Insights from The New One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson

Don’t be an authoritarian manager. Don’t be a hands‐off manager. Be a One Minute Manager.

Get results and build rapport with the people you are managing by using The Three Secrets of The New One Minute Manager:

One Minute Goals

Conduct weekly One Minute Goal Setting sessions (note: this will take longer than a minute to complete initially,
but once your people get familiar with the process, they will do the work upfront so future goal setting sessions
will only take a minute of your time):

1. Start by asking: “What are you hoping to complete this week? Don't be afraid to stretch yourself.” As
they think of different goals they could strive for this week, ask…
2. “Of those goals, what one could have the largest impact?” Remind them of the 80/20 rule – “If you have five goals, what one goal,
if completed, would help the team more than all the other goals combined?” As they think out loud and choose their most
important goal, ask…
3. “Can you clarify exactly what you plan to accomplish?” Get them to explain the goal in as much detail as possible, then say…
4. “Type out your goal with the steps you plan to take. Keep it less than a page. After you’ve written out your goal, email it to me so
I can review and approve it.” This will ensure you and your direct report are on the same page. After receiving and approving
their goal, say…
5. “Print out your goal and keep it in front of you. Then at the end of each day, take a minute and ask yourself, did my actions today
get me closer to completing my goal?”

At this point, your direct report has created a game that will keep him or her engaged and focused: they have a clear target, a time limit
(hit the goal by the end of the week), and regular feedback.

Having a game makes work more enjoyable, but only if your people can play the game. If a direct report lacks the skills to complete a task,
it does not matter how clear the goal is, they are going to be disengaged. This is where the second secret of ‘The New One Minute
Manager’ comes in…

One Minute Praisings

At the beginning of a new task, observe a direct report as they learn. If they get nervous, say, “Don't worry, I'm
only watching to catch you doing something right!” When you notice them doing something right, deliver a One
Minute Praising:

1. Specify what they did right and why it is important.

2. Pause to let them feel good about what they did (as detailed in the book ‘Tiny Habits,’ letting a
feeling of pride wash over someone rapidly wires in a new behavior).
3. Encourage them to keep learning.

One Minute Praisings should be handed out early and often for any approximate success while learning. Think of it like encouraging a child
to walk. Initially, you praise them for taking a wobbly first step and falling. You do not hold your praise until the child can sprint across the
room like Usain Bolt; you praise anything that looks like progress. Praising early and often accelerates learning and increases confidence.

Once a direct report displays competence, back off the praising (you don’t want them to expect praise from you every time they do
something right) and encourage them to praise themselves.

One Minute Redirects

If a direct report has the skill to hit their goal but fails to do so, it’s time for a One Minute Redirect:

1. Tell the person exactly what he or she did wrong.

2. Tell the person how you feel about it and let the pain/disappointment sink in.
3. Remind the person you still believe in them (your performance was bad, but you’re better than that).

A One Minute Redirect sounds simple, but most people fail to do it correctly. Most managers don’t follow up
critical feedback with personal reassurance. If you don’t remind someone they are better than their mistake, you risk
making them feel worthless and unmotivated. Always find a way to say, “You screwed up, but you're not a screwup.”

When you consistently set one minute goals, give one minute praisings, and deliver one minute redirects, your people will learn to execute
these three habits. Gradually your people will clarify their goals, give themselves praise, and correct mistakes while maintaining high self‐
esteem. Your job as a manager is to get your people to manage themselves. “(No person) ever really works for anyone else. Deep down,
people like to work for themselves.” – The New One Minute Manager

www.ProductivityGame.com