The book Multipliers by Liz Wiseman gives a good insight into how to be a good manager, listing out the good and bad things that managers do.

https://thewisemangroup.com/books/multipliers/

I’m not a manager. I’m a software engineer. Why did I read this? Well, I interact with managers on a daily basis. Knowing how they should behave is an important survival tool. Plus, some day I might find myself in their shoes leading a group of engineers.

Diminishers vs Multipliers - two opposing leadership personalities⌗

diminishers versus multipliers comic. Satanic diminisher says 'Can't you read!' while holding up requirements document. Multiplier in frame 2 says 'You take the marker, I believe in you!'

The book starts off by defining Multipliers and Diminishers - the two categories that the author places managers into. Multipliers are good, diminishers are bad. Some common traits of multipliers:

  • pass ownership of work to employees
  • speak rarely during meetings
  • hold off on adding personal opinions
  • attract, build and keep talent
  • decision made through open debate, not just one or two confidants
  • jokes about their own failures and vulnerabilities

On the other hand, diminishers tend to:

  • micromanage
  • talk the most during meetings
  • horde employees like a dragon hordes gold - but never uses them to their full potential
  • comes up with ideas and ‘announces’ them to employees
  • believes that only a select few people have valid opinions
  • makes decisions in small groups

Diminishers tend to repulse talent from organizations, whereas multipliers attract talent and make better use of it. They do this by effectively creating a safe space and handing ownership of problems to their employees.

But isn’t handing work off to others lazy? Shouldn’t those managers be working hard to find solutions? Not necessarily, this book says managers should focus on getting their employees to give it their best, and not focus on the details of the problem. When a manager micromanages, it causes employees to not put in their best effort.

The book notes that while diminishers only get 50% out of people, multipliers regularly get more than 100%, because they are so good at encouraging learning and growth.

Everyone has something to offer⌗

Diminishers tend to have the belief that intelligence is a rare trait. Multipliers, on the other hand, believe that everyone has something to offer. Something they are good at. Multipliers believe that if you ask the right questions, and encourage others, that the right solution will eventually be found. In this way they try to include and get the best out of everyone on the team.

How this applies to me⌗

I should reflect on how I’ve been a leader in the past. I have a background in software engineering, where everyone has looked to me for on-the-spot solutions to problems. I usually give my advice freely, and think aloud during meetings without going through any planning of my opinions. I sometimes jump right into a discussion and offer up a solution on the spot without being asked, and many times my solution is wrong!

This kind of behavior might be acceptable for an engineer. We have to think on our feet. But if I acted like this as a manager it would be overwhelming to my employees. No one would be able to separate official policy from opinion. Employees would leave a meeting not knowing which solution to implement. I would make people afraid to contribute because I might waltz into the office tomorrow, talking about some new half-baked idea.

Fixing my Management Style⌗

How can I fix my management style based on the suggestions from this book?

  • I will talk less in meetings
  • I will not share my opinion unless specifically asked
  • I will study what my coworkers are good at, and if asked for an opinion, try to defer it to the person whose strength is in that area, even if I think I could answer it better
  • I will talk more about my failures, and take ownership of what’s gone wrong
  • I will expect facts from others, and myself, when sharing opinions
  • I will talk openly about ideas, and not seclude myself to only 1 or 2 confidants

My hope is that by doing these things I can be a better software engineer leader (not necessary a manager) and get our team putting more into what we develop than we currently are.