Rating: 
Summary: The One minute Manager
Review: A measurement of a good leader is ability to develop other leaders, not followers. In today's world, many new supervisors are thrust into a "baptism by fire" management environment. I found this book to be an easy to read guide that arms newcomers to management with the basic tools for building worker relationships and getting the best out of their staffs. As a result, their efforts are guided into decisions that generate increasingly positive outcomes in uncomfortable situations. Self confidence builds and leadership/management styles improve. I have made it a habit during my welcome interviews to provide each new management employee with a copy of "The One Minute Manager". We all enjoy the benefits!
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Summary: Simply a Classic! -- Required Reading for any Leader!
Review: I finally ordered this book to see for myself if all the hype was true. After reading through the pages very quickly (it only took a couple of brief sittings), I was thoroughly impressed. Blanchard and Johnson truly have a classic here, a volume that fulfills its high expectations. The key to the success of this book is the combination of its simplicity and its practicality. Three lessons are given to managers: the one-minute goal, the one-minute praising, and the one-minute reprimand. The material is presented in a parable-like format, which makes the concepts even easier to grasp. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. For the small price paid and the short time required to read it from cover to cover, it is a superb investment. If you are any type of leader or manager, READ THIS BOOK!
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Summary: I want to be managed like this
Review: As I have seen among employees in different jobs that I have had, too often is the employee left to figure out his/her own job expectations. When an employee experiences this feeling of insecurity, it is usually the trigger for many other undesired exhibited behaviors which soon follow. Lack of motivation, lack of initiative, competing for the boss' attention, and trying to adopt someone else's talent rather than using one's own strengths to benefit the organization are a few of those behaviors seen. Written job descriptions and performance evaluations are at times too vague in letting the employee know how to plan or work through their day-to-day operation. With the concept of One Minute Goal Setting, a powerful tool for invoking motivation is born. The employee feels like he/she has responsibility for a task, the task and the goal is written down and performance against the goal is frequently checked. Success with the goal is then measurable.
One Minute Praising is another concept of great benefit. More than just providing feedback, it becomes a wonderful tool for reinforcing positive behavior or results, i.e. usually seen as quantity or quality work. The employee feels a sense of fulfillment and importance, knowing that his/her work made an impact or made a difference. It also allows the manager to currently share how he/she feels about the work rather than wait or most likely forget to mention it at the time of the employee's performance evaluation. Out of the three concepts, I think this technique builds employee confidence the most. When one feels confident, one is able to set higher standards for himself/herself. Higher standards develop the attitude for working with excellence.
Similarly, One Minute Reprimands "nip things in the bud." Undesired behaviors are curbed and discouraged and because of the seriousness in which the situation is handled, most employees will want to avoid getting reprimanded. Two important and notable aspects of the reprimand is that the behavior of the employee is addressed, not the employee's worth. The reprimand is also not based on "hearsay" but rather on what has been evidenced by the manager himself. Therefore, using this technique, feelings of resentment are not fostered between the employee and the manager. I found this book to be very inspiring. Though I am not yet a manager, these concepts can be used at home, with family, as well as at work with my fellow employees - especially when we work together on projects. They can be even be used with the managers who currently supervise me. The principles are reciprocal and universal. This is how I would want to be managed and this is the way I would like to manage. Great book!
Rating: 
Summary: A useful classic
Review: After the 60's and 70's, the terms reinforcement and punishment held negative cultural connotations that seemed to equate people with Pavlov's dog. Blanchard and Johnson's One Minute method presented scientifically validated behavioral psychology in a way that managers of the time could feel comfortable with. Thus, if you apply these ideas, you will not sound like a psychologist circa 1950. Instead, you'll sound like a Politically Correct 1980's management consultant. Despite its age, the method is simple -you can read it in half an hour- yet extremely powerful. First, define the behaviors or results you want (One Minute Goal Setting/ Activator), then let your reports go out and perform. During the performance, you offer reinforcement in two forms, positive or negative. Catch someone doing good, you give them a One Minute Praising (positive reinforcement). Catch a report doing something bad, you give them a One Minute Reprimand (punishment/ negative reinforcement). The result is classic operant conditioning and behavior shaping. I use the concepts in this book regularly. They are simple and very effective. Once you know where you want people to go, the behavior shaping methods presented in this book will likely get your team there, and quickly. One Minute Managing is a surefire way to increase the quantity of actions which add value, while minimizing those which detract. I would recommend Aubrey Daniels' 'Bringing out the Best in People,' which goes into operant conditioning in more depth, as a very solid companion for this book.
Rating:
Summary: Read it but not necessary to buy it.
Review: The issue is that most of the managers are not effective. The conclusion is that if you use the One Minute technique, you can become very effective. The One Minute technique is:
One Minute Goal setting- Take time to set major goals as that the employee knows what needs to be done.
One Minute Praising- Praise your employees by catching them doing the RIGHT thing
One Minute Reprimand- First reprimand the BEHAVIOR, Second encourage the PERSON (shake hands) There are examples given to explain each point. This books is a bestseller because of it's simplicity. But subsequent books by the authors have acknowledged the need of more than the above 3 items. It is good in theory but it's practice demands much more.
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Summary: Worth reading, but lacking depth
Review: My basic feeling with this book is that it discussed some good concepts, but was way short on depth. The book has sold well over 8 million copies and the simplicity of it seems to be its main strength. After all, most people who manage employees don't want to spend their free time reading management books. But you are doing managers a disservice if you don't give them the full picture about what it takes to have a group of employees with high levels of morale, motivation, and productivity. The book is broken down into three main themes: *One Minute goals
*One Minute praisings
*One Minute reprimands The basic idea is that you tell employees what you want from them and then give them positive or constructive negative feedback depending on whether or not they are achieving their specified goals. Although I totally agree with these three principles, do the authors really think that's all there is to managing employees? What about the importance of hiring the right employee in the first place?
What about the importance of training employees well?
What about the importance of setting a good example?
What about listening to ideas that employees have?
What about taking each employee's strengths and weaknesses into account in determining how to make them the most productive?
What about how managers should approach firing employees (if there are no other options)? These are just a few issues that I consider to be extremely important that are not even touched in the book. In addition, the three concepts that were in the book could have been discussed in more detail. I'll give this book four stars since it is worth reading and there is some good material in it. Just remember that there is a lot missing, too. Greg Blencoe
Author, The Ten Commandments for Managers
Rating:
Summary: Great book for anyone of any age group, any occupation...
Review: Book written by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, it has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide and that just says how successful this book is. It covers the three essential elements of being a high-speed and efficient manager. I also like the "business story" format. In today's world, many new supervisors are thrust into a "baptism by fire" management environment. I found this book to be an easy to read guide that arms newcomers to management with the basic tools for building worker relationships and getting the best out of their staff. Consequently, their efforts are guided into decisions that generate increasingly positive outcomes in uncomfortable situations. Self-confidence builds and leadership and management styles improve.
Rating:
Summary: Management Made Simple
Review: The One Minute Manager by Drs. Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson was a breviloquent, easy to read manual on efficient yet effective management. The text focuses on goal setting, one minute praising, and constructive reprimands; the principles are clearly stated and widely applicable to a range of personal and professional circumstances. The authors underscore the importance of clearly visualizing, verbalizing, and working toward the actualization of short-term and long-term goals. Goals are written down in 250 words or less then used to guide and gauge daily progress toward the declared objectives. Goal-setting can be applied in one's personal life or professional life providing they are in harmony with the goals of the organization. The "second secret" to effective management is the "one-minute praising". The authors stress the importance of catching subordinates in the act of "doing something good" and recognizing their good work. Correspondingly, constructive criticism is necessary at times. The authors stress the "one-minute reprimand" - good managers let subordinates know what they did wrong, that they are capable of doing better, and facilitate the identification and implementation of corrective action. The principles discussed in One Minute Manager are extremely valuable in a professional medical workplace. Employees should be focused on their own goals as well as those of the office as a whole. In such a high-stress environment, recognition of even the smallest employee successes will lead to a more productive workplace.
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Summary: Got a few minutes?
Review: "The One Minute Manger" by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson teaches the readers the three skills to achieving effective management. Although the keys to being an effective and successful manager, as described by Blanchard and Johnson, seems unbelievably simple, they will strike an understanding chord among most people who have ever managed and supervised employees. Not because managers typically follow the principles, but precisely because these simple principles are ones that they intuitively know they should be practicing yet do not because of lack of conviction in the methods, worry about changing management styles, low level of interest, or apprehension that they will take too much time. Not to fear, Blanchard and Johnson address these concerns in their short simple book. The allegory starts off with a young man in search of an effective manager. Initially disillusioned by the managers he encounters, who are only results-oriented at the expense of the employees or only people-oriented at the expense of the organization, the young man discovers The One Minute Manager. The young man learns from The One Minute Manager and the people whom he manages the philosophy of the one-minute management style. The authors gradually convince the readers through examples, anecdotes, explanations, and quotable quotes why and how their three principles, when followed appropriately, actually work. A brief guideline list accompanies each of the three management skills: the "one minute goal setting," "one minute praising," and "one minute reprimand." There is even a concise flow chart to help solidify the management principles into one page near the end of the book; no doubt, designed to be cut-out or photocopied and posted in every manager's office. By the end of the short 60 minutes required to finish the book, most readers will be convinced to at least test out the method. After all, the title of the book already suggests that time commitment is not an issue; one can become an effective manager by investing a short 60-second of time. When one reads the book, this really translates to several 60-second intervals per day, but the amount of time will be much less than what most managers are used to. More effective management in significantly less time? Is it possible? The authors certainly make a compelling yet uncomplicated and clear case for this. One does have to wonder if this is too easy. Will it work for managing all types of people in all types of organizations? How about the slackers? Or the employee who is the wrong fit for the job, doesn't have the appropriate training, or lacks motivation? How about the company with a long tradition of top-down management style? The book doesn't get mired in the details or specifics of every possible variation or situation; instead it attempts to provide the general strategies of effective management. The simple message of the book is to focus on making people feel valued which will lead to greater self-motivation and increased productivity for the individual and organization. As the One Minute Manager best described it, "People who feel good about themselves produce good results." And because they are not difficult to understand, learn, or implement, the skills can be readily used by most managers immediately. The book is not only for managers of people. The message from the book is relevant to anybody interacting with people or when managing your own work and life. For example, I can utilize the skills to not only manage the people who report to me, but also in working with my colleagues or my supervisor, although the lesson on reprimanding may be less applicable in such situations. The most useful setting to apply the skills, perhaps, is when teamwork is involved, such as in committees, meetings, and group projects. This is when setting goals and timelines are critical and working effectively with colleagues, including giving praise and constructive criticism, is paramount to success. Furthermore, I can even see me being a One Minute Manager to myself, be it in the work environment, personal life, educational pursuits, or participation in hobbies. Who wouldn't want to be happier and have better results in all of these activities? I wouldn't mind impressing my boss more, fulfilling all my New Year's resolutions, or running a marathon in 3 hours and 15 minutes. After reading "The One Minute Manger", most readers will want to be a One Minute Manager tomorrow.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Advice, but 59 Minutes Too Long
Review: Kenneth Blanchard's "The One Minute Manager" is a short book that should have either been much shorter or much longer. The longer version would have been supported with research and case studies to back up Blanchard's claims that the techniques are effective. For readers who don't need or want the supporting evidence, here is what the shorter version would look like: 1) Good managers are not micromanagers; they expect employees to take initiative and solve their own problems. 2) Good managers set goals for their employees that are brief and have clear performance standards and expectations. 3) Good managers look for opportunities to praise their employees because self-confident employees are happier and more productive. Employees learn to internalize praise. 4) Good managers are also quick and clear in providing feedback when something goes wrong. Reprimands are more effective when it is understood that managers think highly of their employees. (Presumably, if the "One-Minute Reprimands" happen too often, the employee will no longer work for the One-Minute Manager, so that ending reprimands with statements of the employee's value, as suggested, will always be sincere.) That's about it. All this is probably good advice. One of the bosses whose management style I most admired and who inspired me to a high level of performance was very much like the One Minute Manager in the book. I rarely saw him, but when I did, it was clear that he had been paying attention and that he valued my work. But the storytelling format of the book--it's told by a naive young narrator who interviews the one-minute manager and his employees--draws a couple of pages of material out into a hundred page book. That's much less than many management self-help books, to be sure, and one gets the impression the author is trying to walk his talk. To Blanchard, management is more common sense than rocket science, and a long book would be a waste of time. I like the idea that, in management as as in writing, less is often more. In many workplaces, memos, meetings, and manuals are about ten times as long as they need to be. We are bombarded with so much information that, what my bosses often want and what I appreciate most from my own employees, are good two-paragraph summaries of a week's worth of research. If they are done well, these summaries will take longer to research and write than a ten page report would have, but they save their readers time and actually produce a net gain in information. But if Blanchard's book wants to be the Strunk and White guide to the boardroom--brevity, brevity, brevity--the book falls short. It took me almost an hour to read, which is 59 more than it should have.
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