Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter

Drawing on interviews with more than 150 executives and on her own experience as a former executive at the Oracle Corporation and the former vice president of Oracle University, Weisman argues that executives fall into two distinct leadership categories: “Multipliers” and “Diminishers.” Unsurprisingly, Multipliers turn out to be better leaders: unlike Diminishers—self-centered empire builders who tear employees down—Multipliers attract talent, “liberate” employees to do their best and step out of their comfort zones, make decisions rather than promoting unproductive debate, and invest in human capital. While spotlights on such Multipliers as Mitt Romney, a “Talent Magnet” at Bain Capital and beyond, and Steven Spielberg, who fosters an open environment on his film sets, are appealing and instructive, the major points are repetitive. Chapters drag on after descriptions of distinctive Multiplier or Diminisher behavior have been made. The breadth of the material is better suited for a lengthy article than a full business book, and the effort to stretch it into a longer work diminishes the meaningful research. (June)