What Leaders Need to Know About the 'Multiplier' and 'Diminisher' Concept
Assessing leaders and their leadership style, we have seen the clear distinction between being a 'Multiplier' and a 'Diminisher'. It is more than just a concept; it has been well-researched and has a number of case studies across the world proving it to be a critical factor in determining a leader's impact on their team's potential and success.
If you are a regular reader of our blogs, you would have often seen us referring to being a 'Multiplier' or 'Diminisher' and the positive effects leading with a Multiplier style can have. Looking deeper into this leadership concept, we wanted to dig deeper into what a multiplier is, the benefits and how you can adopt and apply a Multiplier concept to your leadership style.
What is a Multiplier and Diminisher?
The concept, brought into the spotlight by Liz Wiseman (whom we highly regard), revolves around two contrasting leadership styles - 'Multipliers' and 'Diminishers'. Multipliers are leaders who amplify the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, creating an environment of growth, innovation, and empowerment. Diminishers, in contrast, are those who inadvertently and often unknowingly suppress their teams' potential and centralise intelligence and decision-making around themselves.
Where Did the Concept Come From?
Wiseman's ground breaking work, based on extensive research, identified these two archetypes in her book "Multipliers". She explored how Multipliers extract significantly more from their teams, not by adding more resources but by effectively utilising existing talents and capabilities.
Benefits of Being a Multiplier
Enhanced Team Performance: Multipliers have an uncanny knack for finding some genius in their members that they don't even know they have. Multipliers then utilise their team members' strengths and intelligence to improve their output.
Fostering Innovation: By encouraging open dialogue and idea-sharing in a safe work environment, the core foundation a multiplier should create; this allows the creation of a workplace that becomes the breeding ground for innovation.
Building Resilience: Teams led by Multipliers tend to be more adaptable and resilient, capable of navigating complex challenges, which in a world changing faster than ever becomes a critical skill and a leg up over business competitors.
How to Be a Multiplier Leader
Attract and Optimise Talent: Look beyond traditional boundaries to find and nurture diverse talents and strengths within your team.
Create Intensity for Best Thinking: Establish a culture where high standards are the norm, and team members are encouraged to give their best
Extend Challenges: Encourage team members to stretch beyond their comfort zones in a safe environment, fostering personal and professional growth.
Debate Decisions: Engage your team in healthy debate to reach well-rounded, effective decisions.
Instil Ownership and Accountability: Empower your team by delegating ownership, not just tasks, fostering a sense of responsibility and commitment.
What Leading With A 'Multiplier' Mindset Looks Like
At Visage Growth Partners, we've seen the profound impact of the Multiplier mindset in action. One notable example we wanted to highlight briefly is a SaaS company where the CEO transitioned from a directive approach to one that fostered collective intelligence and autonomy. We saw this shift accelerate innovation and rapidly enhance team cohesion and efficiency.
We advocate for the Multiplier mindset with all our clients as a transformative leadership philosophy. Being a Multiplier is about seeing beyond what is obvious in people to recognise the vast potential within your team and then following your intuition to unearth hidden gems of genius within your cohort.
By adopting this approach, leaders can enhance their team's performance and job satisfaction levels, which we have personally witnessed helps drive business growth.Embracing team autonomy isn't just about your direct reports; its impact is far-reaching. When leaders empower their teams with a multiplier attitude, it infuses the entire business with a 'can-do' spirit and confidence. This empowerment leads to rapid evolution, agility, and an overall sense of achievement. It's about creating true synergy, where the collective output is exponentially greater than the sum of individual efforts.
Why Empowering Team Drives Business Success
The benefits of fostering team Autonomy are many and varied. Businesses become more agile, leaders can focus on strategic, big-picture thinking, and every team member feels a sense of progress and satisfaction in their roles. This environment not only accelerates business growth but also enhances profitability.
Leveraging Collective Intelligence
An essential aspect of being a multiplier leader is valuing the diverse team intelligence, wisdom, and perspectives within your team. Recognising that these varied insights are incremental to your own not only enriches the decision-making process but also signals to your team that their contributions are valued and crucial.
A Real-World Success Story
Consider the case of a SaaS company, where the CEO, initially pivotal in product development, shifted to a more inclusive approach. By leading meetings with questions rather than directives and allowing team voices to be heard, the company became more agile and innovative. This change led to faster product releases, improved departmental transparency, and positive trends across key metrics. By enabling team members to step into roles aligned with their enthusiasm and expertise, the company not only achieved great outcomes but also reduced its dependency on the CEO.
Embracing team autonomy through a multiplier mindset is not just a leadership strategy; it's a transformative approach that unleashes the full potential of your team and organisation. As leaders, our role is to believe in and harness the collective genius of our people, steering our businesses toward unprecedented growth and innovation.
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