Putting The One Minute Manager To Work By Kenneth Blanchard & Robert Lorber

Think of volume 1 (The One Minute Manager) as the background of the philosophy – the theory of One Minute Management.  Going on the above quote, background knowledge does not get you results – only determined and congruent action does.

The format of Putting the One Minute Manager to Work is the same as that of The One Minute Manager.  The fable is still about a man seeking knowledge.  In this case, however, we have an experienced manager who is very familiar with the usual standards of management.  He’s recently heard about One Minute Management and is a bit skeptical about its effectiveness.  He sets out to discover how and why this principle works, and most importantly, how to make it work for him.

You, like the veteran manager, will learn that One Minute Management is a habit, not just another quick-fix fad.  It requires discipline for one to convert from their old way of thinking and embrace a new set of beliefs and practices.  Likewise, you need to be ready to let go of familiar but unproductive habits if you want to benefit from this philosophy.  You must be prepared to stretch your comfort zone.

Putting the One Minute Manager to Work will teach you how to turn these secrets into skills.  You will learn when to praise, when to reprimand and when to do one minute goal-setting.

You will be introduced to the ABCs (Activators, Behaviours and Consequences) of employee performance.  If you’ve read The Power of Habit, you would have learned that every habit has a cue, a routine and a reward.  This principle is the same - we learn how to use these ABCs as a tool to achieve great results with your team and organization.

The key to success with this philosophy, as we’ve learnt previously, is that you want an employee to think about their behavior, not about the way you treated them.  To do that effectively, both you and the team member need to clarify what the right behavior looks like, in specific, measurable terms.  The authors share a simple formula to do this, which includes pinpointing key performance areas, recording results and coaching, among other simple and practical steps to help people improve performance.

One Minute Management is an excellent concept that can be very powerful when put to work.  It is simple and direct.  It involves commitment from both sides, and therefore has the ability to strengthen the employee/manager relationship.  It is not biased and is for the benefit of the entire organization, not just a few elite individuals.  Everyone is clear on the goal and thus knows exactly what is expected of them, and consequently, what to expect in return.

The authors provide mechanisms and formulas to give feedback, monitor performance, and suggest and implement improvements to the system. All that is required from you is to keep your commitment to your commitment.

Are you committed to leading an energized and high-performing team? Then get yourself a copy of Putting the One Minute Manager to Work.