Multiplying Leaders

Three insanely practical ways to accelerate the process

As a student in public school, I really liked math – practical math. I didn’t like the theoretical math that the students way smarter than me enjoyed in high school, but I loved the practical addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. To this day I still like doing calculations in my head, like determining what a certain percentage of a dinner bill should be added for the tip, or the exact distance to the hole on a golf course.

One mathematical concept that has now gone well beyond simple numbers in the idea of multiplication, specifically referring to the development of leaders. It is a concept that is often discussed, but rarely fully understood.

Multiplication is not simply delegation.

For a leader to truly multiply they must do more than simply delegate tasks…

For a leader to truly multiply they must do more than simply delegate tasks to those they are choosing to invest in. Yes, guided practice and appropriate levels of empowerment are part of any multiplication process. However, to truly multiply a leader must go beyond the simple transfer of skills and responsibilities.

Multiplication is not duplication.

A true leader understands that multiplication involves not just the “what” of a role or a responsibility, but it must also incorporate the “way.” However, this can become a tempting trap for a leader to think that multiplication means everyone they mentor must mirror their specific “way.” Suddenly, disciples become merely duplicates.

Multiplication is providing development, direction, and deployment.

We provide development, direction and deployment to leaders we are called to care for and steward. A leader who truly desires to multiply will mentor others with an understanding of both the elite skills that must be developed and seek to enhance the unique combination of strengths, experiences, and passions in their disciples.

Acceleration Tips

Here are 3 “Insanely Practical” ways that we can accelerate this process:

1. Be a leader who is focused on teaching, not just telling.

For us to truly multiply others we must help them develop the confidence to lead courageously. We must understand the difference between self-esteem and confidence. Self-esteem is based upon what an individual believes about themselves. Confidence, however, is skills based. Think of any area where you possess confidence as a leader (public speaking, decision making, hiring, etc.), and you will discover that you possess a specific skill set that empowers you in that area. Skills are developed through proper instruction (teaching) and repetition. Jesus taught his disciples directly, through parables, and through experiences. His teaching created men who would eventually become the confident leaders of the early Christian movement and the first century church.

2. Be a leader who is focused on mentoring, not managing.

Along with the idea of being a skilled teacher, leaders who are world class multipliers are also keenly aware of their need to mentor their disciples, not manage them. What is the difference? Simple, a management mindset focuses on today, while a mentoring mindset is focused on tomorrow. In my book, Easy to Follow (NavPress, 2025), I reference a story of my mentor putting me in a very challenging situation where I ultimately failed to move an account forward. I was devastated; a manager would have been disappointed in my failure. However, my mentor was delighted! He knew that the hard lessons I learned that day would serve me very well in the future. Mentors have a long-range view of development and understand the value of all experiences, even the challenging ones.

3. Be a leader who exhibits uncommon compassion.

One other critical component of multiplying leadership is the demonstration of uncommon compassion. Jesus loved his disciples with passion and launched them with purpose. While teaching will develop others and mentoring will direct others, it is compassion that will allow a mentoring leader to deploy others. Deployment means to send out with purpose; a multiplying leader understands that the ultimate outcome is to launch others on a trajectory that aligns with both their passions and desired purpose. This can only occur if the multiplying leader takes the time and is intentional to know those they serve in a way that is defined by trust, openness, and love.

The Greatest Multiplier

I couldn’t write an article about multiplication without thinking about Peter, James, and John.

I couldn’t write an article about multiplication without thinking about Peter, James, and John. These three, more than any other who have ever lived, were closest to the greatest multiplier of all time, Jesus of Nazareth. They experienced his teaching, were allowed mentoring experiences that no other disciple experienced, and they were deployed to lead not just a mission, but the Great Commission. The tools and template that Jesus modeled in their development is available for all of us – if we choose to have the courage to do more than serve, more than lead, but to also multiply.

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Lyle Wells is a trusted advisor and chief encourager, who ignites disciple-makers. Lyle’s ministry experience includes serving as a senior pastor, church planter, and an executive senior pastor. Lyle is the president of Integrus Leadership™, a published author, and an in-demand speaker and executive coach. Lyle serves on the Christian Leadership Alliance board. To learn more, visit www.integrus.org.

Lyle Wells will lead the full-day CEO Forum at The Outcomes Conference 2026 in Dallas, April 28 – 30. Learn More and Register >>