LEADERSHIP LAWS - #9/21 : The Law of Magnetism

Who You Are Is Who You Attract
In most situations, you draw people to you who possess the same qualities you do.
Who you are is who you attract. If you want to attract better people, become the kind of person you desire to attract.

Number of factors where you are likely to find that you and your followers match up:
 
1) Attitude : Positive and negative people are seldom attracted to each other.  "People who view life as a series of opportunities and exciting challenges don't want to hear others talk about how bad things are all the time".
2) Generation : "People tend to attract others of roughly the same age".  Maxwell points out that most of his key leaders are only one or two years different in age to him.
3) Background : Theodore Roosevelt lead a volunteer cavalry group during the Spanish-American War.  This was comprised of two types of men: wealthy aristocrats from the North East of the USA and "cowboys" from the West. Roosevelt was a wealthy North-Eastern aristocrat, but had developed a love of hunting in the wild lands of the West.  "He was a strong and genuine leader in both worlds, and as a result, he attracted both kinds of people".
4) Values : "People are attracted to leaders whose values are similar to their own".  John F. Kennedy attracted young, idealistic people.  Adolph Hitler attracted evil, anti-Semitic monsters.
5) Life Experience : Maxwell makes the point that he can tell within 30 seconds of speaking to a group of people what kind of communicator they are used to listening to.  If their usual speakers are gifted and energetic, the audience is alert and responsive.  If not, they tend to "check out" mentally.
6) Leadership Ability : As we noted under the Law of Respect (Law 7) two weeks ago, people will usually follow leaders who are stronger than themselves, but generally close in overall ability.  Maxwell makes the point that if you score a 7 in your leadership ability you will tend to attract 5's and 6's (more than 2's or 3's). 

STORY

When the Southern states seceded from the Union the generals in the army were forced to choose sides.  One of the most talented generals was Robert E. Lee, who was offered command of the Northern army, but chose to join the Confederacy in the South.  Maxwell suggests that if Lee had joined the North many other generals would have followed his lead and that the war would have been much shorter and far fewer lives would have been lost. Good leaders attract other good leaders and that can have a huge impact, in this case, on history itself.

"The leaders that you attract will be similar in style and ability to you".