to succeed.
Energizing. Powerful leaders “energize workers through continuous demonstrations of
personal excitement, personal confidence, and unswerving support” (Stephan & Pace, 2002, p.
106). As Daft (2011) points out, strong leaders will exhibit high levels of energy, passion, and
physical stamina; they are optimistic, enthusiastic, and driven (p. 40). The leader sets the tone
for the organization and has the ability to energize the troops by his or her outward
demonstrations of inner attitudes and beliefs. In that regard, leaders can energize the
organization by leading with commitment, compassion, and encouragement.
Ensuring. According to Stephan and Pace, “the most common leadership weakness is
the lack of willingness or inability to clearly focus on employees’ goals, to provide support and
feedback, and to create a climate of celebration and rejoicing when goals are achieved” (2002, p.
112). The authors present the “return and report meeting” as a method of ensuring results (the
fourth E). An effective return and report meeting starts with a positive tone, reviews the
assignment, asks the employee for an update, provides positive and supportive feedback, and
finishes with a discussion of unfinished tasks.
Respect the Three Cs
The “three C’s” that can make or break a leader are communication, culture, and change.
An effective leader must have an understanding of the positive and negative impact of each of
the “three C’s” and be able to use them to increase personal, professional, and organizational
effectiveness. Failure to do so could result in derailment (Daft, 2011, p. 23).

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Communication. Communication breakdowns are at the heart of most problems. The
words of the warden in Cool Hand Luke frequently ring in the ears of leaders who are confronted
with problems: “What we have got here is failure to communicate” (Pearce & Pierson, 1967).
Great leaders are great communicators. They have learned the art of being a communication
champion “to inspire and unite people around a common sense of purpose and identity” (Daft,
2011, p. 265).
When trying to diagnose communication breakdowns, the circular model of interpersonal
communication can provide a roadmap for restored communication (Figure 4).
Figure 4
Figure 4. The circular model of interpersonal communication (Daft, 2011, p. 263).
Ultimately, the burden of communication rests with the sender. If a message from the sender to
receiver is unclear or ambiguous, the sender must increase clarity and strengthen the message.

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Culture. Culture is defined as “the set of key values, assumptions, understandings, and
norms that [are] shared by members of an organization and taught to new members as correct”
(Daft, 2011, p. 428). Culture is both visible and invisible, as illustrated by Figure 5:
Figure 5
Figure 5. Levels of Organizational Culture (Daft, 2011, p. 429).
Effective leaders must understand an organization’s culture in order to understand the
collective personality of the organization and how it impacts employee morale, relationships,
teamwork, and productivity. An understanding of culture will also assist with change
management.
Change. Relying on the work of Jonathan Haidt, Heath and Heath (2010) compare the
rational and emotional sides of human nature as an elephant with a rider. The rational rider
struggles to steer the elephant of emotion (p. 7). The rational rider will attempt to steer change
with memos, e-mails, 30-slide PowerPoints, and internal publications. The elephant of emotion
does not steer easily or change course quickly. Effective leaders must design change
management plans around strategies that will motivate the elephant of emotion to change its
course and head in a new direction. Leaders must also understand that change is like a rubber
band. Organizations will always feel the “pull” to revert back to the pre-change state.

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Succeed by Planning and Prioritizing
Every successful project requires a winning plan and a project champion. Maxwell’s
Law of Navigation includes the “PLAN AHEAD” project planning framework in the form of a
mnemonic (Table 3):
Table 3
P Predetermine a course of action
L Lay out the goals
A Adjust priorities
N Notify key personnel
A Allow time for acceptance
H Head into action
E Expect problems
A Always point to the success
D Daily review the plan
Table 3. PLAN AHEAD (Maxwell, 1998, p. 40)
In addition to having the right project plan, a successful project will also require a project
champion, project sponsor, and project team. The project champion is passionate about the
project and has a track record for getting things and working well with others. The project
champion has a bias for action and proactivity and will work through challenges. The project
sponsor is the enabler who provides the resources, tools, guidance, political support, and
leverage to complete the project. The project team “is a unit of two or more people who interact
and coordinate their work to accomplish a shared goal or purpose” (Daft, 2011, p. 294). This
model provides a quick method of diagnosing the progress of a project. More often than not,
when a project slows, stalls, or fails, it is the result of not having the right project champion. It
could also be the result of an ineffective project sponsor or non-functioning team. The role of
the project champion cannot be overstated.

16. THE LEADERS MODEL 16
Maxwell (1998) provides additional guidance with the Laws of Priorities and Timing:
 Law of Priorities: “Focus … attention on the activities that rank in the top 20 percent
in terms of importance” and will provide “an 80% return on … effort” (p. 177).
 Law of Timing: “The right action at the right time results in success” (p. 198).
Additionally, with the change management dynamics and Maxwell’s Law of Process in mind,
incremental improvements over a long period of time will be easier to achieve than rapid
changes that create turbulence.
Conclusion
The LEADERS model provides a framework to achieve leadership independence and
increase organizational effectiveness, based upon core leadership principles and behavioral
attributes. The stakes are high. Maxwell’s Law of Solid Ground states that every leader starts a
new leadership position with a certain amount of change in their pocket, after which the change
is either built up or paid out based upon trust deposits or withdrawals. When the change runs
out, the leader is out (Maxwell, 1998, p. 57). “No leader can break trust with his [or her] people
and expect to keep influencing them” (p. 65). Personal mastery of the LEADERS model will
strengthen the ground upon which the leader stands and increase the likelihood of trust deposits
that will pay long-term dividends for the leader, their followers, and the organization.

17. THE LEADERS MODEL 17
References
Connors, R., Smith, T., & Hickman, C. (2004). The Oz principle: Getting results through
individual and organizational accountability. New York: Portfolio.
Covey, S. M., & Merrill, R. R. (2006). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything.
New York: Free Press.
Covey, S. R. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal
change. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Daft, R. (2011). The leadership experience. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Freedman, D. H. (2000). Corps business: The 30 management principles of the U.S. Marines.
New York: HarperBusiness.
Gewertz, P. (1996). On “I know it when I see it.” Faculty Scholarship Series. Paper 1706.
http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/fss_papers/1706
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2010). Switch: How to change things when change is hard. New York:
Broadway.
Maxwell, J. (1998). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership: Follow them and people will follow
you. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
McGregor, D. (1957). The human side of enterprise. The Management Review, 22-28.
Pearce, D., & Pierson, F. (Screenwriters). (1967). Cool hand Luke [Motion picture on DVD].
United States: Warner Bros.-Seven Arts.
Stephan, E. G., & Pace, R. W. (2002). Powerful leadership: How to unleash the potential in
others and simplify your own life. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR.
Yost, G. (Screenwriter). (2001). Band of brothers, part 7 – The breaking point [Motion picture
on DVD]. United States: HBO.

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Appendix A
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
By John C. Maxwell
Summarized and edited by Dana Wavle
1. The Law of the Lid - Organizational effectiveness is determined by the leadership ability of
the organization’s top-level executive. In other words, an organization will never be more
effective than its leader, who is also the “lid”.
2. The Law of Influence - Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less. Leadership is
about influencing people to follow, while management focuses on maintaining systems and
processes. Leaders can influence people to move in a new direction.
3. The Law of Process - What matters most is what leaders do day by day over the long haul.
Leaders who continually invest in their leadership development, letting their assets
compound, will experience growth over time. Successful leaders are learners. Leadership
does not develop in a day. It takes a lifetime.
4. The Law of Navigation - According to Leroy Eims, “a leader is one who sees more than
others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others do.” Leaders have
the vision to chart the course for success, and are capable of taking their people just about
anywhere. Leaders PLAN AHEAD (mnemonic).
5. The Law of E.F. Hutton - When leaders speak, people listen. According to Margaret
Thatcher, “Being in power is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t
[sic].” Leaders possess and maintain character, relationships, information, intuition,
experience, and past success.
6. The Law of Solid Ground - Character makes trust possible, and trust makes leadership
possible. Solid ground is built upon trust. Every leader has a certain amount of change in
their pocket when they start in a new leadership position. From then on, they either build up
their change or pay it out. When a leader runs out of change, he or she is out as the leader.
No leader can break trust with followers and expect to keep influencing them.
7. The Law of Respect - Followers are attracted to people who are better leaders than
themselves. The more leadership ability a person has, the more quickly they recognize
leadership, or the lack thereof, in others. People will either get on board and follow the
strongest leaders or they will leave the group and pursue their own agenda. People who are
9’s and 10’s won’t follow a 7.
8. The Law of Intuition - Leaders are aware of the situation, trends, resources, people, and
themselves. They have a handle on intangibles. Leadership is more of an art than a science.
9. The Law of Magnetism - Leaders draw people who possess similar qualities in key areas:
attitude, generation (age), background, values, life experience, and leadership ability.
Leaders draw people who are like themselves. Leaders who want to improve the people they
attract must start by improving themselves.
10. The Law of Connection - Followers will not care how much a leader knows until they know
how much the leader cares. Leaders relate to people as individuals, and they will touch a
heart before asking for a hand. Leaders must love before they can lead.

19. THE LEADERS MODEL 19
11. The Law of the Inner Circle - Leaders surround themselves with the best people. Lone
rangers who ignore the inner circle lack leadership.
12. The Law of Empowerment - Leaders give power away (empower) to employees. Great
things happen when leaders empower others and give them the credit. Enlarging others
enlarges the leader.
13. The Law of Reproduction - 85% of all leaders are developed through the influence of other
leaders. Leaders reproduce leaders when they (1) see the big picture, (2) attract potential
leaders, and (3) create an “eagle” environment.
14. The Law of Buy-In - People buy into the leader first, then the leader’s vision. The leader
cannot be separated from his/her vision or the cause he/she promotes. People will follow
when they buy into the leader and when they buy into the vision.
15. The Law of Victory - Leaders find a way to win! For victory to occur, there must be (1)
unity of vision, (2) diversity of skills, and (3) a leader dedicated to victory and raising players
to their potential.
16. The Law of the Big Mo - Leaders create momentum. They motivate and inspire others to
perform. Momentum changes people’s perspective of leaders. With enough momentum, any
kind of change is possible.
17. The Law of Priorities - Leaders focus their attention on activities that rank in the top 20% in
terms of importance, gaining an 80% return on effort. Leaders order their priorities
according to (1) what is required, (2) what gives the greatest return, and (3) what brings the
greatest reward. Leaders focus on the few things that bring the highest reward.
18. The Law of Sacrifice - Leadership requires sacrifice. Leaders must give up to go up. As the
level of leadership increases, responsibilities increase and rights decrease. The greater the
leader, the greater the sacrifice. There is no success without sacrifice.
19. The Law of Timing - The right action at the right time brings success.
20. The Law of Explosive Growth - Leaders who develop leaders multiply organizational
growth. Leadership development improves the quality of followers and the quantity of
leaders.
21. The Law of Legacy - Leaders who leave a legacy of succession (1) lead the organization with
a long view, (2) create a leadership culture, (3) pay the price today to assure success
tomorrow, (4) value team leadership above individual leadership, and (5) walk away from the
organization with integrity. A legacy is created only when a person positions the
organization to do great things without him/her. Leaders prepare the organization to succeed
after they are gone, and they will be judged by how well the people and the organization
performed after they have departed and moved on.
Source: Maxwell, J. (1998). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership: Follow them and people will
follow you. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.