Want to learn the ideas in Multipliers better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of Multipliers by Liz Wiseman, Greg McKeown here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of Multipliers

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on Multipliers, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Liz Wiseman, Greg McKeown.

1-Page Summary of Multipliers

Overview

For example, if you realize that you might be a bit of a tyrant and tend to dominate debates, then try playing a game where during meetings you only get so many chips. Every chip represents your contribution to the conversation. So use them wisely.

Most of us know a bad boss when we see one, but we rarely have the opportunity to work with a great boss. That’s why Liz Wiseman studied the actions of all different types of bosses and categorized them. In short, there are Diminishers (bad bosses) who deplete your energy and motivation, while Multipliers (good bosses) can make you twice or even 100 times better than you would be on your own.

The key points of the book are as follows: Multipliers create a more productive and healthy environment by following their lead. Magic Johnson can teach us about good leadership, why being a decision maker isn’t always a good thing, and how to set the perfect stage for a productive debate.

Big Idea #1: There are two types of leaders: those who try to develop their team’s weaknesses and those who focus on developing the strengths of their team.

Generally, there are two kinds of bosses: ones who inspire you to do your job and make you feel like you were born to be a leader, and those that make you dread going to work in the morning.

There are two kinds of managers: Multipliers and Diminishers. The first kind, the Multipliers, use their intelligence to make those around them smarter; they help people get better at their jobs. In contrast, the Diminishers drain both energy and intelligence from their employees.

While a Diminisher is typically smart, they’re more concerned with their own intelligence than the potential intelligence of their team. They tend to stifle people’s ideas and that results in employees feeling unfulfilled and inferior.

Let’s look at an example of a Diminisher. This manager was intelligent and capable, but he would talk for around a third of every meeting about his ideas, while shooting down any other idea that wasn’t his own. Eventually the impression that Vikram and his coworkers got was that their manager didn’t want them to think for themselves!

Diminishers are so named because they diminish the capability and productivity of their underlings.

When employees work for a Diminisher, they think that they’re giving 100% effort. However, in reality, their level of effort is much lower than what it could be. On the other hand, Multipliers inspire those around them to give more and achieve more. An example of such a person is Earvin “Magic” Johnson. When he was young and starting out as a basketball player, his coach always made sure that his teammates passed him the ball so he could score points; however when games were over, Magic would see sad faces on parents’ faces because the team didn’t win—even though Magic scored lots of points!

After that, he decided to use his skills to help everyone on the team. His ability to make each person better inspired him with a nickname: Magic.

Most leaders fall somewhere between being a Diminisher and a Multiplier, so we’ll examine some of the qualities that help leaders become more effective.

Big Idea #2: Talent magnets are good at drawing together talented people and maximizing their talents.

British explorer Ernest Shackleton was preparing for a dangerous journey to Antarctica. He needed skilled crew members, so he put an ad in the paper that stated exactly what kind of danger and death they would be facing during the trip. Surprisingly, hundreds of people applied for the job. That’s how you know you have good employees when they’re willing to risk their life on your behalf.