Introduction Have you ever noticed that teams gradually begin behaving like the people who lead them? Some teams are known for accountability and ownership, while others struggle with communication, trust, and collaboration. These differences are not always about the employees. Sometimes, they reflect the values and behaviours demonstrated by their leaders. John C. Maxwell explains this through the Law of Magnetism, which suggests that who you are influences the people you attract. Your behaviour, attitude, priorities, and values send powerful signals to the people around you. Your Leadership Attracts Certain Behaviours John C. Maxwell shares an interesting example from Skyline Church. His predecessor, Dr. Orval Butcher, was a talented musician. During his leadership, the organization attracted outstanding musicians. When Maxwell took over, his strengths and interests were different. He was passionate about developing leaders, and gradually, the organization began attracting...
Introduction
Have you ever noticed that teams gradually begin behaving like the people who lead them? Some teams are known for accountability and ownership, while others struggle with communication, trust, and collaboration. These differences are not always about the employees. Sometimes, they reflect the values and behaviours demonstrated by their leaders. John C. Maxwell explains this through the Law of Magnetism, which suggests that who you are influences the people you attract. Your behaviour, attitude, priorities, and values send powerful signals to the people around you.Your Leadership Attracts Certain Behaviours
John C. Maxwell shares an interesting example from Skyline Church. His predecessor, Dr. Orval Butcher, was a talented musician. During his leadership, the organization attracted outstanding musicians. When Maxwell took over, his strengths and interests were different. He was passionate about developing leaders, and gradually, the organization began attracting more people interested in leadership. The lesson is simple: leaders naturally influence the environment they create. This does not mean every team member will have the same personality or interests. It means the qualities a leader consistently demonstrates can shape what people value and how they behave.
Your New Team Is Watching You
Imagine joining a new company as a manager. During your first 90 days, employees are observing how you communicate, respond to challenges, make decisions, and treat people. If you blame others whenever something goes wrong, employees may become reluctant to take ownership. If you discourage questions, people may stop sharing ideas. If you constantly criticize mistakes without offering guidance, your team may become more focused on avoiding blame than finding solutions. On the other hand, demonstrating accountability, curiosity, transparency, and respect can encourage those same behaviours throughout the team. Your actions establish expectations long before your formal instructions do.
Understand What Your Behaviour Is Attracting
As a new leader, regularly examine the environment you are creating. Ask yourself three important questions. What behaviour am I modelling? Are you demonstrating the accountability, communication, and professionalism you expect from your employees? What values am I rewarding? Do you recognize collaboration, honesty, initiative, and responsible decision-making, or do you focus only on individual results? What kind of team culture am I creating? Do people feel comfortable asking questions, sharing concerns, admitting mistakes, and taking ownership? These questions help you identify whether your leadership behaviour supports the culture you want to build.
Build the Culture Through Everyday Actions
Creating a positive team culture does not require dramatic speeches or complicated policies. Start with consistency. Keep your commitments, listen to different perspectives, recognize good work, and take responsibility when something goes wrong. Encourage employees to share ideas without immediately criticizing them. Give people opportunities to take ownership and demonstrate trust through your decisions. Most importantly, make sure your actions match your expectations. You cannot demand accountability while avoiding responsibility yourself. You cannot expect open communication if you never listen to your team. Culture develops through repeated interactions, not just company statements.
Final Thoughts
The Law of Magnetism offers an important reminder for anyone entering a leadership position: your personal values and behaviours influence the environment around you. During your first 90 days, focus on becoming the kind of leader whose actions encourage others to perform better. Demonstrate accountability. Reward positive behaviour. Build trust and create an environment where people feel supported and motivated. Your team learns more from what you do than what you say. Before asking what kind of people you want on your team, ask yourself what kind of leader they are experiencing every day.
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