Book Report – The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

In this 100-page book, originally published in 1982, authors, Blanchard and Johnson, explain three 60 second tools, which, if applied correctly, can change your management style for the better. They assure that 99% of the problems in a company are preventable. All the struggles of a company can be solved by one simple thing; communication. This book is written in a very simple form; however, I believe it carries very powerful messages.

These are the three tools every manager will need:

1. Set three to six goals for each of your employees, which you can review in one minute of less. When employees are not clear about their responsibilities, they tend to focus on what they haven’t done and can mostly expect negative feedback.
2. Use one minute praises to give your employees positive feedback. Good managers always make it a priority to convey to their employees they’ve done well. After all it will take only one minute of your time. Always remember, when people feel good about themselves, they produce positive results.
3. A one minute reprimand is more than enough to express your dissatisfaction. Make sure to use this tool right after the mistake was made and be very specific. Always reaffirm that you think well of them, but not in this specific situation or performance.

A good manager must keep in mind they have three choices when it comes to getting the most out of their employees: First, always hire the best choice, however, remember that they can be hard to find and expensive to hire and keep. Second, hire someone with potential to succeed and train them thoroughly. And third, if you are not taking the first two choices, well, you will have to pray. You will need it.

The story suggested that the second point is the best one, especially since they believe that the best way to get the best of your employees is to hire people with potential and then, invest in their training. It is ironic that most companies spend up to 70% of their budget into salaries, and only a little less than 1% in training.

I enjoyed this book very much. It’s easy to read and had great advice, not just for managers. The book has the foundation of how to get greater results in less time and how to manage yourself in a way that people and the company you work for can profit from your presence.