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Published: 1st July 2010

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Wiseman delivers a thought-provoking and accessible exploration of why some leaders drain capability and intelligence from their teams while others amplify it to produce better results.

Are you a genius or a genius maker?

We've all had experience with two dramatically different types of leaders. The first type drain intelligence, energy, and capability from the ones around them and always need to be the smartest ones in the room. These are the idea killers, the energy sappers, the diminishers of talent and commitment. On the other side of the spectrum are leaders who use their intelligence to amplify the smarts and capabilities of the people around them. When these leaders walk into a room, lightbulbs go off over people's heads, ideas flow, and problems get solved. These are the leaders who inspire employees to stretch themselves to deliver results that surpass expectations. These are the Multipliers. And the world needs more of them, especially now, when leaders are expected to do more with less.

In this engaging and highly practical book, leadership expert Liz Wiseman and management consultant Greg McKeown explore these two leadership styles, persuasively showing how Multipliers can have a resoundingly positive and profitable effect on organizations—getting more done with fewer resources, developing and attracting talent, and cultivating new ideas and energy to drive organizational change and innovation.

In analyzing data from more than 150 leaders, Wiseman and McKeown have identified five disciplines that distinguish Multipliers from Diminishers. These five disciplines are not based on innate talent; indeed, they are skills and practices that everyone can learn to use—even lifelong and recalcitrant Diminishers. Lively, real-world case studies and practical tips and techniques bring to life each of these principles, showing you how to become a Multiplier too, whether you are a new or an experienced manager. Just imagine what you could accomplish if you could harness all the energy and intelligence around you. Multipliers will show you how.

About the Author

Liz Wiseman is the president of The Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development center headquartered in Silicon Valley. She advises senior executives and leads strategy and leadership forums for executive teams worldwide. A former executive at Oracle Corporation, she worked as the vice president of Oracle University and for seventeen years as the global leader for human resource development. She holds a BS in business management and a master's in organizational behavior, each from Brigham Young University.

Publishers Weekly
Drawing on interviews with more than 150 executives and on her own experience as a former executive at the Oracle Corporation and the former vice president of Oracle University, Weisman argues that executives fall into two distinct leadership categories: “Multipliers” and “Diminishers.” Unsurprisingly, Multipliers turn out to be better leaders: unlike Diminishers—self-centered empire builders who tear employees down—Multipliers attract talent, “liberate” employees to do their best and step out of their comfort zones, make decisions rather than promoting unproductive debate, and invest in human capital. While spotlights on such Multipliers as Mitt Romney, a “Talent Magnet” at Bain Capital and beyond, and Steven Spielberg, who fosters an open environment on his film sets, are appealing and instructive, the major points are repetitive. Chapters drag on after descriptions of distinctive Multiplier or Diminisher behavior have been made. The breadth of the material is better suited for a lengthy article than a full business book, and the effort to stretch it into a longer work diminishes the meaningful research. (June)

Library Journal
Wiseman (president, Mindshare Learning Systems), who spent 17 years with Oracle, and McKeown (partner, Mindshare Learning Systems) present their findings from over 150 interviews with professionals. They categorize these men and woman as either "Multipliers," leaders who "make everyone smarter," and "Diminishers," who diminish their teams. Chapters are arranged thematically, e.g., showing the attributes of a Multiplier, from talent magnet to liberator, and then showing how a Diminisher functions in contrast, with examples of each. Chapters close with analyses of how to increase your strengths, while the last chapter, "Becoming a Multiplier," is a functional blueprint for individual change at work. There's no risk analysis, though. Multipliers are painted as universally successful, and the authors advocate a leadership strategy that traditional managers might consider risky. New leaders particularly interested in developing a collaborative style may find this useful, but there's nothing here that most leaders don't already know.

Other Reviews
"This engaging and subversive book asks a vital question: "How can we grow and harness human talent to address the great issues of our day?" "Multipliers" makes us rethink many of our old assumptions."----Gareth Jones, visiting professor, IE Madrid; coauthor, "Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?"

ISBN: 9780061964398
ISBN-10: 0061964395
Audience: Professional
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 224
Published: 1st July 2010
Dimensions (cm): 23.3 x 20.1  x 2.6
Weight (kg): 0.442