The Multiplier Effect

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. -John Quincy Adams

This week on Learning to Lead live we kicked off a new series exploring the concepts of the book “Multipliers and Diminishers,” beginning with the multiplier effect. In this discussion, we will introduce the mindsets of the multiplier and diminisher, as well as the 5 disciplines. The full replay includes more detail, as well as discussion, and here are a few takeaways:

MULTIPLIER MINDSET:

• Expect great things from their people and drives them to achieve extraordinary results

• Makes people feel smart and capable, looking to find their capabilities & utilize them to their fullest

• Growth mindset and believes intelligence and ability can be cultivated through effort

• Sees an organization as full of talented people capable of contributing at a much higher level

• When faced with opportunities/challenges they assume there are smart people everywhere who will figure this out and get smarter in the process

• Brings the right people together in an environment that liberates the best thinking and then gets out of the way

• Described as someone who gets things out of others that they didn’t think they could give and people will give their best to avoid disappointing them

DIMINISHER MINDSET:  

• Based on elitism & scarcity

• Lack of awareness of the restrictive impact they have on others

• They may have inherited style from diminishers they worked for in their past

• Believes that really intelligent people are a rare breed

• Believes that people cannot figure things out without them  

• See intelligence as static and it doesn’t change over time or circumstance

• Thinks people who don’t get it won’t ever get it

• Believes they have to do all the thinking

• Leads by telling others what to do and making all the important decisions

• Jumps in and takes over when someone appears to be failing

• Creates subordination and dependency

FIVE DISCIPLINES OF THE MULTIPLIER

1. Attract & Optimize Talent: 

   • Multipliers operate as Talent Magnets attracting & deploying talent to its fullest regardless of who owns the resource

   • Diminishers operate as Empire Builders insisting that they own & control resources to be more productive; Divides resources into those they own & those they don’t - creating silos in resources.  

2. Create Intensity That Requires Best Thinking:

   • Multipliers: establish a unique and highly motivating work environment where everyone has permission to think and the space to do their best work; Operate as liberators, producing a climate that is both comfortable and safe inviting people to do their best thinking.

   • Diminishers: Operate as tyrants introducing fear of judgment impacting people’s thinking & work; They demand people’s best thinking yet don’t get it.

3. Extend Challenges:

   • Multipliers: Operate as challengers (disrupters) by seeding opportunities, laying down a challenge that stretches an organization and generating the belief that it can be done.

   • Diminishers: Operate as Know-It-Alls, personally giving directives that showcase their knowledge

4. Debate Decisions:

   • Multipliers:  Make decisions that ready the organization to execute on decisions; Operate as Debate Makers, engaging people in debating issues up front, leading to decisions people understand and can execute.  

   • Diminishers:  Operate as Decision Makers who tend to make decisions efficiently within a small inner circle, but they leave the broader organization in the dark to debate the soundness of the decisions.

5. Instil Ownership:

   • Multipliers:  Deliver and sustain superior results by setting high expectations; they provide necessary resources for success; they hold people accountable for their commitments; they hold themselves and each other accountable to higher standards and without the direct intervention

   • Diminishers: Serve as micromanagers and drive results by holding on to ownership, jumping into the details and directly managing for results.

How much more could you accomplish as a leader if you could get 2x more from your people?

The Multiplier Effect in action: 

• Manager #1:  The Midas touch

  • George - had a reputation for running a successful business that was profitable and grew under his leadership

  • What distinguished him most was the impact he had as a leader

  • He made others feel smart, valued and successful

  • He spent time getting to know others on a deep level

  • Others valued being part of his team as a highlight in their career

  • George grew other’s intelligence by engaging it

  • His focus was on extracting the smarts and maximum effort from each member of the team

  • In meetings, he spoke only 10% of the time, mostly to give context to a problem or answer

• Manager #2:  The Idea Killer

  • John - was a brilliant scientist who was promoted into management to run a plant

  • Highly intelligent in every measure and left his mark on everyone and everything

  • He hired intelligent people but didn’t give them permission to think for themselves

  • He would shut down other’s ideas and engagement

  • In meetings, he spoke 30% of the time and left little space for others

  • Had strong opinions and gave a lot of feedback related to what he saw as bad ideas

  • He made all the decisions and put his energy into selling his ideas to others, attempting to convince them to execute the details

  • Hi team had a high turnover rate and rarely achieved over 50% of what they could contribute

As we explore the differences between multipliers and diminishers you may notice traits in yourself or leaders you have worked with. It is important to know that like more leadership principles we will move between these two. The more we understand principles like this the more effective we can be at naming them and adjusting

“By believing passionately in something that still does not exist, we create it.  The nonexistent is whatever we have not sufficiently desired” - Nikos Kazantzakis

Listen to the Full Replay

The Multiplier Effect | Live Replay

The next Learning to Lead Live event will be on Saturday, June 25 @ 9:30 am PDT. The topic will be shared on Wednesday (June 8) so be sure to subscribe for updates and reminders!

Resources

• Multipliers by Liz Wiseman - The book we are digging into for the next few weeks, packed with so many amazing leadership lessons

• Newsletters I read daily to stay informed and get inspired: The Hustle, Morning Brew, Seth Godin’s Blog, Atlas Obscura, Oprah Daily

• Leadership Journeys - An Interview with Dr. Praba Koomson: We interviewed Dr. Koomson and her story was not only inspired but filled with lessons we can all apply on our leadership journey

  Leadership Journeys: An Interview with Dr. Praba Koomson | Live Replay

Learning to Lead LIVE

The next Learning to Lead Live event will be on Saturday, June 11 @ 9:30 am PDT. The topic will be shared on Wednesday (June 22) so be sure to subscribe for updates and reminders!

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