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Contributing as a Multiplier: How to level up regardless of your role

By Julie Wolpers | January 5, 2018

Leadership is not just for leaders. With key techniques based on Liz Wiseman's bestseller, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, everyone can learn how to help bring out the best work from their peers and managers or make the most from a diminishing environment.

Contributing as a Multiplier, a new version of the Multipliers simulation from Advantage Performance Group and our thought leader partner BTS, is based on Wiseman's bestseller. Contributing as a Multiplier puts the responsibility on our own shoulders, and brings to all the opportunity to multiply the talent of those around us. It's a glass half full awaiting the Multiplier Effect you can pour into most any situation to improve the outcome.

It's not rose-colored glasses we're wearing. With a nod to the timeless truths in the Serenity Prayer, we know it's best to focus on what we have the power to change rather than situations beyond our control. Multipliers brings us real-world, proven techniques, the product of more than 7 years of research. Originally designed to help leaders get more intelligence from their teams, these techniques can help everyone:

  • Build resilience and break the diminishing cycle.
  • Learn ways we can better multiply, and stop diminishing, the people we work with.

Contributing as a Multiplier begins with identifying how you or others in your environment might be diminishing the contributions of those around you, often by accident and with good intentions. Once you recognize the problem, a workaround becomes the key. Start here to see effective workarounds for 9 types of Diminishers.

The experience provides moment-by-moment takeaways to help participants combat Diminishers on 2 levels:

  • Defenses against the dark arts of Diminishers and
  • How to "multiply up" and bring out the best in those around you.

Who can you multiply? As an individual contributor, you have the power to effect change in others by changing how you behave. This applies to yourself, your co-workers, your team, your customers, even your children and other family members.

Who can you multiply up with? Yourself, your co-workers, team, boss, customers, even kids.

5 ways to level up: Based on the newest version of the Multipliers simulation helping organizations worldwide get more intelligence from their people, here are 5 ways to help multiply the talent of everyone around you:

1. Turn down the volume.

While you can't control Diminishers, you can control how you react to their interference. Try under-reacting. Acknowledge their concerns, but keep your focus on the work.

2. Strengthen other connections.

When you find yourself fatigued by a Diminisher, find ways to interact with others who will encourage and energize you.

3. Assume positive intent.

Diminishing behavior usually comes from fear, not malice. You and your Diminisher probably care a lot about the same things: Achieving great results, avoiding risk, and growing your capabilities, for example. Find areas of agreement to better understand where your Diminisher's concerns are coming from.

4. Send the right signals.

The primary cause of micro-managing (the most prevalent form of Diminishing behaviors) is concern that something won't get done fully or correctly. Remind your Diminisher of your past performance, and share the details of your plan to get the job done and done right.

5. Give them a user's guide.

You needn't sit idle, waiting for your native genius to be discovered. Capture anything you think your boss or peers would find helpful in getting the most from you. Describe your best talents and skills, preferences, pet peeves, etc. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and own up to your past mistakes.

As the writer Anaïs Nin observed, "We don't see things as they are.  We see them as we are." And as Multipliers, we can learn to channel our own behavior to empower those around us and improve our environment.

So take charge, fight the good fight, and become a Multiplier this year with these tips and resources.

Tip and resources on becoming a Multiplier:

More about the Multipliers Simulation

Foundational topics in the simulation:

  • The Multiplier Effect and the 5 Disciplines of Multipliers 
  • Becoming a Multiplier—applying new tools, experiments, and behaviors
  • Combat Diminishing Behavior—how to work within a diminishing environment and/or for a Diminisher
  • The Accidental Diminisher – how we accidentally shut down intelligence despite our best intentions
  • Personal action plan and commitments
  • Experiments to try (on your own)
  • Individual Action Plan

The Multipliers Simulation is available in 3 versions designed to support different leadership levels:

  1. Individual contributors and project leads
  2. Leaders
  3. Mid-level and senior leaders (coming soon in early 2018!)

Overviews and customer stories

We'd love to tell you more.  Contact us today to find out how to bring the Multipliers simulation to your organization.

Photo at top:
unsplash-logoSimon Matzinger
Julie Wolpers
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