Multipliers

1. Multipliers amplify intelligence, while Diminishers suppress it

Multipliers are genius makers and bring out the intelligence in others. They build collective, viral intelligence in organizations.

Intelligence amplification. Multipliers have a profound impact on the people around them, extracting and extending their intelligence and capabilities. They operate on the assumption that people are smart and will figure things out, creating an environment where intelligence flourishes. In contrast, Diminishers operate as if their intelligence is superior, stifling others and draining organizational capability.

Measurable impact. Research shows that Multipliers get at least twice as much from their people as Diminishers. People report giving 50% or less of their capability to Diminishers, while offering 70-100% to Multipliers. This translates to significant organizational leverage, with Multipliers effectively doubling their workforce without adding headcount.

Core assumptions. The fundamental difference lies in how these leaders view intelligence:

• Multipliers see intelligence as continually developing
• Diminishers see intelligence as static and scarce
  These assumptions drive dramatically different behaviors and outcomes.

2. The five disciplines of Multipliers: Talent Magnet, Liberator, Challenger, Debate Maker, Investor

Multipliers lead people by operating as Talent Magnets, whereby they attract and deploy talent to its fullest regardless of who owns the resource.

Talent Magnet. Multipliers attract top talent and utilize it fully. They:

• Look for talent everywhere, appreciating all types of genius
• Find people's native genius - what they do naturally and freely
• Connect people with opportunities that stretch them
• Remove blockers, including themselves if necessary

Liberator. Multipliers create space for others to contribute their best thinking and work. They:

• Create safety for thinking while demanding people's best work
• Shift the ratio of listening to talking, operating consistently
• Generate rapid learning cycles by admitting mistakes

Challenger. Multipliers define opportunities that stretch people beyond what they know how to do. They:

• Seed opportunities by showing needs and challenging assumptions
• Lay down concrete challenges and ask hard questions
• Generate belief in what's possible through early wins

Debate Maker. Multipliers drive sound decisions through rigorous debate. They:

• Frame issues clearly and assemble the right people and data
• Create safety for best thinking while demanding rigor
• Drive decisions and communicate rationale effectively

Investor. Multipliers give ownership and invest in others' success. They:

• Define clear ownership and stretch roles
• Teach, coach, and provide backup
• Hold people accountable while respecting natural consequences

3. Multipliers create space for others to contribute and shine

Multipliers create an intense environment that requires people's best thinking and work.

Balancing act. Multipliers cultivate an environment that is both comfortable and intense. They remove fear and create safety that invites people's best thinking, while simultaneously creating pressure that demands their best effort. This duality allows people to take risks, learn rapidly, and deliver extraordinary results.

Key practices:

• Release others by restraining yourself
• Shift the ratio of listening to talking (80% listening)
• Level the playing field by amplifying quieter voices
• Admit and share mistakes to encourage learning
• Make the scoreboard visible to drive accountability

Impact on people. In this environment, people feel both challenged and valued. They describe working for Multipliers as "exhausting but exhilarating" - stretching beyond their perceived limits while experiencing deep satisfaction and growth.

4. Challenging people stretches their capabilities and spurs growth

Multipliers look into people and find capability, and they want to access all of it. They utilize people to their fullest.

Seeding opportunities. Instead of just giving answers, Multipliers provide just enough information to provoke thinking and help people discover opportunities for themselves. They:

• Show needs firsthand
• Challenge fundamental assumptions
• Reframe problems as opportunities
• Create starting points for others to build on

Concrete challenges. Multipliers establish challenges that create a huge stretch for an organization. They:

• Extend a clear, tangible challenge
• Ask hard questions that require new thinking
• Let others fill in the blanks

Generating belief. Multipliers help people believe in the possibility of achieving seemingly impossible goals. Techniques include:

• "Helicoptering down" to show a pathway
• Co-creating plans with the team
• Orchestrating early wins to build momentum

5. Rigorous debate leads to better decisions and readies organizations for execution

Multipliers engage people in debating the issues up front, which leads to decisions that people understand and can execute efficiently.

Framing the issue. Multipliers prepare for great debates by:

• Defining the key question to be answered
• Forming the right team of contributors
• Assembling critical data
• Clarifying the decision-making process

Sparking debate. They create an environment of both safety and rigor:

• Encourage all points of view and opposing arguments
• Focus on facts and depersonalize issues
• Ask hard questions that challenge assumptions
• Look for evidence in data, not just opinions

Driving sound decisions. After debate, Multipliers:

• Reclarify the decision-making process
• Make or delegate the final decision
• Communicate the decision and rationale clearly

Organizational impact. This approach not only leads to better decisions but also builds collective understanding and readiness to execute. People feel ownership of the decision and are prepared to implement it effectively.

6. Giving ownership and investing in others' success creates sustainable results

A leader is someone who helps others lead.

Defining ownership. Multipliers clearly establish ownership and accountability:

• Name the lead and give them majority voting rights (e.g., 51%)
• Give ownership for end goals, not just tasks
• Stretch roles beyond current capabilities

Investing resources. They provide support for success:

• Teach and coach in the context of real challenges
• Provide backup without taking over
• Invest intellectual capital through mentoring

Holding people accountable. Multipliers maintain high expectations:

• Give back ownership when tempted to take over
• Expect complete work, not just identifying problems
• Respect natural consequences as teachers
• Make the scoreboard visible to drive results

Long-term impact. This approach creates organizations that can perform without the constant presence of the leader. It allows Multipliers to step away and reinvest their efforts elsewhere, becoming "Serial Multipliers" who build multiple successful teams and organizations over time.

7. Anyone can become a Multiplier by shifting assumptions and practices

You can choose to think like a Multiplier and operate like one. This book will show you how.

Recognizing the Accidental Diminisher. Many leaders unintentionally diminish others through well-meaning but counterproductive practices. Awareness is the first step to change.

Strategies for becoming a Multiplier:

1. Work the extremes:
   • Assess your leadership practices
   • Neutralize your biggest weakness
   • Top off your greatest strength
2. Start with assumptions:
   • Adopt Multiplier mindsets (e.g., "People are smart and will figure it out")
   • Let behavior naturally follow
3. Take the 30-Day Multiplier Challenge:
   • Focus on one practice within one discipline for 30 days
   • Journal your experiences and learnings

Sustaining momentum:

• Build skills layer by layer, like instruments joining an orchestra
• Stay with it for a year, holding a key question in mind
• Build a community for support and accountability

8. Multipliers get 2x more from people and accelerate organizational success

Multipliers get twice the capability from people than do Diminishers.

Quantifiable impact. Research consistently shows that Multipliers extract at least twice the capability from people compared to Diminishers. This 2X effect creates significant leverage for organizations, effectively doubling their intellectual and productive capacity without increasing headcount.

Beyond productivity. The Multiplier effect goes beyond just getting more work done:

• People actually become smarter and more capable around Multipliers
• Organizations can solve harder problems and adapt more quickly
• Individuals experience accelerated career growth and satisfaction

Strategic relevance. In times of both scarcity and growth, the ability to multiply intelligence and capability is crucial:

• During downturns: Extract more value from existing resources
• During growth: Scale intellectual assets to meet expanding demands

Broader implications. The Multiplier approach has potential impact beyond business:

• Education: Unlocking student potential and teacher effectiveness
• Government: Addressing complex societal challenges more effectively
• Global issues: Accessing underutilized brainpower to solve perennial problems

Last updated: January 22, 2025