Leadership Lessons- Multipliers

Loved the concept of Multipliers, book by Liz Wiseman. Could relate to many of the concepts

Multipliers revolves around the premise that leaders can be categorised into Multipliers and Diminishers

You would generally find that someone might be not up to the mark working under a certain person but you move him/her to a Multiplier and voila productivity increases by 2x-3x. Multipliers take views of everyone, consult but at the same time expect you to stretch 100% everytime. You would also understand that they don’t seek additional head count to get things done. They get the maximum done with limited resources.

They would stretch you and make it Intense and make you feel energetic to solve a problem but don’t keep you tense where you feel withdrawn and unable to do anything.

What to Multipliers do?

• Amplify intelligence of people around them
• Enhance potential
• Are able to leverage strengths of the team
• Listen to all thoughts, get buy-in and ultimately take an informed decision ;they get everyone to rally around to solve a problem and achieve result

How do you understand if someone is a multiplier:

• You would give arm and a leg to work with that leader
• He/she understands your potential more than you do yourself
• There is always intense action. Keeps you occupied and intellectually simulated

What do Diminishers do?

• Drain Energy
• Operate in silos, don’t colloborate
• People might be intelligent but don’t know what is needed to reach goals

How to understand if someone is a diminisher:

• You feel you are working really hard, but there isn’t any output
• You feel drained and things move really slow

There are 5 roles which multiplier plays:

Talent Magnet: You would generally find all of them under doing well under this leader. How this works is they don’t write off anyone. They will appreciate everyone and can get work done out of anyone

Creates Intensity which requires you giving the best : They will find out peoples strengths. Work on it and ensure they succeed. They will listen most of the time create a safety net and give chance for everyone to think and speak up. This get everyone’s point of view on to the table also gets their buy-in.

Give great challenges and ensure direction is set: They wouldn’t say, they know it all. They will recognize, put spotlight, stretch and ensure they extract the entire worth. They will demand the best work. Always will question if this is the best they can do.

Debate decisions and issues up front: They will ensure there is a healthy debate, where everyone is participating. However if required they will step in and put a final call where everyone refocuses energies

Delegate ownership and accountability. They will intervene only if necessary. They won’t micromanage. Multipliers will give all the support required when required. They hold teams accountable for actions. Because Multipliers allow to take risks they hold team accountable for what they do; ensure 100% is given to work all the time. They will give work, and get out of the way.

To summarise, Identifying Multipliers and Diminishers in organisations could help radically improve culture and productivity. One can make a conscious effort of moving from a diminsher to be a multiplier by analysing and understanding whether you are playing the 5 roles which multipliers do. The basic tenets one can follow to be on path of becoming a multiplier are :

• Identifying strengths and making use to the fullest
• Challenging and demanding best work
• Providing an environment where everyone’s point of view is heard though leader takes the final call
• Letting people figure out; give work and get out of the way, stepping in only when required.