The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

This is an old book. As in 30 years old. I’ve probably read it 8 or 9 times now. I think the first time I read it was when my dad gave it to me when I first started working. It’s a quick read, something you can easily accomplish in one sitting. The book is very straightforward, almost entirely dialogue.

The story is told by a young man who wants to learn about effective management. He finally stumbles across a manager who has three simple steps: one minute goals, one minute praisings, and one minute reprimands. The young man spends time with members of the manager’s team to better understand these three phases. It’s pretty much exactly how it sounds: writing down a goal that can be read in one minute, taking one minute to offer someone praise when they do something good, and limiting reprimands to one minute. The end of the book provides reasoning and examples as to why these methods of management work. They are spot on.

What’s impressive is the lasting influence of this book. Considering it was written 30 years ago, the three one minute steps still hold true today. The book has been read by managers from Fortune 500 companies, colleges, the military; the list goes on and on. For me, I always get a different impression each time I read it. Over the years, I've been able to relate many things in the book to my own experiences. I think this is a great book not only for managers but also employees. 

My rating for The One Minute Manager: 4 stars out of 5. Get it here!