In today’s economy, effective leadership isn’t just advantageous—it’s essential for driving revenue. Enter the Multiplier: a leader who excels at maximizing existing team potential rather than adding resources.
Based on the research-packed book by Liz Wiseman, the concept is simple: Multipliers are great at getting the most out of the people they work with.
Research confirms what intuition suggests: Multipliers get nearly double (1.97x) the output from their teams. They don't just tap into existing capabilities; they stretch them, nurturing a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
The beauty of it all? It doesn't require a bigger investment—it only requires better leadership.
- Spark Debate
To get the most out of your team and boost their abilities, let them solve real business issues. Rather than solely focusing on decision-making, Multipliers prioritize facilitating debates and empowering individuals to contribute.
When you encourage discussion, you access the entirety of the mindshare, build connections amongst the team, and get automatic buy-in from the group. Most importantly, you teach them how to think about the problem in a way that aligns with the business.
The more people you empower to make directionally sound decisions, the faster your business scales.
Try it today: A great leader insists that the team actively participate in problem solving. Try asking:
- What is our real goal here?
- How would you solve this?
- What could go wrong?
2. Leverage Your Talent
One of the most expensive mistakes I see business leaders make is hiring the right people and underleveraging, or worse, actively limiting them.
Multipliers are talent magnets; their reputation for fostering growth and developing talent draws people to their teams. They’re known for hiring smart people and making them better. What happens next? More top-talent wants to work for them.
The key here is that Multipliers recognize the unique, native genius in each member of the team and focus on leveraging those strengths, as opposed to limiting the person within their role.
Try it today: Ask each member of the team:
- What percentage (1-100%) are your skillsets utilized?
- How are you limited within your role?
Be careful not to confuse time utilization with talent utilization: someone’s busyness does not equate to their productivity, and it’s dangerous to confuse the two.
3. Encourage Self-Solving
Encouraging proactive self-solving is key when establishing ownership on a team and fully leveraging talent. Instead of immediately “fixing things”, Multipliers ask questions.
Here’s what happens next: not only do people hold themselves accountable, but you’ll start to see the team hold each other accountable, as well. This fosters an environment where people feel empowered, move quickly, gain confidence, and require far less managerial intervention.
The key to increased ownership is allowing them to move forward with their own proposed solutions. Let them try, let them fail, talk about it, and let them try again.
Try it today: When someone comes to you with a problem, try asking:
- What are you solving for?
- How would you propose we solve this?
- What have you tried?
4.Pursue Greatness
Expecting greatness in the workplace is more than setting high standards—it's about creating an environment where individuals are inspired to reach their full potential. By fostering intensity that demands the best thinking, leaders can cultivate a climate that is both comfortable and challenging, removing fear and inviting people to excel.
Try it today: When someone talks about an activity they’re working on, try asking:
- How does this impact the business?
- How can we make this 10% better?
- What can we try that we haven’t?
The research is clear: getting the most out of the people you hire comes down to teaching them how to think about things and giving them the space and freedom to do so. The more you empower your humans, the faster and more effectively your business will be built.
About APPROVE:
APPROVE is an award-winning fintech startup and one of Wilmington's fastest-growing SaaS companies. You can learn more about working with us at https://www.approvepayments.com/careers.
References:
Wizeman, Liz (2017).
Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter. Harper Collins.
