Editor's Note: This article is the third of a five-part series. Lesson four will be available on or before Monday, 9/9/13.
The Global Leadership Summit has come and gone, but as I put the things I experienced there into practice, the ideas remain as fresh, new, and inspiring as when I first heard them. I continue to process through the different sessions, taking on a new area of information each week. This week, my focus has been on Liz Wiseman's session about being a Multiplier. Wiseman is a bestselling author as well as president of the Wiseman Group, a leadership and strategy organization. Her presentation focused on being someone who uplifts others; making yourself a “multiplier” vs. being a “diminisher.” What is a diminisher? According to Wiseman, it is someone who hinders another's ability to do good work. While I know this speech was primarily directed towards those in the corporate world, and even upper-level church leadership, I attempted to filter everything I could through my lens as a production/technical director. How can I apply this to my teams?
In part two of this series , I talked about whose kingdom we are building: our own or God’s. This idea of being a multiplier is very similar in that it puts the interactions we have with our teams (staff and volunteer) under a microscope. We are called to ask ourselves whether or not we are building up those around us or holding them back. Wiseman describes a multiplier as someone who uses their intelligence to amplify the talents of those around them. Most of us connect with our family, other church staff, and members of our volunteer teams on a daily basis. The difference between interacting as a multiplier or a diminisher can greatly affect the relationships we all strive to build up everyday.
Just strengthen each other. You know, the whole “Do unto others…” thing.
“He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up … acknowledge those who work hard among you … hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:10-13).
This message from Paul seems like such a simple charge: just strengthen each other. You know, the whole “Do unto others…” thing. However, as Wiseman began to share her research, it became evident that there are ways to diminish the work of others, even when we think we are giving them a boost.
For some time now I have been struggling with our audio team, and how to get back to where we were several years ago. I long for more involvement and ownership from the team - even though I'm the one who originally pushed to have staff take over the main workload so the volunteers could just come in and operate the services. This was done with the best of intentions, as a way of setting everyone up for success; but, as a leader who wants to be multiplier, I should be creating trust-filled partnerships throughout my teams, not micromanaging.
Wiseman expressed that it is possible for us to do the greatest damage when we act on our most noble intentions: we can become accidental diminishers. My plan to honor the volunteers' time - to provide the best experience possible for both my workers and the congregation - made me an accidental diminisher. I prevented my own team from taking ownership, learning, and growing.
Now, as I walk into meetings with my team, I'm trying to be a multiplier who creates ownership, someone who asks questions, and, in turn, “bellows” out fewer orders. Gone are the days of “tyrannical” decision making as the technical dictator. I believe my teams (both paid and volunteer) are extremely capable of figuring things out on their own. I'm becoming okay with the fact that not all my ideas are the ones we go with anymore. I can take satisfaction in the fact that with every “multiplying” decision I make, my team gets better.
This multiplier mindset needs to be something we carry into every aspect of our lives. Our role as leaders and followers of Christ is to lift our teams up and “hold them in the highest regard” no matter what we feel is best for ourselves.
