Book Review: Multipliers by Liz Wiseman – How Great Leaders Amplify the Intelligence of Others
Leadership is one of the greatest multipliers of human potential. When done well, it expands what a team is capable of achieving; when done poorly, it suffocates creativity, wastes talent, and leaves people drained rather than energized. In her book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, Liz Wiseman captures this dynamic by drawing a clear line between two kinds of leaders: Multipliers and Diminishers.
At its core, the book is about a deceptively simple truth: great leaders don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. Instead, they make everyone else smarter. For leaders who want to get more from their people without burning them out, Wiseman’s framework offers a practical path. Read on for actionable and inspiring insight and takeaways.
Multipliers vs. Diminishers: The Core Distinction
Wiseman describes Multipliers as “genius makers.” They amplify the intelligence and capabilities of the people around them. They believe deeply in the capacity of others to figure things out and rise to the occasion. Multipliers create space for growth, innovation, and ownership, ultimately producing results far greater than one person could drive alone.
Diminishers, on the other hand, are “genius drainers.” They may be incredibly smart themselves, but their leadership style shuts others down. They hoard decisions, micromanage, or assume nothing will move forward without their personal involvement. The result is a team of people who learn to hold back, rely too heavily on the leader, and underperform compared to their potential.
Most of us have experienced both. Many professionals can name a Diminisher they worked for—the brilliant but suffocating manager who left them feeling small. And many can remember a Multiplier—the leader who challenged them to stretch, trusted them with meaningful responsibility, and left them stronger for the experience.
For me, this distinction resonates with the leadership principle I often emphasize: our job is not to do the work of ten people, but to create the conditions where ten people can do their best work.
The Five Disciplines of Multipliers
Wiseman identifies five core disciplines that Multipliers consistently practice. Each one aligns closely with topics I regularly teach in leadership programs, particularly around communication, resilience, and empowerment. Let’s look at each with both her framing and practical applications.
1. The Talent Magnet
Multipliers see talent everywhere. They are curious about what makes each person unique, and they put that native genius to use. Instead of trying to mold everyone into their own image, they ask: What is this person’s natural strength, and how can we align it with meaningful work?
Why it matters: People are most engaged when they feel seen for their unique contributions. Leveraging talent focuses on creating alignment between natural strengths and organizational needs.
Practical Tip: As a leader, ask team members: When do you feel at your best at work? What kinds of problems do you love to solve? Keep a running “strengths map” of your team and use it when assigning projects.
2. The Liberator
Liberators create an environment where people feel safe to speak up, experiment, and even fail without fear of punishment. Liberation is about raising expectations while removing fear.
Why it matters: Psychological safety is a cornerstone of high-performing teams. Without it, people self-censor, innovation stalls, and problems go unaddressed.
Practical Tip: Before a meeting, reflect: Am I creating space for others to contribute? Am I signaling that mistakes are learning opportunities rather than career killers? Try asking quieter team members directly for their perspective: What are we not seeing here?
3. The Challenger
Multipliers challenge their people with big, bold goals. They don’t settle for safe targets; instead, they create stretch opportunities that force people to grow. Importantly, they frame challenges as solvable and show confidence in the team’s ability to rise.
Why it matters: Growth rarely happens in comfort zones. Leaders who only set easy goals unintentionally stunt development. But leaders who challenge thoughtfully unlock creativity and resilience.
Practical Tip: The next time you assign a project, ask: How could I make this more of a stretch for them? Pair the challenge with encouragement: This will be tough, but I know you can handle it. I’ll support you along the way.
4. The Debate Maker
Rather than telling people what to do, Multipliers foster robust debate. They ask provocative questions, surface multiple perspectives, and ensure the best ideas—not the loudest voices—shape the outcome.
Why it matters: Healthy debate sharpens ideas, prevents groupthink, and builds buy-in. But it requires a leader willing to step back and let the process play out.
Practical Tip: Before finalizing a decision, ask your team: What could go wrong here? What’s the strongest counterargument to this approach? Model curiosity and reward those who respectfully challenge assumptions.
5. The Investor
Multipliers invest by giving people ownership of results. They don’t rescue their team when challenges arise. Instead, they provide resources, ask guiding questions, and then step back—while still holding people accountable for outcomes.
Why it matters: Real ownership develops capability. Leaders who overstep undermine autonomy, but leaders who invest wisely build confident, resilient teams.
Practical Tip: Shift from “Here’s what you should do” to “What options do you see? Which path makes the most sense, and what support do you need from me?”
The Accidental Diminisher
One of the most useful insights in the book is that many leaders don’t set out to diminish others. In fact, they often do it with good intentions. Wiseman calls this the Accidental Diminisher.
For example:
The Idea Fountain, who overwhelms the team with too many ideas.
The Pacesetter, who moves so fast that others can’t keep up.
The Rescuer, who jumps in to help too quickly, unintentionally signaling that the team can’t handle it.
This concept is a wake-up call for leaders who think, That doesn’t apply to me, I’m trying to be supportive. Even the most well-meaning leaders can shut down growth if they don’t pay attention to how their behaviors land.
Practical Tip: Ask your team anonymously: What’s one thing I do that unintentionally makes it harder for you to contribute at your best? Listen with curiosity, not defensiveness.
Practical Applications from Multipliers Today’s Leaders
So how do you apply the Multiplier mindset in real workplaces, especially when time, stress, and change are constant? Here are a few concrete ways to start.
Check Your Default: When a team member brings a problem, do you jump in with answers (Diminisher) or ask questions to draw out their thinking (Multiplier)?
Audit Your Meetings: Are they dominated by a few voices, or do you consistently create space for debate and diverse perspectives?
Set One Stretch Goal per Person: Challenge each direct report with something slightly outside their comfort zone this quarter.
Practice “Less Talking, More Asking”: Swap a directive for a question at least once a day.
Notice Your Accidental Diminisher Triggers: Reflect on when your good intentions might actually shut people down.
Reflection: Multipliers, Diminishers, and Energy Leadership
While Liz Wiseman’s book focuses on intelligence, the concepts of Multipliers and Diminishers align closely with Energy Leadership. Both frameworks ask the same fundamental question: What effect does my leadership have on the people around me?
From an Energy Leadership perspective:
Diminishers operate in more catabolic energy states. Their need to control, rescue, or be the smartest person in the room contracts energy. People feel drained, cautious, or dependent, which shuts down creativity and confidence.
Accidental Diminishers often sit in mid-range energy—well-meaning but still centered on their own pace, ideas, or need for efficiency. Their intentions are good, but the impact is still limiting.
Multipliers create anabolic energy environments. They bring curiosity, trust, and optimism. Their belief in people expands energy, opening the door to higher levels of engagement, collaboration, and innovation.
The real power of this bridge is recognizing that intelligence and energy are inseparable. People think better when they feel safe, energized, and trusted. They shrink when they feel controlled, second-guessed, or ignored. As leaders, we aren’t just shaping how people use their intelligence—we’re influencing the very energy they bring to their work.
So the next time you ask yourself if you’re showing up as a Multiplier, add this lens: What energy am I bringing into this conversation? Am I expanding the room, or contracting it?
A Next Step for Your Leadership
If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re someone who wants to amplify—not drain—the potential of those around you. That’s the work I do with leaders every day: helping them manage their energy, shift out of diminishing patterns, and lead in ways that unlock creativity, resilience, and trust.
If you’re curious about how to apply these ideas in your own leadership, let’s connect. Whether through one-on-one coaching or team workshops, I help leaders simplify the way they manage time, stress, and energy so they can show up as true Multipliers in their organizations.
Book a FREE exploration call with me to discover how coaching can support you.
If you’re looking for a leadership book that’s practical, accessible, and immediately applicable, Multipliers deserves a place on your list. It will push you to ask hard questions about your own leadership habits: Am I amplifying or diminishing? Do I trust my people enough to stretch, debate, and own outcomes? Am I creating space for intelligence to grow—or shutting it down?
The best leaders don’t just deliver results. They grow people. And that, ultimately, is the legacy of a true Multiplier.
