Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman

Resource Type: Professional
Who this Book is Good For: Emerging Leaders, Experienced Leaders, Executives, Entrepreneurs

Wiseman, a former executive at Oracle who served as a global leader of HR Development for seventeen years, and who more recently provided leadership consulting to companies such as Apple, Disney, eBay/PayPal, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Nike, Salesforce, and Twitter, shares her findings from two years of research into the defining characteristics and behaviors that separate great leaders from ineffective leaders. The research reveals that leaders fall in a spectrum between two categories: Multiplier and Diminisher. Wiseman explains the differences between the two in several behavioral styles. Generally speaking, Multipliers amplify or multiply the intelligence of the people around them. Diminishers drain the intelligence, energy and capability from the ones around them.

This practical leadership guide provides vivid examples of Multiplier and Diminisher behaviors we can all relate to. Sometimes these behaviors are learned from other leaders, and Wiseman addresses this by accepting and acknowledging that many of us have “Accidental Diminisher” tendencies. She provides specific tactics and exercises to overcome these behaviors in order to become a more effective leader who is capable of multiplying talent, cultivating new ideas, and having a positive, measurable impact on organizations. Wiseman’s methodology really resonated with me, and I feel it is a great book for the next generation of leaders who are serious about honing their skills.

Happy Multiplying!
Lisa