The One Minute Manager

The One Minute Manager from Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson

I recommend this book to most of the individuals I support into becoming a manager for the first time. And to a big chunk of those who are already experienced. My mistake: I should impose its reading to all of them.

Since it is short and tells a simple story, it can even be read by people who have not opened a book since school. It doesn’t take 90 minutes to read it from cover to cover. And don’t be fooled by its dated early-80’s American flavor; its content is universal and does not get old. Every person who reads it invariably comes to the conclusion that everything in it is pretty obvious, almost too simple, too logical. Not really HBR-glamorous… I couldn’t agree more!

Management is not rocket science. A lot of it is common sense. It must be said, repeatedly.

So let’s apply it! In the world of business the simpler an idea is, the bigger its chances to work.

I have never tried measuring it, but my guess is that not 20% of the managers I meet really apply the principles stated in this book; although they are but 3: one-minute goals, one-minute praising  and one-minute re-direct.

OK it wont make you the best manager of all times.

But apply the rules of it will put you on the path of excellence.

This books tells you how:

1. to truly empower the people in your team by delegating accountabilities and means, and therefore developing them,
2. not to fall into the trap of micro-managing,
3. to become a manager and not a senior expert,
4. manage your priorities, control your time.

It gives a lesson on the basis of Non-Violent Communication, without naming it so as not to scare you… and gives you ways to cooperate in a manner that generates happiness at work.

For an 112-page-long book written in 1980, that’s not bad.