LEADERSHIP LAWS - #7/21 : The Law of Respect

People Naturally Follow Leaders Stronger Than Themselves
People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves. That’s how the Law of Respect works.
People don’t follow others by accident. People who are an 8 in leadership don’t look for a 6 to follow – they naturally follow a 9 or 10. The less skilled follow the more highly skilled and gifted.
Occasionally, a strong leader may choose to follow someone weaker than himself. But when that happens, it’s for a reason. For example, the stronger leader my do it out of respect for the person’s office or past accomplishments. Or he may be following the chain of command. In general though, followers are attracted to people who are better leaders than themselves.
When people get together for the first time in a group, take a look at what happens. As they start interacting, the leaders in the group immediately take charge. But after the people get to know one another, it doesn’t take long for them to recognize the strongest leaders and to start following them.
In time, people in the group get on board and follow the strongest leaders. Either that or they leave the group to pursue their own agenda.
 
Top Six Ways That Leaders Gain Others’ Respect
 
1) Natural Leadership Ability – if you possess it, people will want to follow you. They will become excited when you communicate vision.
2) Respect For Others – when leaders show respect for others – especially for people who have less power or a lower position than theirs – they gain respect from others. If you continually respect others and consistently lead them well, you will continue to have followers.
3) Courage – Good leaders do what’s right, even at the risk of failure, in the face of great danger and under the brunt of relentless criticism. Can you think of one great leader from history who was without courage? A leader’s courage gives his followers hope.
4) Success – When leaders succeed in leading the team to victory, then followers believe they can do it again. As a result, followers follow them because they want to be part of success in the future.
5) Loyalty – When leaders stick with the team until the job is done and look out for their followers best interests even when it hurts them personally, followers will in turn learn to respect them.
6) Value Added to Others – Followers value leaders who add value to them and their respect for them carries on long after the relationship has ended.

STORY

Maxwell decided to move his company's headquarters from San Diego, California to Atlanta Georgia - a major relocation.  Before announcing the move, he estimated that perhaps 50% of his core leaders would be prepared to move.  To his delight the figure turned out to be 100%!  He wrote the 21 Laws book a year after the move and all those leaders were still with him in Atlanta at that time.  That's a powerful illustration of the Law of Respect at work!