Empower Knowledge Brief

Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter

by Liz Wiseman

Multipliers explores how some leaders (“Multipliers”) amplify the capabilities of those around them, while others (“Diminishers”) drain intelligence and capability from their teams. Through extensive research, Wiseman identifies the five disciplines that distinguish Multipliers from Diminishers and shows how these leaders can dramatically enhance team performance without requiring additional resources.

AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND

Liz Wiseman is a researcher, executive advisor, and president of The Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm. She has been listed on the Thinkers50 ranking and named as one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world. Previously, she was the Vice President of Oracle University and a pioneer in the field of corporate learning.

THE ONE BIG IDEA

The best leaders don’t just use their own intelligence to solve problems; they multiply the intelligence of others, creating an environment where everyone becomes smarter and more capable. These leaders get more done with the same resources by extracting and extending the existing capabilities of their people.

Key Insights

The difference between Multipliers and Diminishers lies not in personality but in fundamental assumptions they make about people’s capabilities.
Multipliers follow five disciplines: attracting talent, creating intensity, extending challenges, debating decisions, and instilling ownership.
Small changes in leadership approach can have dramatic effects on team performance and engagement.
True empowerment comes from creating space for others to contribute their best thinking and capabilities.

Action Steps

Ask questions that provoke thinking rather than giving immediate answers.

Create opportunities for others to lead and make decisions.

Admit when you don’t know something and invite others to contribute their expertise.

Give people both high expectations and the ownership to figure out how to meet them.

Personalized Takeaways

“Multipliers” reveals that the key to successful leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about making everyone else smarter. The book challenges traditional notions of leadership that focus on individual brilliance and instead advocates for a style that amplifies collective intelligence. By adopting the Multiplier mindset and practices, leaders can create environments where innovation thrives, engagement soars, and people consistently exceed expectations. Whether managing a small team or leading a large organization, the principles in this book offer a practical framework for bringing out the best in others and achieving extraordinary results through empowerment.

Learn More

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet
The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni