Who’s the best football coach in the nation? If I were taking a survey, I bet two names would be at the top of the list: Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. I personally don’t like either of them being a Titans and Vols fan, but there’s no denying that they both are great coaches.

Nick Saban wins by recruiting great players and coaching them up, and Bill Belichick wins by making good players look great through his coaching. There’s a big difference, and that’s why, in my mind, Bill Belichick is hands down the best football coach out there today.

Don’t get me wrong Belichick has had great players. Tom Brady may be the best quarterback to ever play the game, and Rob Gronkowski is a beast at tight end. But when you look at their roster year after year, you don’t see a lot of big names. Add that with the fact that Gronkowski and Brady have both missed significant time over their careers, and yet they’ve continued to pile up the wins without them.

Belichick has this incredible ability to get more out of his players than anyone else. He has a way of taking a players talent and multiplying it.

The incredible thing is that we see other coaches who have the exact opposite effect. They can take a highly talented player and diminish their talents.

It’s the same in any type of leadership. Good leaders have the ability to get more from their team, while poor leaders diminish the talents their team already has.

So, how can you tell which type leader you are?

Who’s a multiplier? Multipliers encourage, empower, coach, challenge, trust, and inspire their teams. Working for a multiplier is exhausting but still manages to be fun. Multipliers get the most out of their team, while still caring for each one’s health.

Who’s a diminisher? Diminishers criticize, belittle, micromanage, mistrust, and punish their teams. Working for a diminisher is exhausting and frustrating. Diminishers believe that their team can’t figure anything out without their help, so they have to be the center of attention.

The big difference between the two revolves around control. The multiplier wants to give it away, while the diminisher wants to hold on to it.

You can read more about the differences by checking out Liz Wiseman’s book Multipliers.

Name someone who has been a multiplier in your life. Tell us how they shaped your life in the comments below. Also, make sure to subscribe to the blog to get tips on leadership, church growth, and more delivered to your inbox each week.