Liz Wiseman’s “Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter” is a ground-breaking leadership book that introduces two contrasting leadership styles: Multipliers and Diminishers.

Multipliers are leaders who amplify the intelligence and capabilities of those around them, getting more than double the results from their teams compared to Diminishers. The book outlines five key disciplines that define Multiplier leadership:

1. The Talent Magnet: Attracts top talent and maximizes their potential.
2. The Liberator: Creates an intense environment that demands people’s best thinking and work.
3. The Challenger: Defines opportunities that stretch people beyond what they thought possible.
4. The Debate Maker: Drives sound decisions through rigorous debate.
5. The Investor: Instils accountability and cultivates ownership.

In contrast, Diminishers drain intelligence and capability from their teams, often unintentionally. Wiseman reveals that many leaders are “accidental diminishers,” unknowingly stifling their team’s potential despite good intentions.

The book provides practical strategies and experiments to help leaders shift from diminishing to multiplying behaviours. It emphasizes that becoming a Multiplier starts with changing assumptions about people’s capabilities and potential.

Wiseman’s research, conducted across 150 leaders on four continents, shows that Multipliers can get up to twice the results from their teams compared to Diminishers. This makes “Multipliers” an essential read for leaders ai