Multipliers

Multipliers How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter

Are you a genius or a genius maker? We've all had experience with two dramatically different types of leaders. The first type drain intelligence, energy, and capability from the ones around them and always need to be the smartest ones in the room. These are the idea killers, the energy sappers, the diminishers of talent and commitment. On the other side of the spectrum are leaders who use their intelligence to amplify the smarts and capabilities of the people around them. When these leaders walk into a room, lightbulbs go off over people's heads, ideas flow, and problems get solved. These are the leaders who inspire employees to stretch themselves to deliver results that surpass expectations. These are the Multipliers. And the world needs more of them, especially now, when leaders are expected to do more with less. In this engaging and highly practical book, leadership expert Liz Wiseman and management consultant Greg McKeown explore these two leadership styles, persuasively showing how Multipliers can have a resoundingly positive and profitable effect on organizations—getting more done with fewer resources, developing and attracting talent, and cultivating new ideas and energy to drive organizational change and innovation. In analyzing data from more than 150 leaders, Wiseman and McKeown have identified five disciplines that distinguish Multipliers from Diminishers. These five disciplines are not based on innate talent; indeed, they are skills and practices that everyone can learn to use—even lifelong and recalcitrant Diminishers. Lively, real-world case studies and practical tips and techniques bring to life each of these principles, showing you how to become a Multiplier too, whether you are a new or an experienced manager. Just imagine what you could accomplish if you could harness all the energy and intelligence around you. Multipliers will show you how.
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Reviews

Photo of matej yangwao
matej yangwao@yangwao
4 stars
Aug 22, 2023

** spoiler alert ** Just another leadership 101 book 😄 from other perspective. Key takeaway is to encourage people to grow and find them fit where they perform beet >The diminisher is a private empire builder, while the multiplier builds other people. >Multipliers operate as liberators, producing comfort and safety for people. But diminishers are tyrannical, making life and living difficult and stressful for people under them. >Multipliers operate as challengers by creating more opportunities, while diminishers operate as know-it-alls, always wanting to showcase their knowledge because they believe no one else knows all they know. >Multipliers allow others to contribute and debate an issue before making decisions. Whereas diminishers don't give room for debate, they make decisions leaving the organization in the dark. >Multipliers often amass resources, ensuring a steady flow of talent to replace talent growing out of the organization. >Pull some weeds (remove diminishers). >Multipliers are intellectually inquisitive leaders. >When issues get discussed or debated, diminishers already have the perfect solution; they dominate with their ideas and make selfish decisions, creating a resource drain rather than resource leverage. >multipliers can become skilled in asking the right questions and can use questions to improve the organization. >Becoming a multiplier is achieved with a single idea, repeated over and over, while new skills are introduced. >Make a list of eight to ten people you work with closely. Note what they do easily. • Discover the underlying capability that allows them to do some activities excellently.

Photo of Kirsten Haney
Kirsten Haney@khaney93
4 stars
Feb 14, 2023

Great concepts to learn as a people leader, and how to motivate, encourage, and enable your team to get more productivity and solid work in return.

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Jon Dubielzyk@dubielzyk
2 stars
Aug 15, 2022

The concept and ideas in this book are solid, but it's another one of those books that could've been 20% of the length. Because many of the points keep being reiterated throughout the book it all kinda blends together. I wish the chapters were shorter and more distinct so the messages of each part would've been hammered home a bit more. Each chapter ends with a summary and main takeaways which is helpful. I listened to the audiobook version which was well read and allowed for 1.5-2x listening without issues.

Photo of Nadine
Nadine @intlnadine
4 stars
Feb 18, 2022

Well researched discussion on what leaders who get the most out of their colleagues / employees do (multipliers) as opposed to those who don't (diminishers). Some practicable ideas how to move from the one approach to the other.

Photo of Lance Willett
Lance Willett@lancewillett
4 stars
Oct 11, 2021

This is a quick and insightful read. Grab it from your local library. The author sets out a clear list of principles for making those around you better at everything. "If I could do one thing to get on the path of a multiplier, what should it be?" The one thing is to ask really insightful and interesting questions that make people think. If you want to work on one assumption, try "People are smart and will figure it out. One way to do this is to ask, "How is this person smart?" That one question can interrupt any tendencies to judge people in a binary fashion and can work like a fast pass into the Technicolor world where Multipliers live. When "shopping for a new job/boss" Wiseman offers these suggestions. Three traits most correlated to Multiplier leaders are: intellectual curiosity, asking great questions, and customer focus. Multiplier signs: 1. Low talk/listen ratio 2. Asks follow-on questions out of curiosity 3. Asks "why" to better understand 4. Shares multiple perspectives on issues 5. Shows sincere self deprecation & laughs Diminisher signs: 1. High talk/listen ratio 2. Accepts surface-level answers 3. Asks about "what" and "how" 4. Is emphatic with ideas 5. Takes themselves very seriously Hat tip: Kerry Liu.

Photo of Adam
Adam@adam
3 stars
Aug 17, 2021

How do you deal with coworkers who bring you down? Do you try to "fix" them? Try to work better with them? What if their actions prevent you from being the productive team member you want to be? This is the idea Liz poses between "Deminisher" and "Multipliers". Multipliers have the ability to make everyone around them better. Deminishers, on the other hand, hinder other peoples abilities to work. While many of the examples are presented over and over again (which got somewhat monotonous), a few stuck with me. Working with others when you already have a plan in mind can make for an unhappy relationship. The constant reminder in this book to seek context with others and solve their problems first was a leadership takeaway that I could stand to do a better job at.

Photo of Sarah Erle
Sarah Erle@serle
3 stars
Jul 14, 2023
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Patrick@loopbak
5 stars
Dec 31, 2023
Photo of Erik Horton
Erik Horton@erikhorton
3 stars
Dec 20, 2022
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Andy Sporring@andysporring
3 stars
Nov 20, 2022
Photo of Danté
Danté@dantenel
4 stars
Aug 31, 2022
Photo of João Maia
João Maia@joaomaia
3 stars
Aug 13, 2022
Photo of Nish Bhat
Nish Bhat@nish
4 stars
Dec 29, 2021
Photo of Omar Fernandez
Omar Fernandez@omareduardo
3 stars
Dec 10, 2021
Photo of Christian Witts
Christian Witts@christianwitts
4 stars
Dec 7, 2021
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Justin@justinreist
4 stars
Oct 27, 2021

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