#2 - Multipliers by Liz Wiseman

Every so often a book comes along that captivates my mind entirely that it’s pretty much all I can talk about for a couple of weeks. Both #2 and #1 on this list fall into that category.

‘Multipliers’ is based on the premise that any leader can be placed on a spectrum between two managerial traits - Multiplier and Diminisher. Liz Weisman authored the book on the basis of 2 years of research into the defining characteristics and behaviors that separate great leaders from those who were viewed negatively by their teams, peers, and performance. 

Diminishers drain the intelligence, energy, and capability of the ones around them. 

• They lead teams that operate in silos, find it hard to get things done, and seem unable to do what’s needed to reach their goals.
• Believe intelligence is scarce and fixed: people who don’t “get it” today never will
• Increase output using the logic of addition - by adding additional headcount

Multipliers amplify or multiply the intelligence of the people around them.

• They lead teams that are able to understand and solve hard problems rapidly, and increase their capacity over time
• View intelligence as continually developing, with the ability to grow
• Increase output using the logic of multiplication - by better utilizing their existing team
• Extract on average 2x from their people - they’re genius makers

After four years in the army as a combat officer, and almost a year managing a team in my previous employment, the most startling element of the book was how many diminishing traits I discovered in myself. Wickman deeply explores the Accidental Diminisher that exists within all of us, that possesses the right intentions at heart, but through lack of awareness, curtails the growth of those around them.  

This book isn’t about self-indulgent, feel-good leadership; it’s hard-edged. Weisman carefully examines the 5 Disciplines of a Multiplier, and provides the reader with practical mechanisms to identify the diminisher within and convert it into a multiplier. 

My Most Important Lesson from this Book?

Multiplier Discipline #5 - Delegate ownership and accountability

Akin to how a coach doesn’t rush into the field and actually play for their team, a Multiplier avoids the temptation to jump in and solve problems for the team or take charge on the direction when things are going astray. 

Diminishers have a belief that “people will never figure this out without me”, whereas multipliers affirm “people are smart and will figure things out”. Multipliers do get involved in the operational details, but they do so in a way that maintains the ownership by other people. If they ever step in too far, they hand back the pen and avoid the temptation to finish the job. 

How we’ve used this lesson in our company? 

Within the framework of Escala, I have examined the ins and outs of over 20 large-scale Amazon businesses, and I’m baffled that the same observation appears in almost every business. 

The business leaders are conscious multipliers within their internal teams, investing in their talent and searching for their innate strengths. The managers are also active learners, constantly striving to better themselves professionally. 

However, when it comes to managing their outsourced team, all that jazz is generally tossed out the window. For fairly understandable reasons, a relationship with a VA (their words, not ours) is not included in the multiplier-diminisher discussion. Their mutual trust isn’t at the same level; their dependability is supposedly lower; and I think most notably, they’re not looking for native genius. They’re looking for someone to perform a task - full stop.  

The subtle shift in mindset that we attempt to trigger within our clients is to include their outsourced team in the multiplier-diminisher equation. It’s obvious that a VA who performs the same repetitive, unchallenging tasks, day after day, is not going to stick around for too long. They’re also unlikely to stick their head out when they see a potential problem, or optimization opportunity, unless they’re actively encouraged to do so. 

The concept of delegating accountability, rather than tasks, is so central to our DNA at MultiplyMii and Escala. All our clients that make this shift experience initial speedbumps, before long-term success that is hard to believe. Much of this philosophy is derived from Gina Wickman’s Multipliers, and we recommend the book to every client we meet.

Additional Nuggets of Gold

• Multiplier Discipline #1 - Attract and Optimise Talent

Multipliers look for talent everywhere, appreciating all types of genius, and ignore traditional organization boundaries when looking for people who can contribute. They search for people’s innate strengths and call them out. They ask the question: “In what way is this person smart?” 

• Multiplier Discipline #2 - Create intensity that requires the best thinking

 Working for a Multiplier should be exhausting and exhilarating. They demand the best work from their team and defend the standard by calling someone out when they’re below their usual performance. However, they liberate their team and create a safe environment for their team to perform at their best. They insist on making and learning from mistakes, and openly share their own mistakes to level the playing field. 

• Multiplier Discipline #4 - Debate Maker vs Decisions Maker

Multipliers first engage people in debate around decisions upfront. They do this to achieve sound decisions, but also decisions that are understood and prepare the organization to execute efficiently. They ask the hard questions, and demand data-driven evidence to support theories. They direct that everyone participates, yet depersonalize the debate and keep it unemotional. 

Who Should Read this Book?

In my opinion, any employer has a commitment to their employee to constantly seek to improve their leadership skills and become better managers. What was groundbreaking for me in Multipliers was that the right intentions aren’t enough - for most of our diminishing tendencies are inadvertent and completely overlooked.  

From a pure business perspective, the ROI of reading a book like multipliers is enormous, even if it means only a 10% increase in output for your team. 

However, the beautiful element of Multipliers is that it is relevant to everyone, including those in a non-business setting. Parents have the opportunity to be multipliers or diminishers, as do teachers, coaches, and youth movement leaders. I strongly believe that anyone who has influence over another person should read this, and improve their standing on the multiplier-diminisher spectrum.

Favorite Quotes

“When leaders teach, they invest in their people’s ability to solve and avoid problems in the future.”

“Perhaps these leaders understood that the person sitting at the apex of the intelligence hierarchy is the genius maker, not the genius.”

“Multipliers invoke each person’s unique intelligence and create an atmosphere of genius—innovation, productive effort, and collective intelligence.”

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

“Diminishers are Decision Makers who try to sell their decisions to others. Multipliers are Debate Makers who generate real buy-in.”

“Your biggest opportunity to inspire Multiplier leadership might be in learning to recognize your own Diminisher traits and convert these conditions into Multiplier moments.”

“‘Exhausting but exhilarating’ captures what people continually told us it was like to work for a Multiplier.”

“People are often “overworked and underutilized.”

Series Introduction - How Books Replaced a College Degree

#10 - The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz

#9 - The Lean Startup - Eric Ries

#8 - Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell

#7 - Zero to One - Peter Theil

#6 - The Undoing Project - Michael Lewis

#5 - Freakonomics - Stephen D Levitt & Stephen J Dubner

#4 - Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson

#3 - The Sales Acceleration Formula - Mark Roberge

#2 - Multipliers - Liz Wiseman

#1 - Traction - Gino Wickman