In the book, “Multipliers: How The Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter”, Liz Wiseman introduces 9 different Accidental Diminisher tendencies, and I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t self-identify with at least one of them.
In short, your Accidental Diminisher tendency always starts with good intentions, but at some point, it becomes too “loud” and diminishes someone around you. It diminishes their contribution, and most of the time, it’s accidental.
Here are the 9 tendencies, listed briefly:
- Rescuer
- Optimist
- Strategist
- Protector
- Perfectionist
- Pacesetter
- Always On
- Idea Fountain
- Rapid Responder
I know I have Rescuer tendencies, and have been working on them for 10+ years. As a leader, I learned through lots of reflection that I have a tendency to rescue people from challenges that I feel are bigger than what they can take on.
The stakes were high. I was nervous for them, and would do something to pull them out of something uncomfortable. What that did was signal to them that I didn’t believe they were capable, smart, and resourceful enough to take on the challenge on their own! And all along, I didn’t mean to do it – it was accidental.
Which one do you see in yourself? Shoot me a note and tell me about it – these can be tough to talk about, but “naming brings noticing”. If you’re feeling stuck with any of them, I promise I’ll send some thoughts that can help.
You might feel like you want to cut these things out of you, but the truth is that they’re tendencies that are tied to you and your lived experiences – the positive side of these tendencies has probably helped you in huge ways. But at times, these strengths take away from others.
As I like to say to leaders, we need bass and treble to hear music in a great way, but sometimes too much bass or treble can ruin a great song.
As a leader, the goal is to know when you’re drifting into diminishing, and what triggers you into that mode.
I have a 10-week leadership development course that I facilitate for small cohorts, based on the book “Multipliers“, and the first week is dedicated to these tendencies. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to drop me a message here.
For this week, try and notice when any of these tendencies creep up for you, and when you notice, celebrate that you noticed!
Here are a few related resources that I’ve been sharing with clients lately…
1 // There’s procrastination, and then there’s structured procrastination. (5 min read)
2 // Heard of The Golden Rule? There’s also The Nedlog Rule, and it’s amazing. (17 min podcast)
3 // “If you’re stuck on a problem, try solving it on a different level.” (2 min read)
