On average, leaders reach 78% on the laws and 80% on the qualities. Only 11% rate themselves “excellent” on the laws.
0288%avg. buy-in – no. 1 of the laws
Attitude before leverage
Attitude before leverage
Buy-in, respect and character lead the way. Weakest: magnetism, momentum and priorities – the levers through which leadership takes effect.
0370%at most “basic” in self-discipline
The bottleneck is focus
The bottleneck is focus
70% see their self-discipline at a “basic” level at best, 63% their focus. Only 26% know exactly what keeps them from success.
0438%invest in the next generation
The next generation is neglected
The next generation is neglected
The statement with the least agreement: “I invest in the next generation of leaders.” Only 38% agree.
05+13points lead for women on charisma
Women score higher on relationships and presence
Women score higher on relationships and presence
Women rate themselves clearly higher on buy-in, respect, connection, communication and above all charisma. Men are slightly ahead on teachability and their own development.
06+4points: outside view above self-image
Others see more than you think
Others see more than you think
Ratings by others are 3 to 4 points above the self-image – most of all on self-discipline, focus and courage.
07+5points: 50+ vs. under 40 (laws)
Experience pays off for others
Experience pays off for others
Leaders aged 50+ rate themselves higher on the laws than younger ones – above all on legacy, addition and empowerment, where developing others is at stake.
Interactive
The profile of all participants
Choose self-assessment and group – the radar shows where leaders are strong and where they can grow. Hover over or tap the points – each area shows its score, its core and the comparison.
Self-assessment
Group
rudimentarybasicsolidexcellentall participants
Axis from 50 to 100%; the numbers stand for the 21 areas. The color of the dots shows the development level. Groups with fewer than 5 people are disabled.
The big picture
A solid foundation – with room to grow
01
No one starts from zero – but only one leader in 9 is excellent
Everyone reaches at least the “basic” level. On the laws, 46% are “solid” and 11% “excellent”; on the qualities, 19%.
weakrudimentarybasicsolidexcellent
Development level of the overall score, latest self-assessment per person. Levels as in the WEGVISOR self-assessment.
02
35 percentage points separate the lowest and the highest self-rating
Each dot is one person. Two thirds fall between 70 and 85%. Women are closer together than men, whose ratings range from 62% to 97%.
MenWomen
Each dot is one person (overall score in % of the maximum).
03
We consider our traits stronger than our leadership practice
Those who rate themselves highly on the laws also do so on the qualities (r = 0.80). Yet the same people rate their qualities 2.9 points higher on average than the laws they practice – most dots lie above the diagonal.
MenWomen
21 people who completed both self-assessments. Dots above the diagonal: qualities higher than laws.
The 21 Leadership Laws
Attitude before leverage
At the top are laws carried by attitude and values: Buy-In (88%), Respect (87%) and Solid Ground (84%). At the bottom are Magnetism (70%), Big Mo (70%) and Priorities (73%) – the laws that turn a good attitude into measurable impact: attracting the right people, creating momentum and focusing energy.
basic (5)solid (16)
Average self-assessment in % (n = 63), sorted in descending order.Values as a table
All
Men
Women
Rated by others
≤ basic
The Law of Buy-In
88.3%
86.9%
92.5%
90.5%
5%
The Law of Respect
86.9%
85.8%
90.7%
85.8%
11%
The Law of Solid Ground
84.4%
83.6%
86.9%
90.2%
11%
The Law of Victory
82.5%
81.8%
84.8%
86.9%
22%
The Law of the Picture
81.8%
81.0%
84.5%
88.0%
29%
The Law of Sacrifice
81.1%
79.8%
85.3%
84.0%
37%
The Law of Connection
80.9%
79.7%
84.8%
79.3%
27%
The Law of Empowerment
79.1%
78.6%
80.8%
78.2%
32%
The Law of Process
76.7%
75.9%
79.2%
82.5%
40%
The Law of Addition
76.6%
75.7%
79.5%
80.0%
44%
The Law of Influence
76.4%
76.2%
77.3%
81.8%
44%
The Law of the Inner Circle
76.4%
76.2%
77.1%
80.7%
41%
The Law of Navigation
76.1%
75.2%
79.2%
83.3%
43%
The Law of Intuition
76.0%
75.9%
76.3%
78.5%
46%
The Law of Explosive Growth
76.0%
75.8%
76.5%
79.6%
51%
The Law of Legacy
75.5%
74.5%
78.7%
79.6%
51%
The Law of the Lid
74.1%
75.0%
71.2%
80.0%
52%
The Law of Timing
73.7%
73.6%
73.9%
73.8%
51%
The Law of Priorities
73.1%
72.4%
75.5%
75.3%
51%
The Law of the Big Mo
70.3%
69.2%
73.9%
72.0%
63%
The Law of Magnetism
70.1%
69.0%
73.6%
79.3%
67%
The 21 Leadership Qualities
Strong character, weak discipline
The same pattern shows up in the qualities: Responsibility (87%), Character (86%) and Generosity (85%) lead. At the bottom are Self-Discipline (69%), Focus (70%) and Vision (75%). Leaders know what they stand for – but they find it hard to align their everyday work with it consistently.
basic (3)solid (18)
Average self-assessment in % (n = 27), sorted in descending order.Values as a table
All
Men
Women
Rated by others
≤ basic
Responsibility
87.3%
87.4%
86.7%
88.8%
11%
Character
85.8%
84.8%
89.3%
88.5%
19%
Generosity
84.9%
84.8%
85.3%
83.8%
15%
Initiative
83.4%
83.8%
82.0%
84.2%
15%
Listening
83.4%
82.1%
88.0%
80.2%
19%
Servanthood
83.4%
83.6%
82.7%
78.2%
19%
Teachability
83.4%
84.8%
78.7%
83.0%
26%
Communication
82.8%
81.3%
88.0%
78.2%
26%
Passion
81.8%
81.9%
81.3%
82.2%
30%
Relationships
81.5%
80.6%
84.7%
84.0%
15%
Security
81.3%
80.6%
84.0%
86.8%
22%
Commitment
81.2%
82.5%
76.7%
88.2%
37%
Problem Solving
80.3%
80.0%
81.3%
84.0%
30%
Competence
79.7%
79.6%
80.0%
85.5%
26%
Charisma
79.4%
76.6%
89.3%
80.0%
33%
Positive Attitude
79.4%
78.5%
82.7%
85.8%
26%
Discernment
77.9%
77.3%
80.0%
79.8%
37%
Courage
77.0%
77.1%
76.7%
86.0%
41%
Vision
75.0%
75.4%
73.3%
80.8%
48%
Focus
69.8%
70.3%
68.0%
80.5%
63%
Self-Discipline
69.2%
69.3%
68.7%
81.2%
70%
The statements in detail
Where almost everyone agrees – and where hardly anyone does
Each self-assessment consists of 105 statements rated on a scale from 1 (does not apply at all) to 5 (fully applies). The extremes show particularly clearly where leaders feel confident and where they do not.
Self-assessment
View
1
I view leadership as a lifelong learning process.Process · Ø 4.79 of 5
97%agree
2
I show respect to all people, regardless of their position.Respect · Ø 4.71 of 5
95%agree
3
I recognize that trust is the foundation of strong leadership.Buy-In · Ø 4.63 of 5
94%agree
4
I am willing to correct my course when new information calls for it.Navigation · Ø 4.57 of 5
97%agree
5
I am aware that my behavior influences my team's behavior.Picture · Ø 4.56 of 5
89%agree
6
My team can rely on me to keep my promises.Buy-In · Ø 4.51 of 5
92%agree
Agreement = share of answers 4 or 5 on the scale from 1 (does not apply at all) to 5 (fully applies).
Women and men
Relationships and presence as women’s strength
Laws80.1%Women77.2%MenWomen n = 15 · Men n = 48
Qualities81.3%Women80.1%MenWomen n = 6 · Men n = 21
Women are slightly ahead on the overall score – by 2.9 points on the laws and 1.2 points on the qualities. These differences are not statistically robust. The picture only becomes clear in the individual areas: women see themselves as stronger above all where relationships are concerned – buy-in through trust, respect and connection, as well as communication and charisma. The charisma gap (+12.7 points) is the largest in the entire study and holds up even under strict testing. Men, on the other hand, rate themselves somewhat higher on teachability, commitment and the Law of the Lid, and say they invest more actively in their personal development.
Self-assessment
Filter
MenWomen
Sorted by the gap women minus men, in percentage points. * = statistically significant (p < 0.05).
Statements with the biggest gap
WomenMen
People feel drawn to my energy and enthusiasm.Charisma
4.503.52
I motivate others through my positive energy and presence.Positive Attitude
4.673.76
I speak uncomfortable truths when necessary.Courage
4.503.71
I actively look for opportunities to learn new things and develop myself.Teachability
3.504.29
I take responsibility for my actions instead of blaming others.Responsibility
4.004.67
I set high goals for myself and work toward them consistently.Commitment
3.003.67
Average on the scale from 1 to 5.
Age groups
With the years comes a wider view of others
under 4076.3%Laws · n = 32
40–4978.5%Laws · n = 21
50+81.7%Laws · n = 10
An age group is available for 69 participants. On the laws, scores rise with age: from 76.3% for under-40s to 78.5% (40–49) and 81.7% for those 50 and over. The association is weak but detectable (Spearman ρ = 0.25). What grows most is what reaches beyond oneself: legacy, addition, empowerment, explosive growth and momentum. Those who have led longer say they invest more in others – exactly where younger leaders see their biggest gap. The qualities show no age effect (under 40: 80.9%, 40 and over: 79.8%).
21 laws by age group
under 40 (n = 32)40–49 (n = 21)50+ (n = 10)
Sorted by the gap between the 50+ group and the under-40 group, in percentage points. * = significant association with age (p < 0.05).
Self-image and outside view
Others believe in leaders more than they do themselves
The self-assessment can also be used to rate other people. 27 such ratings are available, all of male leaders. Compared with men’s self-image, they are 4.2 points higher on the laws and 3.2 points higher on the qualities. The gap is largest for self-discipline (+12), focus (+10) and magnetism (+10) – exactly where leaders are most critical of themselves. Conversely, others experience somewhat less servanthood and communication than leaders assume.
Self-assessment
Self-image (men)Rated by others
Outside view: 11 ratings of 6 people (laws) and 16 of 8 people (qualities). The numbers are small and not representative – they show a tendency.
What follows from this
Four impulses for your leadership
01
Put strengths into motion
Buy-in and respect are the foundation – but they only carry weight once they create momentum. Celebrate small progress visibly and regularly.
WEGVISOR online self-assessments on the 21 Leadership Laws (March 2025 to September 2025) and 21 Leadership Qualities (February 2025 to May 2026). 105 statements per self-assessment, scale 1 to 5, median completion time 14 and 12 minutes. Only fully completed self-assessments were analyzed.
Sample
69 people (52 men, 17 women). Self-assessments: 63 laws, 27 qualities; for repeat participants the most recent counts. Ratings by others: 11 and 16. 21 people completed both self-assessments.
Scores and levels
Scores in percent of possible points (525 per self-assessment, 25 per law or quality). The levels weak, rudimentary, basic, solid and excellent correspond to the self-assessment report.
Age
Assigned afterwards by WEGVISOR from personal knowledge (estimate, not self-reported): under 30: 4, 30–39: 28, 40–49: 21, 50+: 10 (laws). Because of the small number, under-30s are combined with 30- to 39-year-olds.
Gender
Derived from the first name. Other gender identities cannot be captured this way.
Statistics
Mean comparisons with Welch’s t-test, effect size Cohen’s d, Pearson correlation. Significance level 5%. The comparisons of the 21 areas are exploratory; after Bonferroni correction, the charisma difference remains. Reliability (Cronbach’s α): 0.97 (laws) and 0.96 (qualities).
Limitations
Participation was voluntary, mostly from WEGVISOR’s network in Germany. The study measures self-image, not actual behavior. The number of women and of ratings by others is small. The results show patterns; they are not representative.
Data protection
All data was anonymized before analysis. Only aggregated figures are published; no conclusions about individuals are possible.
Basis: John C. Maxwell, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader · More about the origin
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Where do you stand?Compare yourself with 69 leaders.