The One Minute Manager
Discover how brief, clear interactions create outsized results at work and home
About This Book
Learn a fast, human way to lead that blends clarity, encouragement, and accountability. You’ll craft goals people can read in a minute, build visible scoreboards that spark motivation, and deliver praise that accelerates learning. You’ll also master quick, respectful course-corrections that separate the person from the behavior. Real-world examples show how a few focused minutes—spent setting expectations, catching wins, and addressing misses—turn scattered effort into reliable performance. Whether you manage a team, teach a class, coach a squad, or raise a family, these simple practices help people feel proud of their work and deliver the quality and quantity that matter most.About the Author
Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D., and Spencer Johnson, M.D., are widely known for translating behavioral science into practical, everyday leadership. Their work blends clear management frameworks with insights from psychology and medicine, making complex human dynamics simple to apply. They’ve helped leaders in business, education, and healthcare create environments where people feel respected, focused, and capable. Their approach is direct, warm, and pragmatic: define success clearly, reinforce progress quickly, and correct missteps without attacking the person. Thousands of managers credit their ideas with lowering stress, lifting performance, and building healthy, high‑trust teams.
Biggest Takeaway
Expect fewer surprises and less rework because everyone knows what “good” looks like. See higher engagement as people get frequent, specific recognition for progress. Speed up learning with early, positive feedback loops. Reduce conflict and defensiveness by addressing behavior quickly and respectfully. Create reliable weekly momentum via short goal reviews and visible metrics. Grow independent problem-solvers through coaching questions instead of directives. Improve retention and health by replacing stress and ambiguity with clarity and support. Save time with short, high-impact interactions that build capability while producing better results.
Key Insights from This Book
Explore the most important ideas and learn how to apply them in your life.
Write one-minute goals people can reread and act on every week
Build scoreboards and fast feedback so effort actually feels rewarding
Accelerate learning by praising the “approximately right” early and often
Correct fast, target behavior, and end with respect every time
Coach with questions so people solve their own problems
Replace leave-alone-then-zap with short weekly reviews that drive results
Be Tough ’n’ Nice so standards rise and trust grows together
Front-load attention to catch wins early, then step back strategically
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