“The One Minute Manager: A Fast Path to Success” by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson is a book that tells a story about the One Minute Manager. It shares three secrets to becoming a great manager who can boost productivity, profits, and employee happiness. This book is published by Eyrolles in 2015 and is 130 pages long.
Part 1. A short update from the authors before starting the story
1.1 – Who are the authors of the “The One Minute Manager”?
- Ken Blanchard
Ken Blanchard is a famous expert in leadership and management, having authored or co-authored 60 books with over 21 million copies sold worldwide. He’s best known for “The One Minute Manager,” which is a legendary bestseller translated into 42 languages. Amazon even recognized him as one of the top 25 best-selling authors ever.
He co-founded “The Ken Blanchard Companies ®,” an international consulting and training firm, as well as “Lead Like Jesus,” an organization that helps leaders become servant leaders. Blanchard has received numerous awards for his contributions to management, leadership, and speaking.
- Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson, on the other hand, is widely recognized as one of the world’s most-read authors. He’s often called “the king of the parable” because he excels at simplifying complex topics. His short books, including “Who Moved My Cheese? How to Deal with Change” and “The One Minute Manager” co-authored with Ken Blanchard, provide practical ideas and tools to help millions of people worldwide be happier and more successful without stress. These books have collectively sold over 50 million copies and have been translated into 47 languages.
1.2 – The new approach of The One Minute Manager
“The One Minute Manager” was written back in 1987, and a lot has changed in the world since then, especially with the rise of digital technology. These changes have also impacted the way we approach management.
Today, management is more about collaboration and motivation rather than strict hierarchy. In the past, companies often had top-down leadership styles, but now, it’s more about working together as a team.
People nowadays seek more than just a paycheck from their jobs; they want fulfillment and meaning. They don’t want to sacrifice their personal lives for work. Given these shifts, The One Minute Manager, as described by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, has had to adapt over time. It now recognizes that individuals play a crucial role in a company’s success, emphasizes the importance of attracting and retaining the best talent, and treats employees accordingly.
Part 2. The story of The One Minute Manager
The One Minute Manager shares three secrets that can be applied not only at work but also in our interactions with colleagues, partners, family, and friends.
2.1 – In search of a brilliant manager…
“Once upon a time there was a bright young man who was looking for a remarkable manager…”
And so begins the fabulous story of The One Minute Manager.
Indeed, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson tell us the story of a young man who sets out in search of a brilliant manager. In fact, this young man is looking for a manager who is capable, all at the same time:
- To be effective,
- To increase the productivity and profits of his company,
- And to contribute to the development of the members of his team.
In the course of his quest, the young man will eventually meet The One Minute Manager. The latter will tell him three secrets to succeed quickly and better and to become an excellent manager in our changing world.
2.2 – An obsolete system that limits innovation
- Two types of managers
In the beginning, the young man becomes disappointed because he keeps encountering the same outdated management styles that he believes no longer work. He identifies two main types of managers:
- Autocrats: These managers are solely interested in achieving results.
- Democrats: These managers prioritize the well-being and needs of their team members.
The young man observes that most managers worldwide continue to follow either a results-focused or people-focused approach, but rarely both simultaneously.
- Uninspiring management
He also notes that traditional hierarchical management, which involves giving orders and ensuring compliance, is no longer efficient in today’s fast-paced world. Collaboration has become more effective than the old way of doing things. The young man believes that hierarchical structures are too slow and uninspiring, hindering innovation.
2.3 – Results or people? Both!
- Helping people feel good increases productivity tenfold
According to Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, managers should focus on both results and people if they want to succeed faster and better.
In the story, the “One Minute Manager” emphasizes this point. He believes that achieving results and working with people are closely connected. He asks a simple question: “When do you work best? When you feel good about yourself or when you don’t?” The answer is clear: people are more efficient and get better results when they feel good. Therefore, when you help people feel good, their productivity increases significantly.
- Quality as much as quality
On the flip side, we should remember that productivity isn’t just about doing more work; it’s also about doing quality work. If we don’t provide customers with a high-quality product and the service they want, our business might fail. The key to achieving these good results is working effectively with people.
2.4 – Who is The One Minute Manager?
After many disappointments, the young man in the story finally meets the new Minute Manager. So, who is this person? The Minute Manager explains that he got this name because he and his team have discovered new ways to achieve excellent results in a very short time. How do they do it? Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson share the three secrets that make this possible.
Part 3. First secret of The One Minute Manager: The Minute Goals
The first secret to success as a manager is setting One Minute Goals, which are objectives that have the following qualities:
3.1- Objectives established with the manager
In many companies, there is often a disconnect between what employees think they should do and what their managers expect from them. However, this doesn’t happen with The One Minute Manager. He takes the time to clearly define the tasks and responsibilities for each of his employees. Instead of imposing goals on them, he listens to their input, and together they develop these goals. Once they agree on the most important goals, each one is described in just one page.
3.2 – An objective that can be read in just 1 minute
After defining the objective and the performance standard (which means what needs to be done and by when) together, it’s important to write them down concisely. Each objective should be summarized in just one or two paragraphs. The goal is to make it easy to read or review the objective in about a minute. This way, you can regularly check your progress on the objectives without it taking up too much time. It also allows your manager to easily monitor your progress.
In the story of “The One Minute Manager,” an employee mentions that this approach helps them succeed more quickly and take control of their work.
3.3 – Between three and five objectives maximum according to the 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule is simple: 80% of our important results come from just 20% of our goals. So, it’s a good idea to set Minute Objectives for these crucial 20%, which are your main responsibilities. You should aim to have no more than three to five objectives at most. If there’s a special project, you can create specific Minute Objectives for it.
To achieve these objectives, it’s important for the manager to guide the employee until they fully understand and can do the task on their own. This way, the manager won’t need to be heavily involved later on.
3.4 – Summary of Minute Objectives
To make Quick Goals effective, you need to:
- Plan them together and describe them clearly, showing what good performance looks like.
- Ask employees to write down each objective on a single page, including the expected completion date.
- Have them read their main objectives every day, which only takes a few minutes.
- Encourage them to spend another minute checking if what they’re doing aligns with their goals. If not, they should make corrections to reach their goals faster.
Part 4: Second secret of The One Minute Manager: The Praise Minute
4.1- Surprise your collaborator doing something well and congratulate him/her
To help people reach their full potential, you can surprise them when they do something right. The Praise Minute involves the manager quickly acknowledging and congratulating their employee when they’ve done something correctly.
In Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson’s story, The One Minute Manager follows this approach:
- He immediately praises the employee for their right actions.
- He explains why it was right and how much he appreciates it.
- He pauses briefly to let the employee enjoy the compliment.
- He encourages them to keep up the good work.
- This typically takes less than a minute.
4.2 – It’s good for morale
After some time, you’ll find yourself recognizing when you do something right and giving yourself praise.
This approach is highly effective for boosting employee morale because The One Minute Manager:
- Offers immediate praise instead of waiting for the annual performance review.
- Clearly identifies what the employee did correctly, showing that the manager understands and genuinely appreciates their work.
- Remains consistent, providing praise even when facing personal or work challenges. The manager focuses on the employee’s current situation, not their own.
4.3 – It gives self-confidence
Praise Minutes are especially useful when an employee starts working with a manager. As time goes on, the employee becomes more aware that their manager has trust in their abilities.
There are also other ways to determine whether an employee’s performance deserves praise, such as checking data and statistics like turnover, expenses, or production planning.
When the manager compliments me, I know I’ve truly earned it. This boosts my confidence. The self-assurance gained from these compliments helps me handle various changes. The manager’s goal is for all of us to feel confident enough to come up with new ideas, which will keep us competitive.
4.4 – Summary of Praise Minute
To make Minute Praise effective, you should follow these steps:
In the first 30 seconds:
- Quickly congratulate people.
- Be specific about what they did right.
- Express your appreciation and explain how it benefits the company.
- Pause to let them feel proud of their accomplishment.
In the next 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds:
- Encourage them to keep up the good work.
- Show your confidence in them and your belief in their success.
Part 5. Third secret of The One Minute Manager: The Re-direct Minute
5.1 – The Re-direct Minute has adapted to the evolution of businesses
In the past, during the era of hierarchical businesses, the third secret was known as the Minute Reprimand, and it worked well back then. However, times have changed significantly, and The One Minute Manager has made adjustments. Nowadays, we need to accomplish more, swiftly, and with fewer resources.
5.2 – Minute Reframing, only if the objective was initially clear
When an employee makes a mistake, the first thing The One Minute Manager does is to ensure that the objective they agreed upon was clear and well-stated. If it wasn’t clear, he takes responsibility and clarifies the objective. If it was clear, he proceeds with a Minute Re-direct.
5.3 – The Re-direct Minute is divided into two parts
The first part of reframing deals with the employee’s error. The One Minute Manager does this immediately when he notices a problem. Here’s how it works:
- He tells the employee what he thinks about the mistake.
- He discusses the impact it could have on the company’s results.
- He stays quiet for a few moments, giving the employee time to understand the mistake and consider its consequences for both himself and the company.
The second part focuses on the employee as a person. During this phase, The One Minute Manager emphasizes:
- That the employee is better than the mistake.
- The importance of maintaining self-confidence.
- Belief that the mistake won’t happen again and the desire to continue working together.
One employee in the story described this process as follows: “Reframing only takes a minute or two, but it makes a big impact. Ending on a positive note encourages us to make improvements. Ultimately, the goal is to boost people’s confidence in themselves, so they can help the manager achieve better results.”
5.4 – The errors of The One Minute Manager
Managers can also make mistakes sometimes. When that happens, it’s important to:
- Be the first to admit your mistakes.
- Encourage employees to let you know if they spot any errors.
- Use humor and self-mockery to lighten the mood when you mess up.
This third secret complements The One Minute Manager’s method nicely:
- Clear objectives show where efforts should be focused.
- Praise boosts employees’ self-confidence, leading to success.
- Reframing helps address potential errors.
All three components work together to make people feel better and, as a result, achieve good results.
5.5 – Summary of The Re-direct Minute
To make The Re-direct Minute effective, start by ensuring the objective was clear. Then:
For the first 30 seconds:
- Act quickly.
- Confirm the facts.
- Analyze the error together in detail.
- Explain how the mistake personally bothers you and its impact on results.
- Take a pause.
- Allow a moment of silence for them to realize the seriousness of the mistake.
For the next 30 seconds and the final 30 seconds:
- Reiterate that they are better than their mistake suggests.
- Express trust in them and belief in their success.
- Provide support.
Once it’s done, it’s done. The issue is not brought up again.
Part 6. Why do the three secrets of The One Minute Manager work?
The three secrets may only cover 20% of a company’s operations but can lead to 80% of the desired outcomes. This is known as the well-known 80/20 rule.
6.1- Why does it work to set Quick Targets?
According to The One Minute Manager, there are three reasons:
- Results are a big motivator: People are motivated by knowing how well they’re doing. Just like watching a sports game is more interesting when you can keep score, Minute Goals help measure progress regularly.
- Minute Objectives provide feedback: Feedback is like the breakfast of champions; it keeps you going. By regularly checking your progress against your goals, you get feedback on how you’re doing.
- Effective for winners and potential winners: Everyone has the potential to be a winner. Some may not look like winners at first, but that can change. When hiring employees, a manager can choose the best, recruit someone with potential and help them become a winner, or pray if neither of the first two options works. Minute Objectives are a crucial tool for winners or those with the potential to become one. They encourage productive behavior by reminding individuals to align their current work with their goals regularly:
“Take a minute to look at your goals. Then look at what you’re doing and see if it fits.”
6.2 – Why do Praise Minutes work so well?
Imagine parents teaching their toddler to walk. Instead of scolding the child when they stumble, they encourage and celebrate each small step they take. The first step is a big deal, and everyone cheers. The next day, the child takes more steps, and the parents get excited again. This process continues until the child can walk on their own. Learning to talk happens in a similar way.
The point is, the best strategy to help people become successful is to acknowledge their progress, no matter how small it is, in the beginning. Gradually, they get closer to the desired outcome. Praise and encouragement are essential during the learning phase.
Punishment, on the other hand, doesn’t work, according to Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson. Instead of punishing people who are still learning, they should be redirected and guided.
6.3 – Why are Re-direct Minutes effective?
- By spotting what is wrong very quickly, feedback is given in small doses.
Many managers tend to hold onto their negative feedback and let it accumulate over time. Then, during the annual performance review, they unleash a flood of criticism and frustration.
Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson believe that this approach is neither fair nor effective. Instead, they suggest that performance evaluation should happen continuously, not just once a year. This way, issues can be addressed promptly rather than building up over time.
- When you want to change someone’s behavior for the better, it’s essential to remember that you want to correct the behavior (which is bad) while still valuing the person (who is good).
When people feel attacked or defensive, they often don’t learn from the situation.
The ultimate goal isn’t to tear people down but to help them improve. To do this effectively, it’s crucial to separate a person’s behavior from their personal worth.
For Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, it’s more than just about changing behavior. It’s about understanding that people are not defined solely by their behavior; they are individuals who may exhibit certain behaviors.
Therefore, after addressing a problem or mistake, it’s important to reaffirm the worth of your colleague. This approach allows you to focus on the behavior without attacking the person. When the person realizes the impact of their actions, they are more likely to take responsibility for their mistake, rather than complaining or harboring negative feelings towards you. This shift in awareness is essential for productive growth and ensures that the manager is not seen as the “bad guy.”
- A “tough and nice” manager, not a “nice and tough” one.
Some people may describe me as a manager who is nice but tough. However, to be more precise, I am actually tough first and then nice.
In the words of The One Minute Manager character in the story by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, it’s emphasized that the order of being “hard first and then nice” is fundamentally different from being “nice first and then hard.”
To illustrate this concept, they share a tale from ancient China. It’s a story about an emperor who decided to divide his responsibilities with his Prime Minister in the following manner: the Prime Minister would handle punishment, while the emperor would oversee rewards.
Over time, the emperor noticed that when he asked someone to do something, they would sometimes comply and sometimes not. On the other hand, with the Prime Minister, everyone obeyed. This led the emperor to switch roles with his Prime Minister: now, the emperor would handle punishment, and the Prime Minister would take care of rewards. However, just a month after changing roles, a revolt occurred…
Why did this happen? The One Minute Manager provides a simple explanation:
The emperor had been a kind man, giving out rewards and being friendly to everyone. Then suddenly, he started punishing people. People thought, “What’s wrong with that old fool?” and they removed him from power without much hesitation. When they were searching for a replacement, they noticed that the Prime Minister had made significant improvements. So they chose him as the new emperor.
In essence, the lesson from this story is clear:
It works better when you begin by addressing behavior firmly and then demonstrate your support for the person.
- Here’s a straightforward explanation of a Re-direct Minute with a concrete example:
Outside the business world, many sports coaches use Minute Reframing to improve their athletes’ performance. For instance, there’s a story about a basketball coach who did this effectively:
During a crucial match, the team’s star player was playing terribly, risking their chances of winning the championship. The coach made a tough decision and took the player out of the game.
The coach then told the player:
“You’re missing easy shots, not grabbing rebounds, and your defense is lacking. I’m disappointed; it seems like you’re not even trying. But I know you’re better than this. Sit on the bench until you’re ready to show your real potential.” After what felt like a long time, the player approached the coach and said he was ready to try again. The coach replied, “Get back on the court and prove yourself.”
Remarkably, when the player returned, he played exceptionally well, and the team won the match easily.
The coach used a simple Re-direct Minute technique: he explained what was wrong, expressed his disappointment about the performance, and reminded the player that he believed in him. In other words, he criticized the performance but not the person. The trust remained intact.
But what if an employee has learned but refuses to work properly? According to The One Minute Manager, if someone has learned a task but refuses to do it, you need to consider the impact on the company and decide if they should remain on the team.
In summary, sometimes you need to be firm with people because you care about their improvement, not to punish them. Making mistakes is okay, but not learning from them is the real issue.
Part 7. The end of the story of The One Minute Manager: the brilliant manager has been found!
CTowards the end of Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson’s story, we now understand:
- Who this “famous” new One Minute Manager is.
- What the three secrets are that he uses to be a successful manager.
- Why these three rules are effective.
As for the young man searching for the ideal manager in the story, he’s delighted to have finally found the efficient manager he was seeking in the new One Minute Manager. This manager cares about both results and people.
In the end, the young man draws two conclusions from all he has learned:
- The employees of The One Minute Manager work with him, not just for him.
- The effective way he leads his department and manages his people is straightforward and can be summarized in a few key points:
- He keeps things simple.
- Sets Minute Goals.
- Uses Praise Minutes.
- Applies Re-direct Minutes.
- Asks short but important questions.
- Tells the simple truth.
- Maintains a positive attitude towards his work.
- Encourages creativity and innovation among his team.
This simple yet effective approach makes him a remarkable manager.
Part 8. Becoming a One Minute Manager
8.1 – Roadmap to become a One Minute Manager
At the conclusion of Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson’s story, the young man searching for an effective manager creates a set of guidelines or a “roadmap” to assist in turning an ordinary manager into a One Minute Manager.
8.2 – The joy of being a One Minute Manager
According to Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, becoming a new Minute Manager means having:
- Time to think, plan, and provide the necessary support for your business.
- Availability to spend time with family and pursue other interests.
- Less stress and more relaxation compared to most managers.
- Fewer costly personnel issues, less sick leave, and fewer absences.
They advise not waiting until you feel perfectly prepared to start using Minute Management. The most important thing is to be honest with your team members and acknowledge that you may not always have all the answers. When people know that their manager genuinely supports them, it makes a significant difference. The time you invest in people is time well spent.
CONCLUSION
Book Review of “The One Minute Manager” by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson: A Summary of the Three Secrets
In “The One Minute Manager,” the authors present three key ideas for effective management:
Minute Goals: Collaboratively set clear objectives with your team to establish accountability and performance standards.
Praise Minute: Recognize and reward team members when they excel in their tasks.
Re-direct Minute: Address mistakes promptly and constructively to facilitate learning and improvement.
Essentials of Management in a Brief and Accessible Book
“The New One Minute Manager” simplifies management into these three fundamental principles. While basic, it’s valuable to have a grasp of these straightforward management techniques, especially when more complex methods may seem overwhelming.
The book is accessible, quick to read, and employs a narrative style that aids in remembering and visualizing how to apply these principles. It’s an excellent resource for novice managers.
Perfect for Aspiring Managers
These three fundamental rules, though simple, are highly relevant and practical for new managers and entrepreneurs. As Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson suggest, these principles align with the 80/20 principle: they constitute 20% of managerial activities but yield 80% of the results.
However, for those seeking more comprehensive management training, additional readings may be necessary to cover other dimensions of management, such as human resources, conflict resolution, organization, digital management, business planning, and more.
A quick, enjoyable read that consolidates essential concepts for budding managers and entrepreneurs.
The storytelling format helps readers grasp and apply management principles within a business context.
Provides an opportunity to significantly enhance management skills through three straightforward keys.
Weaknesses:
The book’s simplicity may oversimplify the complexities of real-world management challenges.
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