The One Minute Manager
by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
“The One Minute Manager is a classic. It provides a clear and simple approach to management that is easy to understand and apply. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their management skills.”
The Three Secrets to Managing Your Team in Just Minutes a Day
If you’re a manager, your calendar is likely a battlefield. You’re bogged down in endless meetings, buried under a mountain of emails, and constantly putting out fires. You barely have time to do your own work, let alone focus on developing your team. The idea of coaching and mentoring gets pushed aside, often relegated to that dreaded, ineffective ritual: the annual performance review. It’s a system where managers feel overwhelmed and employees feel disconnected.
But what if the most effective management strategies didn’t require more of your time, but less? What if you could get better results, boost morale, and create a more empowered team in just a few focused minutes each day? This is the revolutionary promise of The One Minute Manager, the timeless business parable by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson. The book tells a simple story of a young man searching for an effective leader, and in the process, it reveals three deceptively simple "secrets" that form a powerful framework for leading people. It’s a guide to cutting through the chaos and bringing clarity, feedback, and humanity back into the workplace.
What You'll Learn
A simple three-step framework for effective management that fits into any busy schedule.
How to set crystal-clear goals in 250 words or less to eliminate confusion.
The power of “catching people doing something right” to skyrocket motivation.
A method for correcting mistakes that builds people up instead of tearing them down.
Why this 40-year-old classic is more relevant than ever in today’s fast-paced world.
Secret #1: One-Minute Goals – The Power of Clarity
The first secret the young man discovers is that there are no surprises in the One Minute Manager’s office. Everyone knows exactly what is expected of them because they have set One-Minute Goals together. The principle is based on the 80/20 rule: 80% of your important results will come from 20% of your activities. The manager’s job is to agree with each team member on what that critical 20% is.
Here’s how it works:
You and your team member agree on 3 to 5 primary goals.
Each goal is written down on a single page in 250 words or less.
Both of you keep a copy. You are encouraged to take one minute, every day, to read through your goals and review your performance.
The magic of this technique is its simplicity. It eliminates the confusion that plagues so many workplaces. There’s no ambiguity about what "good performance" looks like. It empowers employees to manage themselves because the target is clear. A new sales rep I once managed was struggling with her focus. We sat down and set three One-Minute Goals: 1) Make 20 outbound calls a day. 2) Secure 3 new client meetings a week. 3) Update the CRM before logging off each day. With that clarity, her performance soared. She knew exactly what she needed to do to win.
Secret #2: One-Minute Praisings – Catch Them Doing Something Right
This is the heart of the One Minute Manager’s philosophy. While many managers excel at pointing out mistakes, effective leaders make it their mission to catch people doing something right. A One-Minute Praising is an immediate, specific, and sincere recognition of good work. It’s not a vague "good job," but a targeted dose of positive reinforcement.
The formula is simple but powerful:
Praise them immediately. Don’t save it for the weekly meeting or the annual review. Do it on the spot.
Be specific. Tell them exactly what they did right. Instead of "Nice work on the presentation," say, "The way you used customer data in that presentation to make your point was brilliant."
Share the impact. Tell them how their action helped the team or the company. "...because of that data, the client immediately understood the value and signed on."
Encourage them. A simple "Keep up the great work" reinforces the behavior and ends the interaction on a high note.
This technique works because it provides an instant feedback loop, connecting an action with a positive outcome. It builds confidence and makes employees feel seen and valued, motivating them to repeat the successful behavior.
Secret #3: One-Minute Re-Directs – Address the Behavior, Not the Person
Mistakes happen. How a manager handles them can either be a source of shame and resentment or a powerful coaching opportunity. The book originally called this a "reprimand," but the modern framing is a "re-direct"—a subtle but important shift in focus from punishment to correction.
Like a praising, a re-direct should be immediate. The goal is to address the behavior without attacking the person’s character.
The formula is nuanced and requires care:
Address the mistake immediately and specifically. Confirm the facts first. "I noticed the report went out with the wrong figures. Let's talk about that."
Express your feelings about the behavior. Be clear about the impact of the mistake. "Frankly, I’m concerned because we rely on that report for our financial forecasting, and this error could cause major problems."
Pause for a moment of uncomfortable silence. Let the seriousness of the message sink in.
Reaffirm their value. This is the crucial step. Remind them that they are a valued member of the team and that your feedback is about the behavior, not their worth as a person. "You are one of my best people, and you are better than this one mistake. I have great confidence in you."
This method separates the person from the action, allowing them to accept responsibility for the mistake without feeling personally attacked. It maintains their self-esteem and redirects their energy toward fixing the problem and avoiding it in the future.
The One Minute Manager's Playbook
The power of the system is its clear, repeatable structure. Here’s a quick-reference guide for Praisings and Re-Directs.
For a ONE-MINUTE PRAISING:
Do It: Immediately after you see good work.
The First Half: "I saw that you..." (Be specific about what they did right). "...and it was great because..." (Explain the positive impact).
The Second Half: Pause to let them feel proud. Then say, "Keep up the fantastic work."
For a ONE-MINUTE RE-DIRECT:
Do It: Immediately after a mistake is made.
The First Half: "The report had an error..." (Be specific about the mistake). "...and I'm concerned because..." (Explain the negative impact).
The Second Half: Pause to let it sink in. Then say, "You are much better than that, and I value you on the team."
Your First Week as a One Minute Manager
Ready to try it? You can implement these principles starting today.
Monday (Goals): Sit down with one of your direct reports. Spend 15-20 minutes agreeing on their top 3-4 goals. Write them down on a single page.
Tuesday (Praisings): Make it your mission to actively look for opportunities to praise your team. Catch at least two people doing something right and deliver an immediate, specific praising.
Wednesday (Review): Take one minute out of your day to quietly re-read your own goals. This simple act will refocus your energy and attention.
Thursday (Re-Directs): The next time a correctable mistake happens, resist your old habit—whether it’s ignoring it or getting angry. Try the Re-Direct formula. Address the behavior, then reaffirm the person.
Friday (Praisings): End the week on a high note. Find one more person to praise. The goal is to make positive feedback a consistent and natural habit.
Final Reflections
The One Minute Manager has endured for over four decades because it cuts through the noise. It’s not a comprehensive textbook on every nuance of leadership, but it is a powerful and practical foundation for what matters most. In a world drowning in complexity, the book’s three simple secrets offer a timeless framework for effective leadership: be clear about what you expect, look for the good, and address mistakes with dignity. It’s a reminder that managing people doesn’t have to be complicated, and that the most profound leadership lessons can be delivered one minute at a time.
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