The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You

In Chapter 12, Maxwell uses American businessman Henry Ford as an example of a leader who did not abide by the Law of Empowerment. After the initial success of the Model T, Ford refused to listen to leaders in his company who wanted to offer improvements on the car. As a result, he lost market share. Henry Ford’s son died early. His grandson, who was young and inexperienced when he took over the company, surrounded himself with great leaders but was too insecure in his own position to allow them to truly shine. As a result, he pitted them against one another and undermined their potential. In sum, he knocked talented leaders down to maintain his position at the top.

The Law of Empowerment is the opposite: It dictates that successful leaders empower others so they reach their full potential. There is no scarcity of leadership, and empowering others does not decrease one’s own share of the pie. Similarly, leadership analysts have proven that the most successful organizations give all capable leaders the ability to contribute to their fullest ability. If they fail to do so, the organization will encounter problems that followers cannot resolve on their own, creating frustration and pushing people to seek alternatives.

There are three common reasons leaders fail to excel at the Law of Empowerment. First, they fear losing their current status and power. Second, they are scared of change and try to resist it. Finally, they lack self-confidence, focusing inward instead of looking to others. Maxwell emphasizes that the strongest leaders never lack self-confidence; they are secure enough to “give themselves away” to empower others (168). He believes Abraham Lincoln’s presidency testifies to this: Lincoln took the blame when his generals performed poorly. He sought to replace them with better leaders and let them have the credit when they did well. He gave his best generals the freedom to fight however they wished without feeling threatened by their success.

The most important step to empowering others is to believe in them, which in turn will push them to believe in themselves. Maxwell argues that leaders who help others also help themselves by growing the number of people who have the ability to help them in turn.

The Law of the Picture posits that people will act as their leaders act—good leaders are not simply great visionaries of the future, but also practical people. This chapter opens with the story of Easy Company, a group of paratroopers who fought in World War II and became famous for their contributions to the war. One of their best leaders, Dick Winters, was revered for leading his men in battle. Once, his men were tasked with retaking the town of Carentan from the Germans. As bullets flew on the road, Winters’s men hid in trenches and refused to move, even though stalling would ultimately end in defeat. Winters then decided to move forward himself. He stepped on the road as bullets flew around him and his courage pushed his soldiers to charge ahead as well. They ultimately captured the town.

The best leaders should set an example. They provide their followers with purpose (letting them know why they should move in a certain direction), a picture (allowing them to see what they are striving for), and a plan (sketching out how to achieve that goal). They need to continuously and creatively explain their vision to their followers, who may not be able to visualize it on their own. Most importantly, they also must live that vision: This is the most effective way to communicate with and reach their followers. In sum, the best leaders set a good example for others to follow.

Aspiring leaders should remind themselves to abide by the Law of the Picture by remembering the following four truths:

1. A leader’s actions are always watched by their followers, who seek to emulate them.
2. Teaching to do what’s right is not the same as doing what’s right—it is much easier. People are always more willing to emulate leaders who embody their beliefs.
3. Leaders should strive to improve themselves before attempting to improve others.
4. A leader’s most valuable gift to others is setting a good example.

Maxwell sums up Chapter 13 by arguing that leadership is “caught” rather than “taught.” The best leaders are good role models for their followers and do not shy away from holding themselves accountable for their actions.

This chapters begins with the story of Indian political ethicist Mahatma Gandhi. Educated in the UK as a lawyer, Gandhi gained the Indian people’s trust for fighting relentlessly for their rights. His influence was so big that he convinced his people to fight against British colonial rule through nonviolent civil disobedience, even though everyone knew it would be a long, difficult road. People could follow his vision because they believed in him. Maxwell summarizes this as the Law of Buy-In—“the leader finds the dream and then the people. The people find the leader and then the dream” (190).

The Law of Buy-In can be seen in action through the common practice of hiring actors and star athletes as marketing tools. Consumers care less about the product they are selling than the person who is delivering the message. Similarly, the Law of Buy-In posits that people do not see the leader’s vision, but the messenger or leader himself. In other words, if the vision is good but the leader is bad, then people will seek a different leader to realize their goals.

On the other hand, a leader with a bad vision might also have trouble finding people. If they want to prevent people from defecting, they have to either compromise and find a common goal or use force—such as through withholding a paycheck or the threat of physical violence. The strongest leaders have people buy in to both their vision and character.

It often takes time for people to buy in to a leader. Maxwell experienced this when he first worked at Skyline. He knew that the church’s project for building a multi-million-dollar community center was detrimental, but without the people’s backing, he could not enforce his vision. He therefore delayed the project and spent his time connecting with others and improving the church in different ways. After a year, he had earned people’s respect, and when he proposed to build an auditorium instead of the community center, people overwhelmingly voted in favor of this new direction. Ultimately, no matter how noble the cause, it can only be realized with the help of an equally worthy leader.

The Law of Victory posits that good leaders are victorious simply because they refuse to accept defeat and proactively find ways to reach their goals. Maxwell believes Winston Churchill, former prime minister of the United Kingdom; Franklin D. Roosevelt, former American president; and Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, are all good examples of leaders who refused to yield under tremendous pressure. Churchill fought to prevent former German dictator Adolph Hitler from engulfing the entirety of Western Europe at a time when Germany seemed one step away from winning the war; Roosevelt devised plans to bring the American economy out of the Great Depression, create jobs for thousands of people, and aid in the war effort in Europe; and Mandela fought against the oppressing forces of the Apartheid in South Africa by staging peaceful protests, rallying people and resources overseas, standing trial, and negotiating changes in the government at the risk of his own life. These leaders succeeded because they refused to envision a world in which their efforts failed.

There are three key components to build up a strong dedication to victory in any organization. First, everyone’s vision of the future must be unified. Second, members of the organization must have diversified skills. Finally, the organization must be headed by a strong leader dedicated to empowering others and relentless in the pursuit of success. The greater the leader’s dedication to victory, the greater the actual chances of success.