The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow

Maxwell argues that effective leadership requires the ability to anticipate, accept, and systematically address problems rather than avoid them. He illustrates this principle through Sam Walton’s journey from small-town variety store owner to founder of Walmart. When discount retailers like Herb Gibson entered Arkansas in the 1960s, Walton faced a critical choice: resist the inevitable shift in retail or adapt. He chose to study the discount concept thoroughly, opened the first Walmart in 1962, and continued solving successive challenges—improving distribution through centralized systems, managing debt by taking the company public, and ultimately building America’s largest retail chain. Maxwell contends that this problem-solving mindset distinguishes successful leaders from those who complain about circumstances beyond their control.

Maxwell identifies five qualities of effective problem solvers: They anticipate difficulties rather than expect smooth paths; they accept reality instead of denying problems exist; they maintain perspective on the larger mission without getting lost in details; they address challenges sequentially rather than attempting to fix everything simultaneously, and they avoid making major decisions during low points. This framework reflects the pragmatic, business-oriented leadership philosophy prevalent in late 20th-century American management literature, where individual resilience and adaptability were prized above systemic critique.

The chapter offers a TEACH method (Time, Exposure, Assistance, Creativity, Hit it) for systematically approaching problems. Maxwell reinforces his message with the story of boxer Gene Tunney, who, after breaking both hands early in his career, transformed from a power puncher into a skillful technical boxer and still achieved championship status. The underlying assumption throughout is that obstacles can be overcome through determination and strategic thinking—a perspective that empowers individuals, though it may not fully account for structural barriers some leaders face.

Chapter Lessons

• Effective leaders anticipate problems as inevitable rather than hoping for obstacle-free paths, positioning themselves to respond proactively when challenges arise.
• Problem-solving ability improves through experience—facing difficulties, learning from failures, and trying again builds the capacity to handle increasingly complex challenges.
• Leaders should address one problem thoroughly before moving to the next, avoiding the trap of dabbling ineffectively across multiple issues simultaneously.
• Major strategic decisions should be made during positive momentum rather than during difficult periods, when perspective and judgment may be compromised.

Reflection Questions

• Think of a recent problem at work or in your personal life that you avoided addressing. What prevented you from tackling it directly, and how might anticipating it earlier have changed the outcome?
• Maxwell describes leaders who anticipate problems versus those who expect the journey to be easy. Which tendency do you lean toward, and how does this impact your effectiveness when obstacles actually appear?