Boston Centerless - Precision Matters Magazine Fall 2018 | Page 7

take up a lot of space in a meeting.
You like to think out loud, and you are
always bursting with ideas. But the
enthusiasm you think is infectious
might actually be stifling the thinking
of others.
3. You’re a visionary. You like to think of
yourself as a big thinker, someone who
can see the strategic issues, paint a
compelling picture of the future and
evangelize it to those around you. Yet,
in an attempt to inspire others, you
may actually be overwhelming them.
4. You’re a rapid responder. When there
are problems or opportunities, you
make timely decisions that will keep
the organization moving ahead with
agility and speed. But when leaders
make rapid decisions, their people
tend to defer to them and learn to wait
for decisions to be handed down from
above.
5. You jump in to rescue people. Perhaps
you see your people failing and, in a
desire to help, you jump in to rescue
them or the project. In the moment,
jumping in seems to help, but it can
actually diminish people’s capability to
think for themselves and learn how to
spot problems and recover from them.
can catch, try articulating your ideas
in increments. Introduce fewer ideas
and leave white space. This will create
room for others to contribute, and
your words will be more frequently
heard and therefore become more
influential.
3. Expect complete work. People learn
best when they are fully accountable
and face the consequences of their
work. Instead of jumping in and fixing
the work of others, give it back and let
people know what needs to be
improved or completed. Ask
people to go beyond pointing
out problems. Ask them to find
a solution. By wrestling with
it themselves, they’ll grow
their capability.
Perhaps
the
most
powerful way to begin to
make the shift to Multiplier
leadership is to start
with your assumptions.
When Greg (the manager
If one or more of these signals resonate
with you, there is a good chance that your best
intentions might actually be limiting those
around you.
FROM ACCIDENTAL DIMINISHER TO
ASPIRING MULTIPLIER
If becoming an Accidental Diminisher is, by
definition, unintentional, it is reasonable to
believe that one can change course and begin
operating more like a Multiplier. Here are three
simple but powerful starting points:
1. Shift from giving answers to asking
questions. The best leaders don’t
provide all the answers, they ask the
right questions. Use your knowledge
to ask insightful and challenging
questions that cause people to stop,
think, and rethink.
2. Dispense your ideas in small doses. If
you are an “idea guy” who is prone to
tossing out more ideas than anyone
7
mentioned earlier) realized Michael was
underutilized, he changed his perspective,
assuming that Michael both could and wanted
to contribute more. So, he gave Michael
full ownership for capturing their Brazilian
partnership strategy and ensured he had
greater voice in important meetings. Within
just a couple of weeks, Michael was being
utilized at 80 percent, and Greg began to
see that his most important role was helping
people take their thinking to the next level.
More
than
ever,
organizations
need
intentional leaders who
both
understand
how they might
be
inadvertently
diminishing
others
and want to become
Multipliers, who ful ly
utilize and amplify
the intelligence and
capability of the people
around them.