Multipliers

"Are you harnessing the collective brilliance of your team, or are you unintentionally holding them back?" Liz Wiseman’s Multipliers explores how leaders can amplify the intelligence of their team to unlock exceptional performance.

1. Two Types of Bosses: Multipliers and Diminishers

Leaders can broadly be categorized as Multipliers or Diminishers. Multipliers amplify the intelligence, energy, and talents of those around them, while Diminishers unintentionally suppress potential. A Diminisher might micromanage, discourage creativity, and prioritize their own ideas. Multipliers, in contrast, foster collaboration, encourage ownership, and inspire teams to exceed their own expectations.

Take the case of Magic Johnson, a basketball icon. Early on, he realized that passing the ball and helping teammates shine would elevate the entire team. As a result, he cultivated his role as a leader, ensuring everyone performed at their best.

Research shows people working under a Diminisher give only 20-50% of their potential effort, while teams led by Multipliers consistently exceed expectations. Multipliers trust and challenge their teams, leading to better results and more satisfaction.

Examples

• A micromanaging Intel manager discouraged independent thought among his employees.
• Magic Johnson’s shift toward teamwork enhanced the performance of his basketball teams.
• Surveys showed employees led by Multipliers contribute more creativity and effort than others.

2. Talent Magnets Build Exceptional Teams

Great leaders attract and retain top talent. Talent Magnets value unique strengths, placing the right people in the right roles. They grasp individuals' strengths and maximize them, creating environments that motivate talents to thrive.

British explorer Ernest Shackleton exemplified this behavior during his Antarctic expedition. His brutally honest recruitment ad attracted hundreds, allowing him to assemble a resilient, skilled team. This approach ensured everybody survived the infamous journey.

Talent Magnets identify inherent strengths and attack barriers blocking individuals. By recognizing and tapping into natural abilities, they give employees the space necessary to excel.

Examples

• Coach Larry Gelwix identified a player's speed, encouraged him, and boosted his confidence to excel.
• Shackleton formed a talented team despite the harrowing risks of his Antarctic expedition.
• A manager removed a toxic team member to unblock others’ growth and improve workplace harmony.

3. Liberators Turn Tension into Inspiration

The Tyrant is a Diminisher who creates a stifling environment through criticism and pressure. On the flip side, the Liberator fosters an inspiring workplace by combining high expectations with psychological safety.

Steven Spielberg is a Liberator. While deeply knowledgeable, he lets his team members retain ownership, encouraging creativity. Liberators balance intensity with trust, asking for their team’s best work while embracing the inevitability of failure.

For example, Bloom Energy CEO K.R. Sridhar promotes experimentation, rewarding effort over results. Similarly, leaders like Spielberg hold space for errors, ensuring mistakes are learning opportunities instead of liabilities.

Examples

• Hollywood prop master Timothy Wilson drove away staff with relentless criticism.
• Steven Spielberg created an inspiring atmosphere on set, letting creativity flourish.
• K.R. Sridhar fostered innovation by allowing his team to experiment without fear.

4. Challengers Aim High and Empower Teams

Challengers encourage hard work without commanding or spoon-feeding solutions. They nudge their teams toward ambitious goals by posing meaningful questions and offering direction without interference.

Gymboree CEO Matt McCauley exemplified the Challenger mindset by setting seemingly impossible goals, like raising the company’s stock price fivefold. Rather than micromanage, he encouraged his team to devise their own strategies, fostering ownership of the outcome.

Challengers don’t just dream big; they help their teams grow by believing in their capacity to achieve the impossible, blending vision with motivation.

Examples

• McCauley’s goal-setting helped Gymboree achieve unprecedented success.
• Instead of giving explicit instructions, Irene Fisher took her team to observe struggling communities, sparking independent solutions.
• Challengers inspire belief by proving tough goals are possible with collective effort.

5. Debate Makers Ensure Inclusive Decisions

Unlike Decision Makers, who impose their ideas without a collective process, Debate Makers encourage inclusive discussions, helping teams resolve issues thoughtfully and collaboratively.

Dutch police chief Arjan Mengerink overhauled his leadership approach by engaging diverse teams in debate. He invited everyone — from secretaries to senior captains — to share opinions on critical strategy decisions, fostering widespread buy-in and creating better results.

Debate Makers ask thoughtful questions, insist on evidence-based answers, and ensure every voice gets heard. This approach leads to decisions that are stronger and widely understood.

Examples

• George W. Bush’s “blink presidency” relied on snap decisions with little team input.
• Mengerink’s inclusive debates transformed his police force into a cohesive unit.
• Facilitated debate fosters respect, prevents conflict, and contributes to robust decisions.

6. Investors Empower Instead of Micromanaging

Many leaders lean toward micromanagement, believing tight control ensures results. In reality, this creates dependency and stifles independence. Investors, however, focus on empowering team members by providing ownership, resources, and accountability.

Successful rugby coach Larry Gelwix delegated workout planning to team captains. With clear expectations and necessary support, Gelwix trusted them to execute, which led to a championship-winning season.

Investors clarify responsibilities and back their teams without taking over tasks. They reserve authority for guidance, allowing talent to flourish authentically.

Examples

• Gelwix’s delegation empowered his captains to deliver results.
• A cautious leader at Apple trusted junior employees to lead critical meetings, winning their respect and proving their capabilities.
• Overbearing micromanagement by a rugby coach left players unable to think independently on the field.

7. Even Good Bosses May Accumulate Bad Habits

Sometimes well-intentioned leaders accidentally become Diminishers. Sally, a school principal, thought constant feedback would help her colleague Marcus. Instead, it overwhelmed him, hindering his ability to work independently.

Accidental Diminishers may fall into patterns like over-optimism, which can oversimplify challenges, or constant supervision, which stifles creativity. Recognizing these tendencies and adjusting builds stronger relationships and boosts morale.

Gaining awareness is the first step toward breaking diminishing habits. Regular feedback from peers can offer fresh perspectives on leadership blind spots.

Examples

• Liz Wiseman realized her optimism minimized her partner’s concerns during a stressful project.
• Sally’s excessive instructions inadvertently disempowered Marcus.
• A workshop in Abu Dhabi inspired colleagues to provide helpful feedback for accidental diminishment.

8. Effective Strategies for Dealing with Diminisher Leaders

Not all employees get to work under a Multiplier, but there are ways to improve relationships with Diminishers. Confronting or avoiding them can create conflict. Instead, considered strategies help employees get the best from these situations.

For instance, one Apple executive reframed criticisms from Steve Jobs into constructive feedback by proposing joint solutions, softening tensions. Similarly, a manager invited her critical boss to lead part of a meeting, building mutual respect.

Workers can also multipliers’ tactics to benefit their bosses, channeling their strengths while limiting interruptions.

Examples

• An Apple executive redirected tension by finding common ground with Steve Jobs.
• Inviting bosses into meetings helped some employees gain their leaders’ trust.
• Humor, like joking about tight control, cooled conflicts about micromanagement.

9. Anyone Can Transform into a Multiplier

Even leaders with a history of diminishing others can reset their approach. Bill Campbell, former Intuit CEO, learned this firsthand by adopting more Multiplier practices over time, leading to better results and growing trust.

Campbell prioritized understanding his strengths and weaknesses, leveraging feedback to abandon habits like dominating team discussions. Becoming a Multiplier starts with self-awareness and a willingness to pivot toward encouraging other people’s brilliance.

Quick methods for transformation include identifying one strength to magnify and one harmful habit to minimize, such as scaling back advice-giving or delegating responsibilities entirely.

Examples

• Bill Campbell transitioned from control-oriented management to nurturing leadership.
• Comparing assumptions against Multiplier methods revealed limitations to be addressed.
• Soliciting team feedback increased leaders’ ability to make meaningful changes.

Takeaways

1. Identify tendencies by seeking feedback from trusted sources. Acknowledge areas where you may unintentionally diminish others.
2. Actively create space in team discussions. Limit contributions through practices like assigning yourself “speaking chips” to consciously hold back.
3. Set clear responsibilities and trust employees to lead their areas fully. Support them with resources as needed but let them drive results.