Multipliers

Takeaway:

There are two types of bosses, multipliers and diminishers.  Multipliers encourage and empower their employees to grow, take risks, and make an impact in their organization.  Diminishers sap the energy from their employees, leaving them dissatisfied and wanting a change.

Guiding Questions:

• What is the impact of leading as a multiplier?

• How do you know if you are a multiplier?

• Which type of multiplier are you or do you aspire to be?

• What diminishers have you worked for? How can you avoid their behaviors?

Summary:

Author Liz Wiseman is a thinker, researcher, and writer.  She wanted to know why some organizations seem to flourish along with their employees and why others seem to lead in a way that results in higher rates of turnover.  Wanting to solve this problem led Liz’s research and to the premise of this book.

Multipliers are leaders who bring out the best in their people.  They challenge and give opportunities for others to prove themselves and grow.  They look at the talents of every person on staff to make sure they are utilized in their unique ways.  They empower and support in a way that increases employee participation, leadership, and retention.

There are five types of multipliers:

Talent Magnets - attracts and organizes talent to ensure each individual and the organization is operating to its greatest strengths

Liberators - creates a work environment that intensely encourages and requires everyone to be thinking and working at their best

Challengers - seeks opportunities for others to grow and stretch

Debate Makers - identifies problems and organizes forums for thoughtful, evidence-based debates to enable great decision making

Investors - shares success, responsibilities, and ownership over work, projected, and decisions

While these five unique types of leadership all enable teams and employees to operate at their best, diminishers do the exact opposite.

Diminishers tend to ask in self-interest.  They act to control or suppress the ideas and talents of others, make themselves the expert that others must rely upon, mismanages or underutilizes people, makes abrupt or confusing decisions, or micromanages their employees and teams.

Diminishers leave people disaffected, disenfranchised, and dissatisfied with their work.  In the end, people leave diminishers, or wish to, seeking work that they can add value to and a work environment in which they will be appreciated, nurtured, and allowed to grow.

Want to be a great leader?  Create space and opportunity for your employees and teams to demonstrate their own talents and potential, provide guidance for them, and watch them grow.  Be a multiplier.