John Maxwell’s Leadership Law #9: The Law of Magnetism

Leadership expert John C. Maxwell, in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, outlines a simple yet profound concept: “Who you are is who you attract.” You might not have noticed this before, but chances are the people you hire all have something in common—they share similarities with you.

Maxwell’s Law of Magnetism states that consciously or not, we tend to attract people who share at least a few of our core characteristics.

This can be a strength for your business if you know how to wield it wisely.

The Law of Magnetism

In his chapter on the Law of Magnetism, John Maxwell makes an essential but not always obvious point: Your employees likely have much in common with you. People tend to gravitate toward others who are similar. You might notice this in your friend groups, and it’s true of employees.

On the surface, it might seem as though your employees are all wildly different. Maxwell acknowledges this, as everyone is an individual, and no two people are exactly alike. However, he names a few key areas that people tend to focus on: age, attitude, background, values, energy, giftedness, and leadership ability.

Think about the people who work for you. Are they all around the same age? Are they from the same place? Do they feel similarly about your core values? Chances are, according to Maxwell, you’ll overlap in at least a few of these significant areas.

Magnetizing Your Business

So, if you have a few things in common with your employees, what does that mean for your business? Two things. First, you must look in the mirror if you’re attracting mediocre talent. As Maxwell says, “The better leader you are, the better leaders you will attract.” If you’re unhappy with the people you attract, you must focus on your development.

As Maxwell suggests, one way to do this is to find a mentor who embodies the leadership style you’d like to emulate. You can learn from their example if you surround yourself with strong leaders.

The other side of the coin is that if you’re happy with the employees you attract, you might want to attempt to diversify actively. Chances are you have a weak spot or a gap in your knowledge base that only someone with a different viewpoint could fill.

If you can’t decide where on the spectrum you fall, that’s okay. Start by listing the criteria you value in an employee: a hardworking, loyal, strong leader, etc. Next, Maxwell suggests taking an honest look at the list. Do you embody most of these characteristics yourself? If not, you have some work to do before attracting that talent.

It’s hard to become aware of the image you project, but once you master the Law of Magnetism, you’ll never have to worry about hiring qualified talent again. If you’d like to hear more about the Law of Magnetism and how it can help grow your business, fill out my contact form, and let’s talk.

Coach Dave