1. As a Man Thinketh
Tác giả: James Allen
Tác giả: James Allen
=> Bài học từ cuốn sách: Hầu hết mọi người thuộc tầng lớp lao động đều có các quan niệm sai lầm rằng cuộc sống của họ là kết quả của số phận, may mắn hoặc do túng thiếu. Nhưng cần nhớ rằng cuộc sống của bạn là do chính tay bạn tạo nên.
=> Đoạn trích dẫn hay nhất: Một người đàn ông chỉ thực sự trở thành đàn ông khi anh ấy không còn rên rỉ, chửi rủa hay đi tìm công lý cho cuộc đời mình. Và khi đã điều chỉnh được tâm trí, anh ta không còn buộc tội người khác như một nguyên nhân gây ra tình trạng này, anh ấy trưởng thành hơn trong suy nghĩ, không còn đổ tội tại hoàn cảnh và biết cách sử dụng chúng để hỗ trợ cho mình.
Personal Improvement : Book Summary: "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen
Posted by kevinb on 1/23/12 (13983 reads)
I struggled for a while with whether or not to write a summary of this classic literary essay for fear of not doing it justice. However,my desire to introduce this writing to as many people as possible motivated me to proceed. This booklet, a seminal piece on the power of thought, is a mere 22 pages, yet it is so dense and packed with wisdom that it could have easily filled 500 pages had the author desired. James Allen was a British philosopher and writer as well as a pioneer of the self-help movement in the late 1800's and early 1900's. This work "As a Man Thinketh" is likely based on the Biblical verse Proverbs 23:7 which states: "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."
Chapter 1: Thought and Character
Allan writes that "A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all of his thoughts. And since "...cause and effect are as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things," we determine (or at least heavily influence) our situation in life... essentially sleeping in the bed we have made. According to the author, "Man is made or unmade by himself" and can improve his lot in life by thinking "right" thoughts and by the right choice of the application of thought (i.e., choosing the "right" actions and behaviors).
Chapter 2: Effect of Thought on Circumstances
Allan writes that "The outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. This does not mean that a man's circumstances at any giving time are an indication of his entire character, but that those circumstances are so intimately connected with some vital thought-element within himself that, for the time being, they are indispensable to his development." Essentially, that we are where we are based on our thoughts and our actions. Not that external factors don't have influence, but that on balance we are each the master of our own destiny.
Chapter 3: Effects of Thoughts on Health and Body
"The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed," Allen writes. And that, upon the body, "habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad." Ever heard the saying clean body, clean mind, clean living? That's what Allan is getting at here; that "The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it" and that "A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts."
Chapter 4: Thought and Purpose
Select quotes: "They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pityings...which lead to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot persist in the power-evolving universe." "To put away aimlessness and weakness and to begin to think with purpose is to enter the ranks of those strong one who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment." "The will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step."
Chapter 5: The Thought-Factor in Achievement
Allen's opening statement in this chapter: "All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts." And his ending statement: "He who would accomplish little need sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much. He who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly." I've always believed that when combined with a purpose that hard work and persistence are key elements to success. You've got to be able to fight for what you believe in and be willing to sacrifice to achieve it.
Chapter 6: Visions and Ideals
"To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve. Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil. The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg. And in the highest vision of a soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities. You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration."
Chapter 7: Serenity
"That exquisite poise of character that we call serenity is the last lesson of culture. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought. Keep your hands firmly upon the helm of thought."
A simple "formula" that I find extremely helpful:
Your THOUGHTS determine your ATTITUDE, your ATTITUDE drives your BEHAVIORS, and your BEHAVIORS determine your RESULTS. So if you are not pleased with the results you are getting, see what you can learn by assessing and better understanding your thoughts.
Note: In these chapter summaries where I solely utilize quotes from Allen's work it is because I could not think of a different way to express his points or because I felt that they stood very well on their own.
http://www.jfdperfsolutions.com/
2. Rich Dad Poor Dad
Tác giả: Robert T.Kiyosaki
Tác giả: Robert T.Kiyosaki
=> Bài học từ cuốn sách: Ngoài những điều cơ bản của tài chính cá nhân (không có thành công nào vô nghĩa), cuốn sách này còn giải thích lý do tại sao các doanh nghiệp tự tay bạn xây dựng và sở hữu là nguyên nhân đáng tin cậy nhất để đạt được sự giàu có. Nó đập tan định kiến về một công việc làm công ăn lương và chỉ cho bạn cách suy nghĩ giống như một doanh nhân.
=> Đoạn trích dẫn hay nhất: Nhân loại được chia thành người giàu và người nghèo, chủ sở hữu và kẻ bị bóc lột, việc trừu tượng hóa bản thân là nguyên tắc cơ bản để phân loại và cũng là nguyên tắc đối lập giữa giàu và nghèo. Hãy trừu tượng hóa bản thân từ những việc đơn giản nhất.
RICH DAD, POOR DAD – SUMMARY
Posted on: November 21, 2009
RICH DAD, POOR DAD
Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki
Year of Publication: 2000
No. of Pages (of the book): 207
Summary (PDF): 2 pages
Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki
Year of Publication: 2000
No. of Pages (of the book): 207
Summary (PDF): 2 pages
Robert Kiyosaki refers to two fathers, his father is poor as he went to school, earned good grades, obtained his PhD and after various years of service, retired due to differences with Government. Second father, his friend’s father is a rich father who is a businessman. This book is based on advices given by the ‘rich’ father to the author.
Six Secrets of Rich
1. Rich don’t work for Money
2. Learn financial literacy
3. Mind your own business
4. The History of taxes and power of corporations
5. Rich Invest Money
6. Work to Learn – Don’t work for money!!!
1. Rich don’t work for Money
2. Learn financial literacy
3. Mind your own business
4. The History of taxes and power of corporations
5. Rich Invest Money
6. Work to Learn – Don’t work for money!!!
SECRET 1: RICH DON’T WORK FOR MONEY
People quit jobs because jobs don’t pay well. Rich work (in jobs) to learn and not for money. Rich dad got his own son and the author to work for a very small pay in a retail store. At one time, due to small pay, both boys were ready to quit the job and Rich father told them that this is exactly why people quite job and a prospective businessman don’t. Rich Dad’s lesson: Learn the business where you do your job so that you can start your own business later. As a result of this thinking, both boys took thought about business and reviewed the available resource base. They started a comic book library, renting books and earning more money than their job of retail store.
SECRET 2: LEARN FINANCIAL LITERACY
Most people buy a house at mortgage and consider it to be an asset. However, in businessman’s vocabulary, it’s actually a liability because the house is not earning anything. The house is eating up resources of the person who has bought it on mortgage.
In school, people are taught to earn good grades, get good jobs and be good employees. Generally, financial literacy component is not taught. Therefore, people with job generally struggle to meet their day to day expenses, middle class purchase liabilities considering it to be an asset (e.g. a house bought on mortgage or a car on lease!) while rich people construct a sound asset base which generates income for purchase of other assets.
Rich dad taught author to buy house once there is another asset which generates enough cash flow to enable the person buy a house. What are the assets of rich people? Those include: Real Estate, apartments generating rents and businesses being managed by managers and generating cash. A person can start with stocks, bond and mutual funds but these are not at all a substitute of a business which generates cash flows. Rich Dad’ lesson: Learn the difference between an asset and a liability and think how to create income generating assets.
SECRET 3: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
Rich Dad’s lesson: Along with your day job, start some business side by side. Don’t spend all your salary. Save some amount on a monthly basis and think about an idea which can be turned to profitable business later. Business of Mc Donald’s owner is not selling ham burgers but to have real estate. If ham burgers don’t sell, there is enough property to be sold, if required.
SECRET 4: THE HISTORY OF TAXES AND CORPORATIONS
Salaried people earn their salary, pay taxes and then spend from whatever amount is left. Rich people earn, their companies pay all their expenses including taxes and then they have enough amounts to spend, as all their expenses are paid before paying any tax.
Author advises to talk to businessmen and investment bankers to learn businesses. Reading and understanding of financial statements is a must to understand how a business operates. Rich dad’s lesson: how rich people protect themselves from heavy taxes? Their secret: Corporations!
SECRET 5: THE RICH INVEST MONEY
A person can invest money either through experts i.e. investment bankers, stock brokers etc or can go for self created investment by identifying an opportunity, raising capital and finding expert people to manage the business. Rich Dad’s lesson: Learn how to manage risk. An Investment is not risky. Not knowing how to manage an investment is risky
SECRET 6: WORK TO LEARN AND NOT FOR MONEY
One should learn to manage cash flows, systems and people. Continuous learning is the key. Learn how to sell.
- Rich dad’s lesson – What to do? Action plan
• Assess your present situation: If you keep on doing what you are doing since quite some time, you will get the same results what you are getting. To get new results, do some thing different.
• Try to find some new idea – how will you create and income generating asset?
• Take action, after finding new some new idea. Practical tip: Find Mentor. Try to find some person who has achieved what you want to achieve. Ask tips from him / her.
• Try to invest in real estate when market is down. Make offers. Don’t sit and wait for opportunity to come.
• Learn from lessons of successful people.
• Try to find some new idea – how will you create and income generating asset?
• Take action, after finding new some new idea. Practical tip: Find Mentor. Try to find some person who has achieved what you want to achieve. Ask tips from him / her.
• Try to invest in real estate when market is down. Make offers. Don’t sit and wait for opportunity to come.
• Learn from lessons of successful people.
ACT, MANAGE RISK, THINK BIG, THINK BUSINESS, DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY and FAIL
3. Who Moved My Cheese?
Tác giả: Spencer Johnson
Tác giả: Spencer Johnson
=> Bài học từ cuốn sách: Có rất nhiều sách viết về sự đổi mới, sự đột phá và mỗi cá nhân, công ty phải làm thế nào để thích ứng với tốc độ thay đổi nhanh chóng này. Trong trường hợp này thì chẳng có sách nào dạy được cả tuy nhiên tác giả giải thích rất ngắn gọn và sinh động.
=> Đoạn trích dẫn hay nhất: Những gì bạn sợ hãi không tệ như bạn tưởng. Việc xây dựng nỗi sợ hãi trong tâm trí bạn còn tồi tệ hơn việc bạn phải đối mặt với nó.
gt;
4. The Elements Of Style
Tác giả: William Strunk Jr. and E.B.White
Tác giả: William Strunk Jr. and E.B.White
=> Bài học từ cuốn sách: Bây giờ việc gửi email, nhắn tin và tham gia mạng xã hội là điều cốt lõi của giao tiếp kinh doanh, khả năng viết lách tốt chưa bao giờ cần thiết hơn thế. Sau khi đọc cuốn sách này, bạn sẽ trở thành một nhà văn giỏi hơn trước kia và chắc chắn là viết tốt hơn các đồng nghiệp của mình.
=> Đoạn trích dẫn hay nhất: Giọng văn đầy khí lực và ngắn gọn. Một câu không nên chứa các từ không cần thiết, hoặc một đoạn không cần thiết. Giống như việc vẽ không cần dòng và một chiếc máy hoạt động không cần những bộ phận vô dụng.
INTRODUCTORY
This book is intended for use in English courses in which the practice of
composition is combined with the study of literature. It aims to give in brief space
the principal requirements of plain English style. It aims to lighten the task of
instructor and student by concentrating attention (in Chapters II and III) on a few
essentials, the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly
violated. The numbers of the sections may be used as references in correcting
manuscript.
The book covers only a small portion of the field of English style, but the
experience of its writer has been that once past the essentials, students profit most
by individual instruction based on the problems of their own work, and that each
instructor has his own body of theory, which he prefers to that offered by any
textbook.
The writer's colleagues in the Department of English in Cornell University have
greatly helped him in the preparation of his manuscript. Mr. George McLane Wood
has kindly consented to the inclusion under Rule 11 of some material from his
Suggestions to Authors.
The following books are recommended for reference or further study: in connection
with Chapters II and IV, F. Howard Collins, Author and Printer (Henry Frowde);
Chicago University Press, Manual of Style; T. L. De Vinne Correct Composition
(The Century Company); Horace Hart, Rules for Compositors and Printers (Oxford
University Press); George McLane Wood, Extracts from the Style-Book of the
Government Printing Office (United States Geological Survey); in connection with
Chapters III and V, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, The Art of Writing (Putnams),
especially the chapter, Interlude on Jargon; George McLane Wood, Suggestions to
Authors (United States Geological Survey); John Leslie Hall, English Usage (Scott,
Foresman and Co.); James P. Kelly, Workmanship in Words (Little, Brown and
Co.)
It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the rules of
rhetoric. When they do so, however, the reader will usually find in the sentence
some compensating merit, attained at the cost of the violation. Unless he is certain of
doing as well, he will probably do best to follow the rules. After he has learned, by
their guidance, to write plain English adequate for everyday uses, let him look, for
the secrets of style, to the study of the masters of literature.
II. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE
1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's.
Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write,
Charles's friend
Burns's poems
the witch's malice
This is the usage of the United States Government Printing Office and of the
Oxford University Press.
Exceptions are the possessives of ancient proper names in -es and -is, the
possessive Jesus', and such forms as for conscience' sake, for righteousness' sake.
But such forms as Achilles' heel, Moses' laws, Isis' temple are commonly replaced
by
3
the heel of Achilles
the laws of Moses
the temple of Isis
The pronominal possessives hers, its, theirs, yours, and oneself have no apostrophe.
2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term
except the last.
Thus write,
red, white, and blue
honest, energetic, but headstrong
He opened the letter, read it, and made a note of its
contents.
This is also the usage of the Government Printing Office and of the Oxford
University Press.
In the names of business firms the last comma is omitted, as
Brown, Shipley and Company
The abbreviation etc., even if only a single term comes before it, is always preceded
by a comma.
3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.
The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for
time, is to travel on foot.
This rule is difficult to apply; it is frequently hard to decide whether a single word,
such as however, or a brief phrase, is or is not parenthetic. If the interruption to the
flow of the sentence is but slight, the writer may safely omit the commas. But
whether the interruption be slight or considerable, he must never omit one comma
and leave the other. Such punctuation as
Marjorie's husband, Colonel Nelson paid us a visit
yesterday,
or
My brother you will be pleased to hear, is now in perfect
health, is indefensible.
Non-restrictive relative clauses are, in accordance with this rule, set off by commas.
The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became
more and more interested.
Similar clauses introduced by where and when are similarly punctuated.
In 1769, when Napoleon was born, Corsica had but
recently been acquired by France.
Nether Stowey, where Coleridge wrote The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner, is a few miles from Bridgewater.
In these sentences the clauses introduced by which, when, and where are nonrestrictive;
they do not limit the application of the words on which they depend, but
add, parenthetically, statements supplementing those in the principal clauses. Each
sentence is a combination of two statements which might have been made
independently. 4
The audience was at first indifferent. Later it became more
and more interested.
Napoleon was born in 1769. At that time Corsica had but
recently been acquired by France.
Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at
Nether Stowey. Nether Stowey is only a few miles from
Bridgewater.
Restrictive relative clauses are not set off by commas.
The candidate who best meets these requirements will
obtain the place.
In this sentence the relative clause restricts the application of the word candidate to a
single person. Unlike those above, the sentence cannot be split into two independent
statements.
The abbreviations etc. and jr. are always preceded by a comma, and except at the end
of a sentence, followed by one.
Similar in principle to the enclosing of parenthetic expressions between commas is
the setting off by commas of phrases or dependent clauses preceding or following
the main clause of a sentence. The sentences quoted in this section and under Rules
4, 5, 6, 7, 16, and 18 should afford sufficient guidance.
If a parenthetic expression is preceded by a conjunction, place the first comma
before the conjunction, not after it.
He saw us coming, and unaware that we had learned of his
treachery, greeted us with a smile.
4. Place a comma before and or but introducing an independent clause.
The early records of the city have disappeared, and the
story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. The
situation is perilous, but there is still one chance of escape.
Sentences of this type, isolated from their context, may seem to be in need of
rewriting. As they make complete sense when the comma is reached, the second
clause has the appearance of an after-thought. Further, and, is the least specific of
connectives. Used between independent clauses, it indicates only that a relation
exists between them without defining that relation. In the example above, the relation
is that of cause and result. The two sentences might be rewritten:
As the early records of the city have disappeared, the story
of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. Although
the situation is perilous, there is still one chance of escape.
Or the subordinate clauses might be replaced by phrases:
Owing to the disappearance of the early records of the city,
the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed.
In this perilous situation, there is still one chance of
escape.
But a writer may err by making his sentences too uniformly compact and periodic,
and an occasional loose sentence prevents the style from becoming too formal and
gives the reader a certain relief. Consequently, loose sentences of the type first
quoted are common in easy, unstudied writing. But a writer should be careful not to
construct too many of his sentences after this pattern (see Rule 14).
5
Two-part sentences of which the second member is introduced by as (in the sense
of because), for, or, nor, and while (in the sense of and at the same time) likewise
require a comma before the conjunction.
If a dependent clause, or an introductory phrase requiring to be set off by a comma,
precedes the second independent clause, no comma is needed after the conjunction.
The situation is perilous, but if we are prepared to act
promptly, there is still one chance of escape.
For two-part sentences connected by an adverb, see the next section.
5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
If two or more clauses, grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction, are
to form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon.
Stevenson's romances are entertaining; they are full of
exciting adventures.
It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before
dark.
It is of course equally correct to write the above as two sentences each, replacing the
semicolons by periods.
Stevenson's romances are entertaining. They are full of
exciting adventures.
It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before
dark.
If a conjunction is inserted, the proper mark is a comma (Rule 4).
Stevenson's romances are entertaining, for they are full of
exciting adventures.
It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before
dark.
Note that if the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly,
besides, so, then, therefore, or thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still
required.
I had never been in the place before; so I had difficulty in
finding my way about.
In general, however, it is best, in writing, to avoid using so in this manner; there is
danger that the writer who uses it at all may use it too often. A simple correction,
usually serviceable, is to omit the word so, and begin the first clause with as:
As I had never been in the place before, I had difficulty in
finding my way about.
If the clauses are very short, and are alike in form, a comma is usually permissible:
Man proposes, God disposes.
The gate swung apart, the bridge fell, the portcullis was
drawn up.
6. Do not break sentences in two.
In other words, do not use periods for commas.
6
I met them on a Cunard liner several years ago. Coming
home from Liverpool to New York.
He was an interesting talker. A man who had traveled all
over the world, and lived in half a dozen countries.
In both these examples, the first period should be replaced by a comma, and the
following word begun with a small letter.
It is permissible to make an emphatic word or expression serve the purpose of a
sentence and to punctuate it accordingly:
Again and again he called out. No reply.
The writer must, however, be certain that the emphasis is warranted, and that he will
not be suspected of a mere blunder in punctuation.
Rules 3, 4, 5, and 6 cover the most important principles in the punctuation of
ordinary sentences; they should be so thoroughly mastered that their application
becomes second nature.
7. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject.
Walking slowly down the road, he saw a woman
accompanied by two children.
The word walking refers to the subject of the sentence, not to the woman. If the
writer wishes to make it refer to the woman, he must recast the sentence:
He saw a woman, accompanied by two children, walking
slowly down the road.
Participial phrases preceded by a conjunction or by a preposition, nouns in
apposition, adjectives, and adjective phrases come under the same rule if they begin
the sentence.
On arriving in Chicago, his friends met him at the station.
When he arrived (or, On his arrival) in Chicago, his
friends met him at the station.
A soldier of proved valor, they entrusted him with the
defence of the city.
A soldier of proved valor, he was entrusted with the
defence of the city.
Young and inexperienced, the task seemed easy to me.
Young and inexperienced, I thought the task easy.
Without a friend to counsel him, the temptation proved
irresistible.
Without a friend to counsel him, he found the temptation
irresistible.
Sentences violating this rule are often ludicrous.
Being in a dilapidated condition, I was able to buy the
house very cheap.
7
8. Divide words at line-ends, in accordance with their formation and pronunciation.
If there is room at the end of a line for one or more syllables of a word, but not for
the whole word, divide the word, unless this involves cutting off only a single letter,
or cutting off only two letters of a long word. No hard and fast rule for all words
can be laid down. The principles most frequently applicable are:
a. Divide the word according to its formation:
know-ledge (not knowl-edge); Shake-speare (not Shakespeare);
de-scribe (not des-cribe); atmo-sphere (not atmos-phere);
b. Divide "on the vowel:"
edi-ble (not ed-ible); propo-sition; ordi-nary; espe-cial;
reli-gious; oppo-nents; regu-lar; classi-fi-ca-tion (three
divisions possible); deco-rative; presi-dent;
c. Divide between double letters, unless they come at the end of the simple form of the
word:
Apen-nines; Cincin-nati; refer-ring; but tell-ing.
The treatment of consonants in combination is best shown from examples:
for-tune; pic-ture; presump-tuous; illus-tration;
sub-stan-tial (either division); indus-try; instruc-tion;
sug-ges-tion; incen-diary.
The student will do well to examine the syllable-division in a number of pages of
any carefully printed book.
III. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION
9. Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic.
If the subject on which you are writing is of slight extent, or if you intend to treat it
very briefly, there may be no need of subdividing it into topics. Thus a brief
description, a brief summary of a literary work, a brief account of a single incident, a
narrative merely outlining an action, the setting forth of a single idea, any one of
these is best written in a single paragraph. After the paragraph has been written, it
should be examined to see whether subdivision will not improve it.
Ordinarily, however, a subject requires subdivision into topics, each of which should
be made the subject of a paragraph. The object of treating each topic in a paragraph
by itself is, of course, to aid the reader. The beginning of each paragraph is a signal
to him that a new step in the development of the subject has been reached.
The extent of subdivision will vary with the length of the composition. For example,
a short notice of a book or poem might consist of a single paragraph. One slightly
longer might consist of two paragraphs:
A. Account of the work.
B. Critical discussion. A report on a poem, written for a class in
literature, might consist of seven paragraphs:
A report on a poem, written for a class in literature, might consist of seven
paragraphs:
8
A. Facts of composition and publication.
B. Kind of poem; metrical form.
C. Subject.
D. Treatment of subject.
E. For what chiefly remarkable.
F. Wherein characteristic of the writer.
G. Relationship to other works.
The contents of paragraphs C and D would vary with the poem. Usually, paragraph
C would indicate the actual or imagined circumstances of the poem (the situation), if
these call for explanation, and would then state the subject and outline its
development. If the poem is a narrative in the third person throughout, paragraph C
need contain no more than a concise summary of the action. Paragraph D would
indicate the leading ideas and show how they are made prominent, or would indicate
what points in the narrative are chiefly emphasized. A novel might be discussed
under the heads:
A. Setting.
B. Plot.
C. Characters.
D. Purpose.
A historical event might be discussed under the heads:
A. What led up to the event.
B. Account of the event.
C. What the event led up to.
In treating either of these last two subjects, the writer would probably find it
necessary to subdivide one or more of the topics here given.
As a rule, single sentences should not be written or printed as paragraphs. An
exception may be made of sentences of transition, indicating the relation between the
parts of an exposition or argument.
In dialogue, each speech, even if only a single word, is a paragraph by itself; that is,
a new paragraph begins with each change of speaker. The application of this rule,
when dialogue and narrative are combined, is best learned from examples in wellprinted
works of fiction.
10. As a rule, begin each paragraph with a topic sentence; end it in conformity with the
beginning.
Again, the object is to aid the reader. The practice here recommended enables him to
discover the purpose of each paragraph as he begins to read it, and to retain the
purpose in mind as he ends it. For this reason, the most generally useful kind of
paragraph, particularly in exposition and argument, is that in which
a. the topic sentence comes at or near the beginning;
b. the succeeding sentences explain or establish or develop the
statement made in the topic sentence; and
c. the final sentence either emphasizes the thought of the topic
sentence or states some important consequence.
Ending with a digression, or with an unimportant detail, is particularly to be avoided.
If the paragraph forms part of a larger composition, its relation to what precedes, or
its function as a part of the whole, may need to be expressed. This can sometimes be
done by a mere word or phrase (again; therefore; for the same reason) in the topic
sentence. Sometimes, however, it is expedient to precede the topic sentence by one
or more sentences of introduction or transition. If more than one such sentence is
9
required, it is generally better to set apart the transitional sentences as a separate
paragraph.
According to the writer's purpose, he may, as indicated above, relate the body of the
paragraph to the topic sentence in one or more of several different ways. He may
make the meaning of the topic sentence clearer by restating it in other forms, by
defining its terms, by denying the converse, by giving illustrations or specific
instances; he may establish it by proofs; or he may develop it by showing its
implications and consequences. In a long paragraph, he may carry out several of
these processes.
1 Now, to be properly enjoyed, a
walking tour should be gone upon
alone.
1 Topic sentence.
2 If you go in a company, or even in
pairs, it is no longer a walking tour
in anything but name; it is
something else and more in the
nature of a picnic.
2 The meaning made clearer by denial
of the contrary.
3 A walking tour should be gone upon
alone, because freedom is of the
essence; because you should be able
to stop and go on, and follow this
way or that, as the freak takes you;
and because you must have your
own pace, and neither trot alongside
a champion walker, nor mince in
time with a girl.
3 The topic sentence repeated, in
abridged form, and supported by
three reasons; the meaning of the
third ("you must have your own
pace") made clearer by denying the
converse.
4 And you must be open to all
impressions and let your thoughts
take colour from what you see.
4 A fourth reason, stated in two forms.
5 You should be as a pipe for any
wind to play upon.
5 The same reason, stated in still
another form.
6 "I cannot see the wit," says Hazlitt,
"of walking and talking at the same
time.
6-7 The same reason as stated by
Hazlitt.
7 When I am in the country, I wish to
vegetate like the country," which is
the gist of all that can be said upon
the matter.
8 There should be no cackle of voices
at your elbow, to jar on the
meditative silence of the morning.
8 Repetition, in paraphrase, of the
quotation from Hazlitt.
9 And so long as a man is reasoning
he cannot surrender himself to that
fine intoxication that comes of much
motion in the open air, that begins in
a sort of dazzle and sluggishness of
the brain, and ends in a peace that
passes comprehension.--Stevenson,
Walking Tours.
9 Final statement of the fourth reason,
in language amplified and
heightened to form a strong
conclusion.
10
1 It was chiefly in the eighteenth
century that a very different
conception of history grew up.
1 Topic sentence.
2 Historians then came to believe that
their task was not so much to paint a
picture as to solve a problem; to
explain or illustrate the successive
phases of national growth,
prosperity, and adversity.
2 The meaning of the topic sentence
made clearer; the new conception of
history defined.
3 The history of morals, of industry,
of intellect, and of art; the changes
that take place in manners or beliefs;
the dominant ideas that prevailed in
successive periods; the rise, fall, and
modification of political
constitutions; in a word, all the
conditions of national well-being
became the subjects of their works.
3 The definition expanded.
4 They sought rather to write a history
of peoples than a history of kings.
4 The definition explained by contrast.
5 They looked especially in history for
the chain of causes and effects.
5 The definition supplemented:
another element in the new
conception of history.
6 They undertook to study in the past
the physiology of nations, and
hoped by applying the experimental
method on a large scale to deduce
some lessons of real value about the
conditions on which the welfare of
society mainly depend.--Lecky, The
Political Value of History
6 Conclusion: an important
consequence of the new conception
of history.
In narration and description the paragraph sometimes begins with a concise,
comprehensive statement serving to hold together the details that follow.
The breeze served us admirably.
The campaign opened with a series of reverses.
The next ten or twelve pages were filled with a curious set
of entries.
But this device, if too often used, would become a mannerism. More commonly the
opening sentence simply indicates by its subject with what the paragraph is to be
principally concerned.
At length I thought I might return towards the stockade.
He picked up the heavy lamp from the table and began to
explore.
Another flight of steps, and they emerged on the roof.
The brief paragraphs of animated narrative, however, are often without even this
semblance of a topic sentence. The break between them serves the purpose of a
rhetorical pause, throwing into prominence some detail of the action.
11
11. Use the active voice. The active voice is usually more direct and vigorous than the
passive:
I shall always remember my first visit to Boston.
This is much better than
My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.
The latter sentence is less direct, less bold, and less concise. If the writer tries to
make it more concise by omitting "by me,"
My first visit to Boston will always be remembered,
it becomes indefinite: is it the writer, or some person undisclosed, or the world at
large, that will always remember this visit?
This rule does not, of course, mean that the writer should entirely discard the passive
voice, which is frequently convenient and sometimes necessary.
The dramatists of the Restoration are little esteemed today.
Modern readers have little esteem for the dramatists of the
Restoration.
The first would be the right form in a paragraph on the dramatists of the
Restoration; the second, in a paragraph on the tastes of modern readers. The need of
making a particular word the subject of the sentence will often, as in these examples,
determine which voice is to be used.
The habitual use of the active voice, however, makes for forcible writing. This is true
not only in narrative principally concerned with action, but in writing of any kind.
Many a tame sentence of description or exposition can be made lively and emphatic
by substituting a transitive in the active voice for some such perfunctory expression
as there is, or could be heard.
There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the
ground.
Dead leaves covered the ground.
The sound of the falls could still be heard.
The sound of the falls still reached our ears.
The reason that he left college was that his health became
impaired.
Failing health compelled him to leave college.
It was not long before he was very sorry that he had said
what he had.
He soon repented his words.
As a rule, avoid making one passive depend directly upon another.
Gold was not allowed to be exported.
It was forbidden to export gold (The export of gold was
prohibited).
He has been proved to have been seen entering the
building.
It has been proved that he was seen to enter the building.
In both the examples above, before correction, the word properly related to the
second passive is made the subject of the first.
12
A common fault is to use as the subject of a passive construction a noun which
expresses the entire action, leaving to the verb no function beyond that of
completing the sentence.
A survey of this region was made in 1900.
This region was surveyed in 1900.
Mobilization of the army was rapidly carried out.
The army was rapidly mobilized.
Confirmation of these reports cannot be obtained.
These reports cannot be confirmed.
Compare the sentence, "The export of gold was prohibited," in which the predicate
"was prohibited" expresses something not implied in "export."
12. Put statements in positive form.
Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language.
Use the word not as a means of denial or in antithesis, never as a means of evasion.
He was not very often on time.
He usually came late.
He did not think that studying Latin was much use.
He thought the study of Latin useless.
The Taming of the Shrew is rather weak in spots.
Shakespeare does not portray Katharine as a very
admirable character, nor does Bianca remain long in
memory as an important character in Shakespeare's works.
The women in The Taming of the Shrew are unattractive.
Katharine is disagreeable, Bianca insignificant.
The last example, before correction, is indefinite as well as negative. The corrected
version, consequently, is simply a guess at the writer's intention.
All three examples show the weakness inherent in the word not. Consciously or
unconsciously, the reader is dissatisfied with being told only what is not; he wishes
to be told what is. Hence, as a rule, it is better to express a negative in positive form.
not honest dishonest
not important trifling
did not remember forgot
did not pay any attention to ignored
did not have much confidence in distrusted
The antithesis of negative and positive is strong:
Not charity, but simple justice.
Not that I loved Caesar less, but Rome the more.
Negative words other than not are usually strong:
The sun never sets upon the British flag.
13. Omit needless words.
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a
paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should
have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not
13
that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his
subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.
Many expressions in common use violate this principle:
the question as to whether whether (the question whether)
there is no doubt but that no doubt (doubtless)
used for fuel purposes used for fuel
he is a man who he in a hasty manner hastily
this is a subject which this subject
His story is a strange one. His story is strange.
In especial the expression the fact that should be revised out of every sentence in
which it occurs.
owing to the fact that since (because)
in spite of the fact that though (although)
call your attention to the fact that remind you (notify you)
I was unaware of the fact that I was unaware that (did not know)
the fact that he had not succeeded his failure
the fact that I had arrived my arrival
See also under case, character, nature, system in Chapter V. Who is, which was, and
the like are often superfluous.
His brother, who is a member of the same firm
His brother, a member of the same firm
Trafalgar, which was Nelson's last battle
Trafalgar, Nelson's last battle
As positive statement is more concise than negative, and the active voice more
concise than the passive, many of the examples given under Rules 11 and 12
illustrate this rule as well.
A common violation of conciseness is the presentation of a single complex idea,
step by step, in a series of sentences which might to advantage be combined into
one.
Macbeth was very ambitious. This led him to wish to
become king of Scotland. The witches told him that this
wish of his would come true. The king of Scotland at this
time was Duncan. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth
murdered Duncan. He was thus enabled to succeed
Duncan as king. (55 words.)
Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth achieved his ambition
and realized the prediction of the witches by murdering
Duncan and becoming king of Scotland in his place. (26
words.)
14. Avoid a succession of loose sentences.
This rule refers especially to loose sentences of a particular type, those consisting of
two co-ordinate clauses, the second introduced by a conjunction or relative.
Although single sentences of this type may be unexceptionable (see under Rule 4), a
series soon becomes monotonous and tedious.
An unskilful writer will sometimes construct a whole paragraph of sentences of this
kind, using as connectives and, but, and less frequently, who, which, when, where,
and while, these last in non-restrictive senses (see under Rule 3).
14
The third concert of the subscription series was given last
evening, and a large audience was in attendance. Mr.
Edward Appleton was the soloist, and the Boston
Symphony Orchestra furnished the instrumental music.
The former showed himself to be an artist of the first rank,
while the latter proved itself fully deserving of its high
reputation. The interest aroused by the series has been
very gratifying to the Committee, and it is planned to give a
similar series annually hereafter. The fourth concert will be
given on Tuesday, May 10, when an equally attractive
programme will be presented.
Apart from its triteness and emptiness, the paragraph above is bad because of the
structure of its sentences, with their mechanical symmetry and sing-song. Contrast
with them the sentences in the paragraphs quoted under Rule 10, or in any piece of
good English prose, as the preface (Before the Curtain) to Vanity Fair.
If the writer finds that he has written a series of sentences of the type described, he
should recast enough of them to remove the monotony, replacing them by simple
sentences, by sentences of two clauses joined by a semicolon, by periodic sentences
of two clauses, by sentences, loose or periodic, of three clauses--whichever best
represent the real relations of the thought.
15. Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form.
This principle, that of parallel construction, requires that expressions of similar
content and function should be outwardly similar. The likeness of form enables the
reader to recognize more readily the likeness of content and function. Familiar
instances from the Bible are the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the
petitions of the Lord's Prayer.
The unskilful writer often violates this principle, from a mistaken belief that he
should constantly vary the form of his expressions. It is true that in repeating a
statement in order to emphasize it he may have need to vary its form. For
illustration, see the paragraph from Stevenson quoted under Rule 10. But apart from
this, he should follow the principle of parallel construction.
Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method,
while now the laboratory method is employed.
Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method; now
it is taught by the laboratory method.
The left-hand version gives the impression that the writer is undecided or timid; he
seems unable or afraid to choose one form of expression and hold to it. The righthand
version shows that the writer has at least made his choice and abided by it.
By this principle, an article or a preposition applying to all the members of a series
must either be used only before the first term or else be repeated before each term.
The French, the Italians, Spanish, and Portuguese
The French, the Italians, the Spanish, and the Portuguese
In spring, summer, or in winter
In spring, summer, or winter (In spring, in summer, or in
winter)
Correlative expressions (both, and; not, but; not only, but also; either, or; first,
second, third; and the like) should be followed by the same grammatical
construction. Many violations of this rule can be corrected by rearranging the
sentence.
15
It was both a long ceremony and very tedious.
The ceremony was both long and tedious.
A time not for words, but action
A time not for words, but for action
Either you must grant his request or incur his ill will.
You must either grant his request or incur his ill will.
My objections are, first, the injustice of the measure;
second, that it is unconstitutional.
My objections are, first, that the measure is unjust; second,
that it is unconstitutional.
See also the third example under Rule 12 and the last under Rule 13.
It may be asked, what if a writer needs to express a very large number of similar
ideas, say twenty? Must he write twenty consecutive sentences of the same pattern?
On closer examination he will probably find that the difficulty is imaginary, that his
twenty ideas can be classified in groups, and that he need apply the principle only
within each group. Otherwise he had best avoid the difficulty by putting his
statements in the form of a table.
16. Keep related words together.
The position of the words in a sentence is the principal means of showing their
relationship. The writer must therefore, so far as possible, bring together the words,
and groups of words, that are related in thought, and keep apart those which are not
so related.
The subject of a sentence and the principal verb should not, as a rule, be separated
by a phrase or clause that can be transferred to the beginning.
Wordsworth, in the fifth book of The Excursion, gives a
minute description of this church.
In the fifth book of The Excursion, Wordsworth gives a
minute description of this church.
Cast iron, when treated in a Bessemer converter, is
changed into steel.
By treatment in a Bessemer converter, cast iron is changed
into steel.
The objection is that the interposed phrase or clause needlessly interrupts the natural
order of the main clause. This objection, however, does not usually hold when the
order is interrupted only by a relative clause or by an expression in apposition. Nor
does it hold in periodic sentences in which the interruption is a deliberately used
means of creating suspense (see examples under Rule 18).
The relative pronoun should come, as a rule, immediately after its antecedent.
There was a look in his eye that boded mischief.
In his eye was a look that boded mischief.
He wrote three articles about his adventures in Spain,
which were published in Harper's Magazine.
He published in Harper's Magazine three articles about his
adventures in Spain.
This is a portrait of Benjamin Harrison, grandson of
William Henry Harrison, who became President in 1889.
16
This is a portrait of Benjamin Harrison, grandson of
William Henry Harrison. He became President in 1889.
If the antecedent consists of a group of words, the relative comes at the end of the
group, unless this would cause ambiguity.
The Superintendent of the Chicago Division, who
A proposal to amend the Sherman Act, which has been
variously judged
A proposal, which has been variously judged, to amend the
Sherman Act
A proposal to amend the much-debated Sherman Act
The grandson of William Henry Harrison, who
William Henry Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Harrison,
who
A noun in apposition may come between antecedent and relative, because in such a
combination no real ambiguity can arise.
The Duke of York, his brother, who was regarded with
hostility by the Whigs
Modifiers should come, if possible next to the word they modify. If several
expressions modify the same word, they should be so arranged that no wrong
relation is suggested.
All the members were not present.
Not all the members were present.
He only found two mistakes.
He found only two mistakes.
Major R. E. Joyce will give a lecture on Tuesday evening in Bailey Hall, to
which the public is invited, on "My Experiences in Mesopotamia" at eight P.
M.
On Tuesday evening at eight P. M., Major R. E. Joyce will give in Bailey
Hall a lecture on "My Experiences in Mesopotamia." The public is invited.
17. In summaries, keep to one tense.
In summarizing the action of a drama, the writer should always use the present
tense. In summarizing a poem, story, or novel, he should preferably use the present,
though he may use the past if he prefers. If the summary is in the present tense,
antecedent action should be expressed by the perfect; if in the past, by the past
perfect.
An unforeseen chance prevents Friar John from delivering
Friar Lawrence's letter to Romeo. Juliet, meanwhile, owing
to her father's arbitrary change of the day set for her
wedding, has been compelled to drink the potion on
Tuesday night, with the result that Balthasar informs
Romeo of her supposed death before Friar Lawrence
learns of the nondelivery of the letter.
But whichever tense be used in the summary, a past tense in indirect discourse or in
indirect question remains unchanged.
The Legate inquires who struck the blow.
17
Apart from the exceptions noted, whichever tense the writer chooses, he should use
throughout. Shifting from one tense to the other gives the appearance of uncertainty
and irresolution (compare Rule 15).
In presenting the statements or the thought of some one else, as in summarizing an
essay or reporting a speech, the writer should avoid intercalating such expressions
as "he said," "he stated," "the speaker added," "the speaker then went on to say,"
"the author also thinks," or the like. He should indicate clearly at the outset, once for
all, that what follows is summary, and then waste no words in repeating the
notification.
In notebooks, in newspapers, in handbooks of literature, summaries of one kind or
another may be indispensable, and for children in primary schools it is a useful
exercise to retell a story in their own words. But in the criticism or interpretation of
literature the writer should be careful to avoid dropping into summary. He may find
it necessary to devote one or two sentences to indicating the subject, or the opening
situation, of the work he is discussing; he may cite numerous details to illustrate its
qualities. But he should aim to write an orderly discussion supported by evidence,
not a summary with occasional comment. Similarly, if the scope of his discussion
includes a number of works, he will as a rule do better not to take them up singly in
chronological order, but to aim from the beginning at establishing general
conclusions.
18. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.
The proper place for the word, or group of words, which the writer desires to make
most prominent is usually the end of the sentence.
Humanity has hardly advanced in fortitude since that time,
though it has advanced in many other ways.
Humanity, since that time, has advanced in many other
ways, but it has hardly advanced in fortitude.
This steel is principally used for making razors, because of
its hardness.
Because of its hardness, this steel is principally used in
making razors.
The word or group of words entitled to this position of prominence is usually the
logical predicate, that is, the new element in the sentence, as it is in the second
example.
The effectiveness of the periodic sentence arises from the prominence which it gives
to the main statement.
Four centuries ago, Christopher Columbus, one of the
Italian mariners whom the decline of their own republics
had put at the service of the world and of adventure,
seeking for Spain a westward passage to the Indies as a
set-off against the achievements of Portuguese discoverers,
lighted on America.
With these hopes and in this belief I would urge you,
laying aside all hindrance, thrusting away all private aims,
to devote yourselves unswervingly and unflinchingly to the
vigorous and successful prosecution of this war.
The other prominent position in the sentence is the beginning. Any element in the
sentence, other than the subject, becomes emphatic when placed first.
Deceit or treachery he could never forgive.
18
So vast and rude, fretted by the action of nearly three
thousand years, the fragments of this architecture may
often seem, at first sight, like works of nature.
A subject coming first in its sentence may be emphatic, but hardly by its position
alone. In the sentence,
Great kings worshipped at his shrine,
the emphasis upon kings arises largely from its meaning and from the context. To
receive special emphasis, the subject of a sentence must take the position of the
predicate.
Through the middle of the valley flowed a winding stream.
The principle that the proper place for what is to be made most prominent is the end
applies equally to the words of a sentence, to the sentences of a paragraph, and to
the paragraphs of a composition.
IV. A FEW MATTERS OF FORM
Headings. Leave a blank line, or its equivalent in space, after the title or heading of
a manuscript. On succeeding pages, if using ruled paper, begin on the first line.
Numerals. Do not spell out dates or other serial numbers. Write them in figures or
in Roman notation, as may be appropriate.
August 9, 1918 Chapter XII
Rule 3 352d Infantry
Parentheses. A sentence containing an expression in parenthesis is punctuated,
outside of the marks of parenthesis, exactly as if the expression in parenthesis were
absent. The expression within is punctuated as if it stood by itself, except that the
final stop is omitted unless it is a question mark or an exclamation point.
I went to his house yesterday (my third attempt to see
him), but he had left town.
He declares (and why should we doubt his good faith?) that he is now certain of
success.
(When a wholly detached expression or sentence is parenthesized, the final stop
comes before the last mark of parenthesis.)
Quotations. Formal quotations, cited as documentary evidence, are introduced by a
colon and enclosed in quotation marks.
The provision of the Constitution is: "No tax or duty shall
be laid on articles exported from any state."
Quotations grammatically in apposition or the direct objects of verbs are preceded
by a comma and enclosed in quotation marks.
I recall the maxim of La Rochefoucauld, "Gratitude is a
lively sense of benefits to come."
Aristotle says, "Art is an imitation of nature."
Quotations of an entire line, or more, of verse, are begun on a fresh line and centred,
but not enclosed in quotation marks.
Wordsworth's enthusiasm for the Revolution was at first
unbounded:
19
Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven!
Quotations introduced by that are regarded as in indirect discourse and not enclosed
in quotation marks.
Keats declares that beauty is truth, truth beauty.
Proverbial expressions and familiar phrases of literary origin require no quotation
marks.
These are the times that try men's souls.
He lives far from the madding crowd.
The same is true of colloquialisms and slang.
References. In scholarly work requiring exact references, abbreviate titles that occur
frequently, giving the full forms in an alphabetical list at the end. As a general
practice, give the references in parenthesis or in footnotes, not in the body of the
sentence. Omit the words act, scene, line, book, volume, page, except when referring
by only one of them. Punctuate as indicated below.
In the second scene of the third act
In III.ii (still better, simply insert III.ii in parenthesis at the
proper place in the sentence)
After the killing of Polonius, Hamlet is placed under guard
(IV. ii. 14).
2 Samuel i:17-27
Othello II.iii 264-267, III.iii. 155-161
Titles. For the titles of literary works, scholarly usage prefers italics with capitalized
initials. The usage of editors and publishers varies, some using italics with
capitalized initials, others using Roman with capitalized initials and with or without
quotation marks. Use italics (indicated in manuscript by underscoring), except in
writing for a periodical that follows a different practice. Omit initial A or The from
titles when you place the possessive before them.
The Iliad; the Odyssey; As You Like It; To a Skylark; The
Newcomes; A Tale of Two Cities; Dicken's Tale of Two
Cities.
V. WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED
(Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad
style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under Feature, the proper
correction is likely to be not the replacement of one word or set of words by
another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.)
All right. Idiomatic in familiar speech as a detached phrase in the sense, "Agreed,"
or "Go ahead." In other uses better avoided. Always written as two words.
As good or better than. Expressions of this type should be corrected by
rearranging the sentence.
My opinion is as good or better than his.
My opinion is as good as his, or better (if not better).
As to whether. Whether is sufficient; see under Rule 13.
20
Bid. Takes the infinitive without to. The past tense is bade.
Case. The Concise Oxford Dictionary begins its definition of this word: "instance
of a thing's occurring; usual state of affairs." In these two senses, the word is
usually unnecessary.
In many cases, the rooms were poorly ventilated.
Many of the rooms were poorly ventilated.
It has rarely been the case that any mistake has been made.
Few mistakes have been made.
See Wood, Suggestions to Authors, pp. 68-71, and Quiller-Couch, The Art of
Writing, pp. 103-106.
Certainly. Used indiscriminately by some speakers, much as others use very, to
intensify any and every statement. A mannerism of this kind, bad in speech, is even
worse in writing.
Character. Often simply redundant, used from a mere habit of wordiness.
Acts of a hostile character
Hostile acts
Claim, vb. With object-noun, means lay claim to. May be used with a dependent
clause if this sense is clearly involved:
"He claimed that he was the sole surviving heir."
(But even here, "claimed to be" would be better.) Not to be used as a substitute for
declare, maintain, or charge.
Compare. To compare to is to point out or imply resemblances, between objects
regarded as essentially of different order; to compare with is mainly to point out
differences, between objects regarded as essentially of the same order.
Thus life has been compared to a pilgrimage, to a drama, to
a battle;
Congress may be compared with the British Parliament.
Paris has been compared to ancient Athens; it may be
compared with modern London.
Clever. This word has been greatly overused; it is best restricted to ingenuity
displayed in small matters.
Consider. Not followed by as when it means, "believe to be." "I consider him
thoroughly competent." Compare, "The lecturer considered Cromwell first as
soldier and second as administrator," where "considered" means "examined" or
"discussed."
Dependable. A needless substitute for reliable, trustworthy.
Due to. Incorrectly used for through, because of, or owing to, in adverbial phrases:
"He lost the first game, due to carelessness." In correct use related as predicate or as
modifier to a particular noun: "This invention is due to Edison;" "losses due to
preventable fires."
Effect. As noun, means result; as verb, means to bring about, accomplish (not to be
confused with affect, which means "to influence"). As noun, often loosely used in
perfunctory writing about fashions, music, painting, and other arts: "an Oriental
effect;" "effects in pale green;" "very delicate effects;" "broad effects;" "subtle
effects;" "a charming effect was produced by." The writer who has a definite
meaning to express will not take refuge in such vagueness.
21
Etc. Not to be used of persons. Equivalent to and the rest, and so forth, and hence
not to be used if one of these would be insufficient, that is, if the reader would be
left in doubt as to any important particulars. Least open to objection when it
represents the last terms of a list already given in full, or immaterial words at the end
of a quotation. At the end of a list introduced by such as, for example, or any similar
expression, etc. is incorrect.
Fact. Use this word only of matters of a kind capable of direct verification, not of
matters of judgment. That a particular event happened on a given date, that lead
melts at a certain temperature, are facts. But such conclusions as that Napoleon was
the greatest of modern generals, or that the climate of California is delightful,
however incontestable they may be, are not properly facts. On the formula the fact
that, see under Rule 13.
Factor. A hackneyed word; the expressions of which it forms part can usually be
replaced by something more direct and idiomatic.
His superior training was the great factor in his winning
the match.
He won the match by being better trained.
Heavy artillery is becoming an increasingly important
factor in deciding battles.
Heavy artillery is playing a larger and larger part in
deciding battles.
Feature. Another hackneyed word; like factor it usually adds nothing to the
sentence in which it occurs.
A feature of the entertainment especially worthy of
mention was the singing of Miss A.
(Better use the same number of words to tell what Miss A. sang, or if the
programme has already been given, to tell something of how she sang.) As a verb, in
the advertising sense of offer as a special attraction, to be avoided.
Fix. Colloquial in America for arrange, prepare, mend. In writing restrict it to its
literary senses, fasten, make firm or immovable, etc.
He is a man who. A common type of redundant expression; see Rule 13.
He is a man who is very ambitious.
He is very ambitious.
Spain is a country which I have always wanted to visit.
I have always wanted to visit Spain.
However. In the meaning nevertheless, not to come first in its sentence or clause.
The roads were almost impassable.
However, we at last succeeded in reaching camp.
The roads were almost impassable. At last, however, we
succeeded in reaching camp.
When however comes first, it means in whatever way or to whatever extent.
However you advise him, he will probably do as he thinks
best.
However discouraging the prospect, he never lost heart.
Kind of. Not to be used as a substitute for rather (before adjectives and verbs), or
except in familiar style, for something like (before nouns). Restrict it to its literal
22
sense: "Amber is a kind of fossil resin;" "I dislike that kind of notoriety." The same
holds true of sort of.
Less. Should not be misused for fewer.
He had less men than in the previous campaign.
He had fewer men than in the previous campaign.
Less refers to quantity, fewer to number. "His troubles are less than mine" means
"His troubles are not so great as mine." "His troubles are fewer than mine" means
"His troubles are not so numerous as mine." It is, however, correct to say, "The
signers of the petition were less than a hundred, "where the round number, a
hundred, is something like a collective noun, and less is thought of as meaning a
less quantity or amount.
Line, along these lines. Line in the sense of course of procedure, conduct,
thought, is allowable, but has been so much overworked, particularly in the phrase
along these lines, that a writer who aims at freshness or originality had better discard
it entirely.
Mr. B. also spoke along the same lines.
Mr. B. also spoke, to the same effect.
He is studying along the line of French literature.
He is studying French literature.
Literal, literally. Often incorrectly used in support of exaggeration or violent
metaphor.
A literal flood of abuse
A flood of abuse
Literally dead with fatigue
Almost dead with fatigue (dead tired)
Lose out. Meant to be more emphatic than lose, but actually less so, because of its
commonness. The same holds true of try out, win out, sign up, register up. With a
number of verbs, out and up form idiomatic combinations: find out, run out, turn
out, cheer up, dry up, make up, and others, each distinguishable in meaning from the
simple verb. Lose out is not.
Most. Not to be used for almost.
Most everybody
Almost everybody
Most all the time
Almost all the time
Nature. Often simply redundant, used like character.
Acts of a hostile nature
Hostile acts
Often vaguely used in such expressions as "a lover of nature;" "poems about
nature." Unless more specific statements follow, the reader cannot tell whether the
poems have to do with natural scenery, rural life, the sunset, the untracked
wilderness, or the habits of squirrels.
Near by. Adverbial phrase, not yet fully accepted as good English, though the
analogy of close by and hard by seems to justify it. Near, or near at hand, is as
good, if not better. Not to be used as an adjective; use neighboring.
23
Oftentimes, ofttimes. Archaic forms, no longer in good use. The modern word is
often.
One hundred and one. Retain the and in this and similar expressions, in
accordance with the unvarying usage of English prose from Old English times.
One of the most. Avoid beginning essays or paragraphs with this formula, as, "One
of the most interesting developments of modern science is, etc.;"
"Switzerland is one of the most interesting countries of
Europe."
There is nothing wrong in this; it is simply threadbare and forcible-feeble.
People. The people is a political term, not to be confused with the public. From the
people comes political support or opposition; from the public comes artistic
appreciation or commercial patronage. The word people is not to be used with
words of number, in place of persons. If of "six people" five went away, how many
"people" would be left?
Phase. Means a stage of transition or development: "the phases of the moon;" "the
last phase." Not to be used for aspect or topic.
Another phase of the subject
Another point (another question)
Possess. Not to be used as a mere substitute for have or own.
He possessed great courage.
He had great courage (was very brave).
He was the fortunate possessor of
He owned
Respective, respectively. These words may usually be omitted with advantage.
Works of fiction are listed under the names of their
respective authors.
Works of fiction are listed under the names of their
authors.
The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and
Cummings respectively.
The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and by
Cummings.
In some kinds of formal writing, as in geometrical proofs, it may be necessary to
use respectively, but it should not appear in writing on ordinary subjects.
So. Avoid, in writing, the use of so as an intensifier: "so good;" "so warm;" "so
delightful." On the use of so to introduce clauses, see Rule 4.
Sort of. See under Kind of.
State. Not to be used as a mere substitute for say, remark. Restrict it to the sense of
express fully or clearly, as, "He refused to state his objections."
Student body. A needless and awkward expression, meaning no more than the
simple word students.
A member of the student body
A student
24
Popular with the student body
Liked by the students
The student body passed resolutions.
The students passed resolutions.
System. Frequently used without need.
Dayton has adopted the commission system of
government.
Dayton has adopted government by commission.
The dormitory system
Dormitories
Thanking you in advance. This sounds as if the writer meant, "It will not be
worth my while to write to you again." Simply write, "Thanking you," and if the
favor which you have requested is granted, write a letter of acknowledgment.
They. A common inaccuracy is the use of the plural pronoun when the antecedent is
a distributive expression such as each, each one, everybody, every one, many a man,
which, though implying more than one person, requires the pronoun to be in the
singular. Similar to this, but with even less justification, is the use of the plural
pronoun with the antecedent anybody, any one, somebody, some one, the intention
being either to avoid the awkward "he or she," or to avoid committing oneself to
either. Some bashful speakers even say, "A friend of mine told me that they, etc."
Use he with all the above words, unless the antecedent is or must be feminine.
Very. Use this word sparingly. Where emphasis is necessary, use words strong in
themselves.
Viewpoint. Write point of view, but do not misuse this, as many do, for view or
opinion.
While. Avoid the indiscriminate use of this word for and, but, and although. Many
writers use it frequently as a substitute for and or but, either from a mere desire to
vary the connective, or from uncertainty which of the two connectives is the more
appropriate. In this use it is best replaced by a semicolon.
The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor, while
the rest of the building is devoted to manufacturing.
The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor; the rest
of the building is devoted to manufacturing.
Its use as a virtual equivalent of although is allowable in sentences where this leads
to no ambiguity or absurdity.
While I admire his energy, I wish it were employed in a
better cause.
This is entirely correct, as shown by the paraphrase,
I admire his energy; at the same time I wish it were
employed in a better cause.
Compare:
While the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the
daytime, the nights are often chilly.
Although the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the
daytime, the nights are often chilly.
The paraphrase,
25
The temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime;
at the same time the nights are often chilly,
shows why the use of while is incorrect. In general, the writer will do well to use
while only with strict literalness, in the sense of during the time that.
Whom. Often incorrectly used for who before he said or similar expressions, when
it is really the subject of a following verb.
His brother, whom he said would send him the money
His brother, who he said would send him the money
The man whom he thought was his friend
The man who (that) he thought was his friend (whom he
thought his friend)
Worth while. Overworked as a term of vague approval and (with not) of
disapproval. Strictly applicable only to actions: "Is it worth while to telegraph?"
His books are not worth while.
His books are not worth reading (not worth one's while to
read; do not repay reading).
The use of worth while before a noun ("a worth while story") is indefensible.
Would. A conditional statement in the first person requires should, not would.
I should not have succeeded without his help. The equivalent of shall in indirect
quotation after a verb in the past tense is should, not would.
He predicted that before long we should have a great
surprise.
To express habitual or repeated action, the past tense, without would, is usually
sufficient, and from its brevity, more emphatic.
Once a year he would visit the old mansion.
Once a year he visited the old mansion.
VI. WORDS OFTEN MISSPELLED
accidentally formerly privilege
advice humorous pursue
affect hypocrisy repetition
beginning immediately rhyme
believe incidentally rhythm
benefit latter ridiculous
challenge led sacrilegious
criticize lose seize
deceive marriage separate
definite mischief shepherd
describe murmur siege
despise necessary similar
26
develop occurred simile
disappoint parallel too
duel Philip tragedy
ecstasy playwright tries
effect preceding undoubtedly
existence prejudice until
fiery principal
Write to-day, to-night, to-morrow (but not together) with hyphen.
Write any one, every one, some one, some time (except the sense of formerly) as
two words.
5. The One Minute Manager
Tác giả: Kenneth Blanchard và Spencer Johnson
Tác giả: Kenneth Blanchard và Spencer Johnson
=> Bài học từ cuốn sách: Nếu có một định nghĩa tốt hơn hay đơn giản hơn về một người quản lý tốt thì tôi chưa tìm ra. Nhưng cuốn sách này chứa đựng nhiều kiến thức kinh doanh (và cách để đưa nó vào sử dụng) hơn một chục thư viện nghiên cứu khác. Những ai đã và sẽ trở thành ông chủ thì nên đọc cuốn sách này.
=> Đoạn trích dẫn hay nhất: Nếu bạn không thể cho tôi biết những gì bạn mong muốn đạt được, bạn chẳng có vấn đề gì đáng để quan tâm. Thì bạn chỉ đang kêu ca mà thôi. Một vấn đề chỉ tồn tại khi có một sự khác biệt giữa những gì đang xảy ra và những gì bạn mong muốn xảy ra.
The Search
ONCE there was a bright young man who was looking for an effective manager.
He wanted to work for one. He wanted to become one.
His search had taken him over many years to the far corners of the world.
He had been in small towns and in the capitals of powerful nations.
He had spoken with many managers: with government administrators and military
officers, construction superintendents and corporate executives, university presidents and
shop foremen, utility supervisors and foundation directors, with the managers of shops
and stores, of restaurants, banks and hotels, with men and women—young and old.
He had gone into every kind of office, large and small, luxurious and sparse, with
windows and without.
He was beginning to see the full spectrum of how people manage people.
But he wasn’t always pleased with what he saw.
He had seen many “tough” managers whose organizations seemed to win while their
people lost.
Some of their superiors thought they were good managers.
Many of their subordinates thought otherwise.
As the man sat in each of these “tough people’s” offices, he asked, “What kind of a
manager would you say you are?”
Their answers varied only slightly.
“I’m an autocratic manager—I keep on top of the situation,” he was told. “A bottomline
manager.” “Hard-nosed.” “Realistic.” “Profit-minded.”
He heard the pride in their voices and their interest in results.
The man also met many “nice” managers whose people seemed to win while their
organizations lost.
Some of the people who reported to them thought they were good managers.
Those to whom they reported had their doubts.
As the man sat and listened to these “nice” people answer the same question, he heard,
“I’m a democratic manager.” “Participative.” “Supportive.” “Considerate.”
“Humanistic.”
He heard the pride in their voices and their interest in people.
But he was disturbed.
It was as though most managers in the world were primarily interested either in results
or in people.
The managers who were interested in results often seemed to be labeled “autocratic,”
while the managers interested in people were often labeled “democratic.”
The young man thought each of these managers—the “tough” autocrat and the “nice”
democrat—were only partially effective. “It’s like being half a manager,” he thought.
He returned home tired and discouraged.
He might have given up his search long ago, but he had one great advantage. He knew
exactly what he was looking for.
“Effective managers,” he thought, “manage themselves and the people they work with
so that both the organization and the people profit from their presence.”
Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 11 The young man had looked everywhere for an effective manager but had found only a few. The few he did find would not share their secrets with him. He began to think maybe he would never find out what really made an effective manager tick. Then he began hearing marvelous stories about a special manager who lived, ironically, in a nearby town. He heard that people liked to work for this man and that they produced great results together. The young man wondered if the stories were really true and, if so, whether this manager would be willing to share his secrets with him. Curious, he telephoned the special manager’s secretary for an appointment. The secretary put him through immediately. The young man asked this special manager when he could see him. He heard, “Any time this week is fine, except Wednesday morning. You pick the time.” The young man quietly chuckled because this supposedly marvelous manager sounded like a “kook” to him. What kind of manager had that kind of time available? But the young man was fascinated. He went to see him. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 12 The One Minute Manager WHEN the young man arrived at the manager’s office, he found him standing and looking out of the window. When the young man coughed, the manager turned and smiled. He invited the young man to sit down and asked, “What can I do for you?” The young man said, “I’d like to ask you some questions about how you manage people.” The manager willingly said, “Fire away.” “Well, to begin with, do you hold regularly scheduled meetings with your subordinates?” “Yes, I do—once a week on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 11:00. That’s why I couldn’t see you then,” responded the manager. “What do you do at those meetings?” probed the young man. “I listen while my people review and analyze what they accomplished last week, the problems they had, and what still needs to be accomplished. Then we develop plans and strategies for the next week.” “Are the decisions made at those meetings binding on both you and your people?” questioned the young man. “Of course they are,” insisted the manager. “What would be the point of having the meeting if they weren’t?” “Then you are a participative manager, aren’t you?” asked the young man. “On the contrary,” insisted the manager, “I don’t believe in participating in any of my people’s decision-making.” “Then what is the purpose of your meetings?” “I already told you that,” he said. “Please, young man, do not ask me to repeat myself. It is a waste of my time and yours. “We’re here to get results,” the manager continued. “The purpose of this organization is efficiency. By being organized we are a great deal more productive.” “Oh, so you’re aware of the need for productivity. Then you’re more results-oriented than people-oriented,” the young man suggested. “No!” the manager resounded, startling his visitor. “I hear that all too often.” He got to his feet and began to walk about. “How on earth can I get results if it’s not through people? I care about people and results. They go hand in hand. “Here, young man, look at this.” The manager handed his visitor a plaque. “I keep it on my desk to remind me of a practical truth.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 13 ê People Who Feel Good About Themselves Produce Good Results ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 14 As the young man looked at the plaque, the manager said, “Think about yourself. When do you work best? Is it when you feel good about yourself? Or when you don’t?” The young man nodded as he began to see the obvious. “I get more done when I’m feeling good about myself,” he responded. “Of course you do,” the manager agreed. “And so does everyone else.” The young man raised his index finger with new-found insight. “So,” he said, “helping people to feel good about themselves is a key to getting more done.” “Yes,” the manager agreed. “However, remember productivity is more than just the quantity of work done. It is also the quality.” He walked over to the window and said, “Come over here, young man.” He pointed to the traffic below and asked, “Do you see how many foreign cars there are on the road?” The young man looked out at the real world, and said, “I see more of them every day. And I guess that’s because they’re more economical and they last longer.” The manager nodded reluctantly and said “Exactly. So why do you think people are buying foreign cars? Because American manufacturers did not make enough cars? Or,” the manager said without interrupting, “because they did not make the quality car the American public really wanted? “Now that I think of it,” the young man answered, “it’s a question of quality and quantity.” “Of course,” the manager added. “Quality is simply giving people the product or service they really want and need.” The older man stood at the window lost in his thoughts. He could remember, not so long ago, when his country provided the technology that helped to rebuild Europe and Asia. It still amazed him that America had fallen so far behind in productivity. The young man broke the manager’s concentration. “I’m reminded of an ad I saw on television,” the visitor volunteered. “It showed the name of the foreign car, and over it came the words If you’re going to take out a long-term car loan, don’t buy a short-term car.” The manager turned and said quietly, “I’m afraid that’s a rather good summary. And that’s the whole point. Productivity is both quantity and quality.” The manager and his visitor began to walk back towards the couch. “And frankly, the best way to achieve both of these results is through people.” The young man’s interest increased. As he sat down, he asked, “Well, you’ve already said that you’re not a participative manager. Just how would you describe yourself?” “That’s easy,” he responded without hesitation. “I’m a One Minute Manager.” The young man’s face showed surprise. He’d never heard of a One Minute Manager. “You’re a what?” The manager laughed and said, “I’m a One Minute Manager. I call myself that because it takes very little time for me to get very big results from people.” Although the young man had spoken with many managers, he had never heard one talk like this. It was hard to believe. A One Minute Manager—someone who gets good results without taking much time. Seeing the doubt on his face the manager said, “You don’t believe me, do you? You don’t believe that I’m a One Minute Manager.” “I must admit it’s hard for me even to imagine,” the young man responded. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 15 The manager laughed and said, “Listen, you’d better talk to my people if you really want to know what kind of manager I am.” The manager leaned over and spoke into the office intercom. His secretary, Ms. Metcalfe, came in moments later and handed the young man a sheet of paper. “Those are the names, positions and phone numbers of the six people who report to me,” the One Minute Manager explained. “Which ones should I talk to?” the young man asked. “That’s your decision,” the manager responded. “Pick any name. Talk to any one of them or all of them.” “Well, I mean who should I start with?” “I already told you, I don’t make decisions for other people,” the manager said firmly. “Make that decision yourself.” He stood up and walked his visitor towards the door. “You have asked me, not once, but twice, to make a simple decision for you. Frankly, young man, I find that annoying. Do not ask me to repeat myself. Either pick a name and get started, or take your search for effective management elsewhere.” The visitor was stunned. He was uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. A moment of embarrassed silence seemed like an eternity. Then the One Minute Manager looked the young man in the eye and said, “You want to know about managing people, and I admire that.” He shook his visitor’s hand. “If you have any questions after talking to some of my people,” he said warmly, “come back and see me. I appreciate your interest and desire to learn how to manage. I would, in fact, like to give you the concept of the One Minute Manager as a gift. Someone gave it to me once and it’s made all the difference to me. I want you to understand it fully. If you like it, you may want to become a One Minute Manager yourself someday.” “Thank you,” the young man managed. He left the manager’s office somewhat dumbfounded. As he passed the secretary she said understandingly, “I can see from your dazed look that you’ve already experienced our One Minute Manager.” The young man said very slowly, still trying to figure things out, “I guess I have.” “Maybe I can help you,” Ms. Metcalfe said. “I’ve phoned the six people who report to him. Five of them are here and they have each agreed to see you. You may be better able to understand our ‘One Minute Manager’ after you’ve spoken with them.” The young man thanked her, looked over the list and decided to talk to three of them: Mr. Trenell, Mr. Levy and Ms. Brown. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 16 The First Secret: One Minute Goals WHEN the young man arrived at Trenell’s office, he found a middle-aged man smiling at him. “Well, you’ve been to see the ‘ole man.’ He’s quite a guy, isn’t he?” “He seems that way,” the young man responded. “Did he tell you about being a One Minute Manager?” “He sure did. It’s not true, is it?” asked the young man. “You’d better believe it is. I hardly ever see him.” “You mean you never get any help from him?” puzzled the young man. “Essentially very little, although he does spend some time with me at the beginning of a new task or responsibility. That’s when he does One Minute Goal Setting.” “One Minute Goal Setting. What’s that?” said the young man. “He told me he was a One Minute Manager, but he didn’t say anything about One Minute Goal Setting.” “That’s the first of the three secrets to One Minute Management,” Trenell answered. “Three secrets?” the young man asked, wanting to know more. “Yes,” said Trenell. “One Minute Goal Setting is the first one and the foundation for One Minute Management. You see, in most organizations when you ask people what they do and then ask their boss, all too often you get two different lists. In fact, in some organizations I’ve worked in, any relationship between what I thought my job responsibilities were and what my boss thought they were, was purely coincidental. And then I would get in trouble for not doing something I didn’t even think was my job.” “Does that ever happen here?” asked the young man. “No!” Trenell said. “It never happens here. The One Minute Manager always makes it clear what our responsibilities are and what we are being held accountable for.” “Just how does he do that?” the young man wanted to know. “Efficiently,” Trenell said with a smile. Trenell began to explain. “Once he has told me what needs to be done or we have agreed on what needs to be done, then each goal is recorded on no more than a single page. The One Minute Manager feels that a goal, and its performance standard, should take no more than 250 words to express. He insists that anyone be able to read it within a minute. He keeps a copy and I keep a copy so everything is clear and so we can both periodically check the progress. “Do you have these one-page statements for every goal?” “Yes,” answered Trenell. “Well, wouldn’t there be a lot of these one-page statements for each person?” “No, there really aren’t,” Trenell insisted. “The old man believes in the 80-20 goalsetting rule. That is, 80% of your really important results will come from 20% of your goals. So we only do One Minute Goal Setting on that 20%, that is, our key areas of responsibility—maybe three to six goals in all. Of course, in the event a special project comes up, we set special One Minute Goals.” “Interesting,” the young man commented. “I think I understand the importance of One Minute Goal Setting. It sounds like a philosophy of ‘no surprises’—everyone knows what is expected from the beginning.” “Exactly,” Trenell nodded. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 17 “So is One Minute Goal Setting just understanding what your responsibilities are?” the young man asked. “No. Once we know what our job is, the manager always makes sure we know what good performance is. In other words, performance standards are clear. He shows us what he expects.” “How does he do that—show you what he expects?” asked the young man. “Let me give you an example,” Trenell suggested. “One of my One Minute Goals was this: Identify performance problems and come up with solutions which, when implemented, will turn the situation around. “When I first came to work here I spotted a problem that needed to be solved, but I didn’t know what to do. So I called the One Minute Manager. When he answered the phone, I said, Sir, I have a problem. Before I could get another word out, he said, Good! That’s what you’ve been hired to solve. Then there was a dead silence on the other end of the phone. “I didn’t know what to do. The silence was deafening. I eventually stuttered out, But, but, Sir, I don’t know how to solve this problem. “Trenell, he said, one of your goals for the future is for you to identify and solve your own problems. But since you are new, come on up and we’ll talk. “When I got up there, he said, Tell me, Trenell, what your problem is—but put it in behavioral terms. “Behavioral terms? I echoed. What do you mean by behavioral terms? “I mean, the manager explained to me, that I do not want to hear about only attitudes or feelings. Tell me what is happening in observable, measurable terms. “I described the problem the best I could. “He said, That’s good, Trenell! Now tell me what you would like to be happening in behavioral terms. “I don’t know, I said. “Then don’t waste my time, he snapped. “I just froze in amazement for a few seconds. I didn’t know what to do. He mercifully broke the dead silence. “If you can’t tell me what you’d like to be happening, he said, you don’t have a problem yet. You’re just complaining. A problem only exists if there is a difference between what is actually happening and what you desire to be happening. “Being a quick learner, I suddenly realized I knew what I wanted to be happening. After I told him, he asked me to talk about what may have caused the discrepancy between the actual and the desired. “After that the One Minute Manager said, Well, what are you going to do about it?” “Well, I could do A, I said. “If you did A, would what you want to happen actually happen? he asked. “No, I said. “Then you have a lousy solution. What else could you do? he asked. “I could do B, I said. “But if you do B, will what you want to happen really happen? he countered again. “No, I realized. “Then, that’s also a bad solution, he said. What else can you do? Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 18 “I thought about it for a couple of minutes and said, I could do C. But if I do C, what I want to happen won’t happen, so that is a bad solution, isn’t it? “Right. You’re starting to come around, the manager then said, with a smile on his face. Is there anything else you could do? he asked. “Maybe I could combine some of these solutions, I said. “That sounds worth trying, he reacted. “In fact, if I do A this week, B next week and C in two weeks, I’ll have it solved. That’s fantastic. Thanks so much. You solved my problem for me. “He got very annoyed. I did not, he interrupted, you solved it yourself. I just asked you questions—questions you are able to ask yourself. Now get out of here and start solving your own problems on your time, not mine. “I knew what he had done, of course. He’d shown me how to solve problems so that I could do it on my own in the future. “Then he stood, looked me straight in the eye and said, You’re good, Trenell. Remember that the next time you have a problem. “I remember smiling as I left his office.” Trenell leaned back in his chair and looked as if he were reliving his first encounter with the One Minute Manager. “So,” the young man began, reflecting on what he had just heard. ... Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 19 One Minute Goals: Summary One Minute Goal Setting is simply: 1. Agree on your goals. 2. See what good behavior looks like. 3. Write out each of your goals on a single sheet of paper using less than 250 words. 4. Read and re-read each goal, which requires only a minute or so each time you do it. 5. Take a minute every once in a while out of your day to look at your performance, and 6. See whether or not your behavior matches your goal. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 20 “That’s it,” Trenell exclaimed, “you’re a fast learner.” “Thank you,” the young man said, feeling good about himself. “But let me just jot that down,” he said, “I want to remember that.” After the young man wrote briefly in the small blue notebook he carried with him, he leaned forward and asked, “If One Minute Goal Setting is the first secret to becoming a One Minute Manager, what are the other two?” Trenell smiled, looked at his watch and said, “Why don’t you ask Levy that? You are scheduled to see him this morning too, aren’t you?” The young man was amazed. How did Trenell know that? “Yes,” the young man said as he rose to shake Trenell’s hand. “Thanks so much for your time, sir.” “You’re welcome,” Trenell answered. “Time is one thing I have a lot more of now. As you can probably tell, I’m becoming a One Minute Manager myself.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 21 The Second Secret: One Minute Praisings As the young man left Trenell’s office, he was struck by the simplicity of what he had heard. He thought, “It certainly makes sense. After all, how can you be an effective manager unless you and your people are sure of what they are being asked to do. And what an efficient way to do it.” The young man walked the length of the building and took the elevator to the second floor. When he got to Mr. Levy’s office, he was surprised to meet so young a man. Levy was probably in his late 20’s or early 30’s. “Well, you’ve been to see the ‘ole man.’ He’s quite a guy, isn’t he?” He was already getting used to the One Minute Manager being called “quite a guy.” “I guess he is,” responded the young man. “Did he tell you about being a One Minute Manager?” asked Levy. “He sure did. It’s not true, is it?” asked the young man, wondering if he’d get a different answer from Trenell’s. “You’d better believe it’s true. I hardly ever see him.” “You mean you never get any help from him?” pursued the young man. “Essentially very little, although he does spend a fair amount of time with me at the beginning of a new task or responsibility.” “Yes, I know about One Minute Goal Setting,” interrupted the young man. “Actually I wasn’t thinking so much about One Minute Goal Setting. I was referring to One Minute Praisings.” “One Minute Praisings?” echoed the young man. “Are they the second secret to becoming a One Minute Manager?” “Yes, they are,” Levy revealed. “In fact, when I first started to work here, the One Minute Manager made it very clear to me what he was going to do.” “What was that?” the visitor asked. “He said that he knew that it would be a lot easier for me to do well, if I got crystalclear feedback from him on how I was doing. “He said he wanted me to succeed. He wanted me to be a big help to the organization, and to enjoy my work. “He told me that he would try, therefore, to let me know in no uncertain terms when I was doing well, and when I was doing poorly. “And then he cautioned me that it might not be very comfortable at first for either of us.” “Why?” the visitor asked. “Because, as he pointed out to me then, most managers don’t manage that way and people aren’t used to it. Then he assured me that such feedback would be a big help to me.” “Can you give me an example of what you are talking about?” the young man requested. “Sure,” Levy complied. “Shortly after I started to work, I noticed that, after my manager had done One Minute Goal Setting with me, he would stay in close contact.” “What do you mean by ‘close contact’?” asked the young man. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 22 “There were two ways that he did it,” explained Levy. “First of all, he observed my activities very closely. He never seemed to be very far away. Secondly, he made me keep detailed records of my progress which he insisted I send to him.” “That’s interesting,” said the young man. “Why does he do that?” “At first I thought he was spying and didn’t trust me. That is, until I found out from some of the other people who report to him what he was really doing.” “What was that?” the young man wanted to know. “He was trying to catch me doing something right,” Levy said. “Catch you doing something right?” echoed the young man. “Yes,” responded Levy. “We have a motto around here that says: Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 23 ê Help People Reach Their Full Potential Catch Them Doing Something Right ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 24 Levy continued, “In most organizations the managers spend most of their time catching people doing what?” he asked the young man. The young man smiled and said knowingly, “Doing something wrong.” “Right!” said Levy, “Here we put the accent on the positive. We catch people doing something right.” The young man made a few notes in his notebook and then asked, “What happens, Mr. Levy, when the One Minute Manager catches you doing something right?” “That’s when he gives you a One Minute Praising,” Levy said with some delight. “What does that mean?” the young man wanted to know. “Well, when he has seen that you have done something right, he comes over and makes contact with you. That often includes putting his hand on your shoulder or briefly touching you in a friendly way.” “Doesn’t that bother you,” the young man wondered, “when he touches you?” “No!” Levy insisted. “On the contrary, it helps. I know he really cares about me and he wants me to prosper. As he says, The more consistently successful your people are, the higher you rise in the organization.’ “When he makes contact, it’s brief, but it lets me know once again that we’re really on the same side. “Anyway, after that,” Levy continued, “he looks you straight in the eye and tells you precisely what you did right. Then he shares with you how good he feels about what you did.” “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a manager doing that,” the young man broke in. “That must make you feel pretty good.” “It certainly does,” Levy confirmed, “for several reasons. First of all, I get a praising as soon as I’ve done something right.” He smiled and leaned towards his visitor. Then he laughed and said, “I don’t have to wait for an annual performance review, if you know what I mean.” Both men smiled. “Second, since he specifies exactly what I did right, I know he’s sincere and familiar with what I am doing. Third, he is consistent.” “Consistent?” echoed the young man, wanting to know more. “Yes,” insisted Levy. “He will praise me if I am performing well and deserve it even if things are not going well for him elsewhere. I know he may be annoyed about other things. But he responds to where I am, not just to where he is at the time. And I really appreciate that.” “Doesn’t all this praising have to take up a lot of the manager’s time?” the young man asked. “Not really,” said Levy. “Remember you don’t have to praise someone for very long for them to know you noticed and you care. It usually takes less than a minute.” “And that’s why it’s called a One Minute Praising,” the visitor said, as he wrote down what he was learning. “Right,” Levy said. “Is he always trying to catch you doing something right?” the young man asked. “No, of course not,” Levy answered. “Just when you first start work here or when you begin a new project or responsibility, then he does. After you get to know the ropes, he doesn’t seem to be around much.” “Why?” the young man wondered. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 25 “Because you and he have other ways of knowing when your job performance is ‘praiseworthy.’ You both can review the data in the information system—the sales figures, expenditures, production schedules, and so on. And then,” Levy added, “after awhile you begin to catch yourself doing things right and you start praising yourself. Also, you’re always wondering when he might praise you again and that seems to keep you going even when he’s not around. It’s uncanny. I’ve never worked so hard at a job in my life.” “That’s really interesting,” commented the young man. “So One Minute Praising is a secret to becoming a One Minute Manager.” “It is, indeed,” Levy said with a gleam in his eye. He enjoyed watching someone learn the secrets of One Minute Management. As the visitor looked at his notes, he quickly reviewed what he had learned about the One Minute Praising. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 26 One Minute Praisings: Summary The One Minute Praising works well when you:
1. Tell people up front that you are going to let them know how they are doing.
2. Praise people immediately.
3. Tell people what they did right—be specific.
4. Tell people how good you feel about what they did right, and how it helps the organization and the other people who work there.
5. Stop for a moment of silence to let them “feel” how good you feel.
6. Encourage them to do more of the same.
7. Shake hands or touch people in a way that makes it clear that you support their success in the organization. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 27 “What’s the third secret?” the young man asked anxiously. Levy laughed at the visitor’s enthusiasm, rose from his chair and said, “Why don’t you ask Ms. Brown? I understand you’re planning to talk to her, too.” “Yes, I am,” admitted the young man. “Well, thanks so much for your time.” “That’s OK,” insisted Levy. “Time is one thing I have plenty of—you see I’m a One Minute Manager myself now.” The visitor smiled. He’d heard that somewhere before. He wanted to reflect on what he was learning. He left the building and took a walk among the trees nearby. He was struck again by the simplicity and common sense of what he had heard. “How can you argue with the effectiveness of catching people doing something right,” the young man thought, “especially after they know what they are to do and what good performance looks like. “But do One Minute Praisings really work?” he wondered. “Does all this One Minute Management stuff really get results—bottom-line results?” As he walked along his curiosity about results increased. So he returned to the One Minute Manager’s secretary and asked Ms. Metcalfe to reschedule his appointment with Ms. Brown for some time the next morning. “Tomorrow morning is fine,” the secretary said as she hung up the phone. “Ms. Brown said to tell you to come any time except Wednesday morning.” Then she called downtown and made the new appointment he requested. He was to see Ms. Gomez, an official in the headquarters office. “They have information there about all the different plants and locations in the total company,” Ms. Metcalfe said in a very knowing way. “I’m sure you’ll find whatever you’re looking for.” He thanked her and left. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 28 The Appraisal AFTER lunch the young man went downtown. He met with Ms. Gomez, a competent looking woman in her early 40’s. Getting down to business, the young man asked, “Could you please tell me what is the most efficient and effective of all your operations in the country? I want to compare it with the so-called ‘One Minute Manager’s.’ ” A moment later, he laughed, as he heard Ms. Gomez say, “Well, you won’t have to look very far, because it is the One Minute Manager’s. He’s quite a guy, isn’t he? His operation is the most efficient and effective of all of our plants.” “That’s unbelievable,” said the young man. “Does he have the best equipment?’.’ “No,” said Ms. Gomez. “In fact, he’s got some of the oldest.” “Well, there’s got to be something wrong out there,” said the young man, still puzzled by the old man’s management style. “Tell me, does he lose a lot of his people? Does he have a lot of turnover?” “Come to think of it,” Ms. Gomez said, “he does have a lot of turnover.” “Aha,” the young man said, thinking he was on to something. “What happens to those folks when they leave the One Minute Manager?” the young man wanted to know. “We give them their own operation,” Ms. Gomez quickly responded. “After two years with him, they say, ‘Who needs a manager?’ He’s our best trainer of people. Whenever we have an opening and need a good manager, we call him. He always has somebody who is ready.” Amazed, the young man thanked Ms. Gomez for her time—but this time he got a different response. “I was glad I could fit you in today,” she said. “The rest of my week is really jammed. I wish I knew what the One Minute Manager’s secrets were. I’ve been meaning to go over there and see him, but I just haven’t had time.” Smiling, the young man said, “I’ll give you those secrets as a gift when I find them out myself. Just like he’s giving them to me.” “That would be a precious present,” Ms. Gomez said with a smile. She looked around her cluttered office and said, “I could use whatever help I can get.” The young man left Ms. Gomez’s office and walked out onto the street, shaking his head. The One Minute Manager was absolutely fascinating to him. That night the young man had a very restless sleep. He found himself excited about the next day—about learning the third secret to becoming a One Minute Manager. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 29 The Third Secret: One Minute Reprimands THE next morning he arrived at Ms. Brown’s office at the stroke of nine. A very smartly dressed woman in her late 50’s greeted him. He got the usual, “He’s quite a guy, isn’t he?” routine, but by now the young man was getting to the point where he could sincerely say, “Yes, he is!” “Did he tell you about being a One Minute Manager?” asked Ms. Brown. “That’s all I’ve been hearing about,” the young man said laughing. “It’s not true, is it?” he asked, still wondering if he’d get a different answer. “You’d better believe it is. I hardly ever see him.” “You mean you don’t have much contact with him,” pursued the young man, “outside your regular weekly meeting?” “Essentially very little. Except of course, when I do something wrong,” said Ms. Brown. Shocked, the young man said, “You mean the only time you see the One Minute Manager is when you do something wrong?” “Yes. Well, not quite,” said Ms. Brown, “but almost.” “But I thought a key motto around here was catching people doing things right.” “It is,” insisted Brown. “But you have to know some things about me.” “What?” asked the young man. “I’ve been working here for quite a few years. I know this operation inside and out. As a result, the One Minute Manager doesn’t have to spend much time with me, if any, on goal setting. In fact, I usually write out my goals and send them over to him.” “Is each goal on a separate sheet of paper?” asked the young man. “You bet. No longer than 250 words and each one takes me or the One Minute Manager only a minute to read. “Another thing about me that’s important is that I just love my work. As a result, I do most of my own One Minute Praisings. In fact, I believe if you’re not for yourself, who is? A friend of mine told me a motto I’ll always remember: ‘If you don’t blow your own horn, someone else will use it as a spittoon.’ ” The young man smiled. He liked her sense of humor. “Does your manager ever praise you?” he asked. “Sometimes he does, but he doesn’t have to do it very often because I beat him to the punch,” answered Ms. Brown. “When I do something especially good, I might even ask the One Minute Manager for a praising.” “How would you ever have the nerve to do that?” asked the young man. “It’s easy. Just like making a bet where I either win or I break even. If he gives me the praising, I win.” “But if he doesn’t?” the young man broke in. “Then I break even,” responded Ms. Brown. “I didn’t have it before I asked.” The young man smiled as he took note of Ms. Brown’s philosophy, and then continued. “You said he spends time with you when you do something wrong. What do you mean?” asked the young man. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 30 “If I make a significant mistake, that’s when I invariably get a One Minute Reprimand,” Ms. Brown said. “A what?” the startled young man asked. “A One Minute Reprimand,” Ms. Brown repeated. “That’s the third secret to becoming a One Minute Manager.” “How does it work?” wondered the young man out loud. “It’s simple,” said Ms. Brown. “I figured you’d say that,” said the young man. Ms. Brown joined his laugh and explained, “If you have been doing a job for some time and you know how to do it well, and you make a mistake, the One Minute Manager is quick to respond.” “What does he do?” asked the young man. “As soon as he has learned about the mistake he comes to see me. First he confirms the facts. Then he might put his hand on my shoulder or maybe just come around to my side of the desk.” “Doesn’t that bother you?” asked the young man. “Sure, it does, because you know what’s coming, especially since he doesn’t have a smile on his face. “He looks me straight in the eye,” she continued, “and tells me precisely what I did wrong. Then he shares with me how he feels about it—he’s angry, annoyed, frustrated or whatever he is feeling.” “How long does that take?” asked the young man. “Only about 30 seconds but sometimes it seems forever to me,” confided Ms. Brown. The visitor couldn’t help but remember the feelings he had when the One Minute Manager told him “in no uncertain terms” how annoyed he was with his indecision. “And then what happens?” the young man asked as he moved to the edge of his chair. “He lets what he said sink in with a few seconds of silence—boy, does it sink in!” “Then what?” the young man asked. “He looks me squarely in the eye and lets me know how competent he thinks I usually am. He makes sure I understand that the only reason he is angry with me is that he has so much respect for me. He says he knows this is so unlike me. He says how much he looks forward to seeing me some other time, as long as I understand that he does not welcome that same mistake again.” The young man broke in. “It must make you think twice.” “It certainly does,” Ms. Brown nodded vigorously. The young man knew what Ms. Brown was talking about. He was taking notes now as fast as he could. He sensed that it wasn’t going to take this woman long to cover several important points. “First of all,” Ms. Brown said, “he usually gives me the reprimand as soon as I’ve done something wrong. Second, since he specifies exactly what I did wrong, I know he is ‘on top of things’ and that I’m not going to get away with sloppiness. Third, since he doesn’t attack me as a person—only my behavior—it’s easier for me not to become defensive. I don’t try to rationalize away my mistake by fixing blame on him or somebody else. I know he is being fair. And fourth, he is consistent.” “Does that mean he will reprimand you for doing something wrong, even if things are going well for him elsewhere?” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 31 “Yes,” she answered. “Does the whole process really take only a minute?” the young man asked. “Usually,” she said. “And when it’s over, it’s over. A One Minute Reprimand doesn’t last long but I can guarantee you, you don’t forget it—and you don’t usually make the same mistake twice.” “I think I know what you’re talking about,” the young man said. “I’m afraid I asked him ...” “I hope,” she interrupted, “you didn’t ask him to repeat himself.” The young man was embarrassed. “I did,” he confessed. “Then you know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a One Minute Reprimand,” she said. “Although I expect, as a visitor, you got a rather mild one.” “I don’t know if you’d call it mild,” he said, “but I don’t think I’ll ask him to repeat himself very often. That was a mistake. “I wonder,” the visitor said out loud, “if the One Minute Manager ever makes a mistake. He seems almost too perfect.” Ms. Brown began to laugh. “Hardly,” she said. “But he does have a good sense of humor. So when he does make a mistake, like forgetting to do the last half of the One Minute Reprimand, we point it out to him and kid him about it. “After we’ve had time to recover from the Reprimand, that is. We might, for example, phone him later and tell him we know we were wrong. Then we might laugh and ask for the praising half of the Reprimand, because we’re not feeling too good.” “And what does he do then?” the young man asked. “He usually laughs and says he’s sorry he forgot to remind me that I am an OK Person.” “You can laugh about praisings and reprimands?” the young man asked. “Sure,” Ms. Brown said. “You see, the One Minute Manager has taught us the value of being able to laugh at ourselves when we make a mistake. It helps us get on with our work.” “That’s terrific,” the young man enthused. “How did you learn to do that?” “Simply,” Ms. Brown answered, “by watching the boss do it himself.” “You mean your boss can laugh at himself when he makes a mistake?” the astonished young man asked. “Well, not always,” Ms. Brown admitted. “He’s like most of us. Sometimes it’s tough. But he often can. And when he does laugh at himself, it has a positive effect on everyone around him.” “He must be pretty secure,” the young man suggested. “He is,” Ms. Brown answered. The young man was impressed. He was beginning to see how valuable such a manager was to an organization. “Why do you think the One Minute Manager’s reprimands are so effective?” he asked. “I’ll let you ask the One Minute Manager,” she said, as she rose from behind the desk and walked the young man to the door. When he thanked her for her time, Ms. Brown smiled and said, “You know what the response to that is going to be.” They both laughed. He was beginning to feel like an “insider” rather than a visitor, and that felt good. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 32 As soon as he was in the hall, he realized how little time he’d spent with her and how much information she had given him. He reflected on what she had said. It sounded so simple. He reviewed in his own mind what you should do when you catch an experienced person doing something wrong. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 33 One Minute Reprimands: Summary The One Minute Reprimand works well when you: 1. Tell people beforehand that you are going to let them know how they are doing and in no uncertain terms. the first half of the reprimand: 2. Reprimand people immediately. 3. Tell people what they did wrong—be specific. 4. Tell people how you feel about what they did wrong—and in no uncertain terms. 5. Stop for a few seconds of uncomfortable silence to let them feel how you feel. the second half of the reprimand: 6. Shake hands, or touch them in a way that lets them know you are honestly on their side. 7. Remind them how much you value them. 8. Reaffirm that you think well of them but not of their performance in this situation. 9. Realize that when the reprimand is over, it’s over. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 34 The young man may not have believed in the effectiveness of the One Minute Reprimand if he hadn’t personally experienced its effect. There was no doubt that he felt uncomfortable. And he did not want to experience it again. However, he knew that everyone made mistakes now and then, and that he might very well receive another reprimand some day. But he knew if it came from the One Minute Manager, that it would be fair; that it would be a comment on his behavior and not on his worth as a person. As he headed toward the One Minute Manager’s office, he kept thinking about the simplicity of One Minute Management. All three of the secrets made sense—One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings, and One Minute Reprimands. “But why do they work?” he wondered. “Why is the One Minute Manager the most productive manager in the company?” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 35 The One Minute Manager Explains WHEN he got to the One Minute Manager’s, his secretary said, “You can go right in. He’s been wondering when you’d be back to see him.” As the young man entered the office, he noticed again how clear and uncluttered it was. He was greeted by a warm smile from the One Minute Manager. “Well, what did you find out in your travels?” he asked. “A lot!” the young man said enthusiastically. “Tell me what you learned,” the manager encouraged. “I found out why you call yourself a One Minute Manager. You set One Minute Goals with your people to make sure they know what they are being held accountable for and what good performance looks like. You then try to catch them doing something right so you can give them a One Minute Praising. And then, finally, if they have all the skills to do something right and they don’t, you give them a One Minute Reprimand.” “What do you think about all that?” asked the One Minute Manager. “I’m amazed at how simple it is,” said the young man, “and yet it works—you get results. I’m convinced that it certainly works for you.” “And it will for you too, if you’re willing to do it,” the manager insisted. “Perhaps,” said the young man, “but I would be more likely to do it if I could understand more about why it works.” “That’s true of everyone, young man. The more you understand why it works, the more apt you are to use it. I’d be happy, therefore, to tell you what I know. Where do you want to start?” “Well, first of all, when you talk about One Minute Management, do you really mean it takes a minute to do all the kinds of things you need to do as a manager?” “No, not always. It just is a way to say that being a manager is not as complicated as people would have you believe. And also managing people doesn’t take as long as you’d think. So when I say One Minute Management, it might take more than a minute for each of the key elements like goal setting, but it’s just a symbolic term. And very often it does take only a minute. “Let me show you one of the notes I keep on my desk.” When he looked, the young man saw: Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 36 ê The Best Minute I Spend Is The One I Invest In People ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 37 “It’s ironic,” the manager said. “Most companies spend 50% to 70% of their money on people’s salaries. And yet they spend less than 1% of their budget to train their people. Most companies, in fact, spend more time and money on maintaining their buildings and equipment than they do on maintaining and developing people.” “I never thought of that,” the young man admitted. “But if people get results, then it certainly makes good sense to invest in people.” “Exactly,” the manager said. “I wish I had had someone invest in me sooner when I first went to work.” “What do you mean?” the young man asked. “Well, in most of the organizations I worked in before, I often didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing. No one bothered to tell me. If you asked me whether I was doing a good job, I would say either ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I think so.’ If you asked why I thought so, I would reply, ‘I haven’t been chewed out by my boss lately’ or ‘no news is good news.’ It was almost as if my main motivation was to avoid punishment.” “That’s interesting,” the young man admitted. “But I’m not sure I understand it.” Then he added anxiously, “In fact, if it’s all right with you, maybe I could understand things better if I could get to some of my ‘why’ questions. Let’s start with One Minute Goal Setting. Why does it work so well?” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 38 Why One Minute Goals Work “YOU want to know why One Minute Goals work,” the manager said. “Fine.” He got up and began to pace slowly around the room. “Let me give you an analogy that might help. I’ve seen a lot of unmotivated people at work in the various organizations I’ve been employed in over the years. But I’ve never seen an unmotivated person after work. Everyone seems to be motivated to do something. “One night, for example, I was bowling and I saw some of the ‘problem employees’ at work from my last organization. One of the real problem people, who I remembered all too well, took the bowling ball and approached the line and rolled the ball. Then he started to scream and yell and jump around. Why do you think he was so happy?” “Because he got a strike. He had knocked down all the pins.” “Exactly. Why don’t you think he and other people are that excited at work?” “Because he doesn’t know where the pins are,” smiled the young man. “I get it. How long would he want to bowl if there were no pins?” “Right,” said the One Minute Manager. “Now you can see what happens in most organizations. I believe that most managers know what they want their people to do. They just don’t bother to tell their people in a way they would understand. They assume they should know. I never assume anything when it comes to goal setting. “When you assume that people know what’s expected of them, you are creating an ineffective form of bowling. You put the pins up but when the bowler goes to roll the ball, he notices there is a sheet across the pins. So when he rolls the ball, and it slips under the sheet, he hears a crack but doesn’t know how many pins he knocked down. When you ask him how he did, he says, I don’t know. But it felt good. “It’s like playing golf at night. A lot of my friends have given up golf and when I asked them why, they said, ‘Because the courses are too crowded.’ When I suggested that they play at night, they laughed because who would ever play golf without being able to see the pins? “It’s the same with watching football. How many people in this country would sit in front of their TV’s on a Sunday afternoon or Monday night and watch two teams run up and down the field if there were no goals to shoot at or any way to score?” “Yeah! Why is that?” asked the young man. “It’s all because clearly the number one motivator of people is feedback on results. In fact, we have another saying here that’s worth noting: ‘Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions.’ Feedback keeps us going. Unfortunately, however, when most managers realize that feedback on results is the number one motivator of people, they usually set up a third form of bowling. “When the bowler goes to the line to roll the ball, the pins are still up and the sheet is in place but now there is another ingredient in the game—a supervisor standing behind the sheet. When the bowler rolls the ball, he hears the crash of the falling pins, and the supervisor holds up two fingers to signify you knocked down two pins. Actually, do most managers say you got two?” “No,” the young man smiled. “They usually say you missed eight.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 39 “Right on!” said the One Minute Manager. “The question I always used to ask was why doesn’t the manager ‘lift the sheet up’ so both he and his subordinate can see the pins. Why? Because he has the great American tradition—Performance Review—coming up.” “Because he has Performance Review coming up?” wondered the young man. “Right. I used to call that ‘NIHYSOB’ which stands for ‘Now I have you—you SOB.’ Such managers don’t tell their people what they expect of them; they just leave them alone and then ‘zap’ them when they don’t perform at the desired level.” “Why do you suppose they would do that?” the young man inquired, being very familiar with the truth in the manager’s comments. “So they can look good,” said the manager. “What do you mean, so they can look good?” asked the young man. “How do you think you would be viewed by your boss if you rated everyone that reported to you at the highest level on your performance review scale?” “As a ‘soft touch,’ as someone who could not discriminate between good performance and poor performance.” “Precisely,” said the manager. “In order to look good as a manager in most organizations, you have to catch some of your people doing things wrong. You have to have a few winners, a few losers, and everyone else somewhere in the middle. You see, in this country we have a normal-distribution-curve mentality. I remember one time when visiting my son’s school, I observed a fifth-grade teacher giving a state capitals test to her class. When I asked her why she didn’t put atlases around the room and let the kids use them during the test, she said, ‘I couldn’t do that because all the kids would get 100 percent.’ As though it would be bad for everyone to do well. “I remember once reading that when someone asked Einstein what his phone number was, he went to the phone book to look it up.” The young man laughed. “You’re kidding.” “No, I’m not kidding. He said he never cluttered his mind with information he could find somewhere else. “Now, if you didn’t know better,” the manager continued, “what would you think of someone who went to the phone book to look up his own number? Would you think he was a winner or a loser?” The young man grinned and said, “A real loser.” “Sure,” the manager responded. “I would, too, but we’d be wrong, wouldn’t we?” The young man nodded his agreement. “It’s easy for any of us to make this mistake,” the manager said. Then he showed his visitor the plaque he had made for himself. “Look at this:” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 40 ê Everyone Is A Potential Winner Some People Are Disguised As Losers, Don ’t Let Their Appearances Fool You. ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 41 “You see,” the manager said, “you really have three choices as a manager. First, you can hire winners. They are hard to find and they cost money. Or, second, if you can’t find a winner, you can hire someone with the potential to be a winner. Then you systematically train that person to become a winner. If you are not willing to do either of the first two (and I am continually amazed at the number of managers who won’t spend the money to hire a winner or take the time to train someone to become a winner), then there is only the third choice left—prayer.” That stopped the young man cold. He put down his notebook and pen and said, “Prayer?” The manager laughed quietly. “That’s just my attempt at humor, young man. But when you think about it, there are many managers who are saying their prayers daily—‘I hope this person works out.’ ” “Oh,” the young man said seriously. “Well, let’s take the first choice. If you hire a winner, it’s really easy to be a One Minute Manager, isn’t it?” “It sure is,” said the manager with a smile. He was amazed at how serious the young man was now—as though being more serious made a person a better manager. “All you have to do with a winner is do One Minute Goal Setting and let them run with the ball.” “I understand from Ms. Brown, sometimes you don’t even have to do that with her,” said the young man. “She’s absolutely right,” said the manager. “She’s forgotten more than most people know around here. But with everyone, winner or potential winner, One Minute Goal Setting is a basic tool for productive behavior.” “Is it true that no matter who initiates the One Minute Goal Setting,” the young man asked, “each goal always has to be written down on a single sheet of paper?” “Absolutely,” insisted the One Minute Manager. “Why is that so important?” “So people can review their goals frequently and then check their performance against those goals.” “I understand you have them write down only their major goals and responsibilities and not every aspect of their job,” the young man said. “Yes. That’s because I don’t want this to be a paper mill. I don’t want a lot of pieces of paper filed away somewhere and looked at only once a year when it’s time for next year’s goal setting or performance review, or some such thing. “As you probably saw, everyone who works for me has a plaque near them that looks like this.” He showed his visitor his copy of the plaque. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 42 ê Take A Minute: Look At Your Goals Look At Your Performance See If Your Behavior Matches Your Goals ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 43 The young man was amazed. He’d missed this in his brief visit. “I never saw this,” he said. “It’s terrific. Could I get one of these plaques?” “Sure,” the manager said. “I’ll arrange it.” As he was writing down some of what he was learning, the aspiring manager said, without lifting up his head, “You know, it’s difficult to learn everything there is to learn about One Minute Management in such a short time. There’s certainly more I’d like to learn about One Minute Goals, for instance, but maybe I could do that later. “Could we move to One Minute Praisings now?” asked the young man, as he looked up from his notebook. “Sure,” said the One Minute Manager. “You’re probably wondering why that works, too.” “I certainly am,” the visitor responded. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 44 Why One Minute Praisings Work LET’S look at a few examples,” the One Minute Manager said. “Maybe then it will be clear to you why One Minute Praisings work so well.” “I’d like that,” said the young man. “I’ll start with a pigeon example and then move on to people,” said the manager. “Just remember young man, people are not pigeons. People are more complicated. They are aware, they think for themselves and they certainly don’t want to be manipulated by another person. Remember that and respect that. It is a key to good management. “With that in mind, let us look at several simple examples which show us that we all seek what feels good to us and we avoid what feels bad to us. “Suppose you have an untrained pigeon that you want to enter a box in the lower lefthand corner and run across the box to the upper right-hand corner and push a lever with his right foot. Suppose that not too far from the entry point we have a pellet machine— that is, a machine that can release pellets of food to reward and reinforce the pigeon. What do you think is going to happen if we put the pigeon in the box and wait until the pigeon runs over to the upper right-hand corner and pushes the lever with his right foot before we give him any food?” asked the One Minute Manager. “He would starve to death,” responded the young man. “You’re right. We’re going to lose a lot of pigeons. The pigeon is going to starve to death because he doesn’t have any idea what he is supposed to do. “Now it’s actually not too hard to train a pigeon to do this task. All you have to do is to draw a line not too far from where the pigeon enters the box. If the pigeon enters the box and crosses the line—bang—the pellet machine goes off and the pigeon gets fed. Pretty soon you have the pigeon running to that spot, but you don’t want the pigeon there. Where do you want the pigeon?” “In the upper right-hand corner of the box,” said the young man. “Right!” the One Minute Manager confirmed. “Therefore, after a while you stop rewarding the pigeon for running to that spot and draw another line which isn’t too far from the last line, but is in the direction of the goal—the upper right-hand corner of the box. Now the pigeon starts running around his old spot and doesn’t get fed. Pretty soon though, the pigeon makes it across the new line and—bang—the machine goes off again and the pigeon gets fed. “Then you draw another line. Again this line has to be in the direction of the goal, but not too far away that the pigeon can’t make it again. We keep setting up these lines closer and closer to the upper right-hand corner of the box until we won’t feed the pigeon unless he hits the lever and then finally only when he hits the lever with his right foot.” “Why do you set up all these little goals?” wondered the young man. “By setting up these series of lines, we are establishing goals that the pigeon can achieve. So the key to training someone to do a new task is, in the beginning, to catch them doing something approximately right until they can eventually learn to do it exactly right. “We use this concept all the time with kids and animals, but we somehow forget it when we are dealing with big people—adults. For example, at some of these Sea Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 45 Aquariums you see ‘round the country, they usually end the show by having a huge whale jump over a rope which is high above the water. When the whale comes down he drenches the first ten rows. “The people leave that show mumbling to themselves, That’s unbelievable. How do they teach that whale to do that?’ “Do you think they go out in the ocean in a boat,” the manager asked, “and put a rope out over the water and yell, ‘Up, up!’ until a whale jumps out of the water over the rope? And then say, ‘Hey, let’s hire him. He’s a real winner.’ ” “No,” laughed the young man, “but that really would be hiring a winner.” The two men enjoyed the laugh they shared. “You’re right,” the manager said. “When they captured the whale, he knew nothing about jumping over ropes. So when they began to train him in the large pool, where do you think they started the rope?” “At the bottom of the pool,” answered the young man. “Of course!” responded the manager. “Every time the whale swam over the rope— which was every time he swam past—he got fed. Soon, they raised the rope a little. “If the whale swam under the rope, he didn’t get fed during training. Whenever he swam over the rope, he got fed. So after a while the whale started swimming over the rope all of the time. Then they started raising the rope a little higher.” “Why do they raise the rope?” asked the young man. “First,” the manager began, “because they were clear on the goal: to have the whale jump high out of the water and over the rope. “And second,” the One Minute Manager pointed out, “it’s not a very exciting show for a trainer to say, ‘Folks, the whale did it again.’ Everybody may be looking in the water but they can’t see anything. Over a period of time they keep on raising the rope until they finally get it to the surface of the water. Now the great whale knows that in order to get fed, he has to jump partially out of the water and over the rope. As soon as that goal is reached, they can start raising the rope higher and higher out of the water.” “So that’s how they do it,” the young man said. “Well, I can understand now how using that method works with animals, but isn’t it a bit much to use it with people?” “No, it’s very natural in fact,” the manager said. “We all do essentially the same thing with the children we care for. How do you think you teach them to walk? Can you imagine standing a child up and saying ‘Walk,’ and when he falls down you pick him up and spank him and say, ‘I told you to walk.’ No, you stand the child up and the first day he wobbles a little bit, and you get all excited and say, ‘He stood, he stood,’ and you hug and kiss the child. The next day he stands for a moment and maybe wobbles a step and you are all over him with kisses and hugs. “Finally the child, realizing that this is a pretty good deal, starts to wobble his legs more and more until he eventually walks. “The same thing goes for teaching a child to speak. Suppose you wanted a child to say, ‘Give me a glass of water, please.’ If you waited until the child said the whole sentence before you gave her any water, the child would die of thirst. So you start off by saying ‘Water, water.’ All of a sudden one day the child says, ‘Waller.’ You jump all over the place, hug and kiss the child, get grandmother on the phone so the child can say ‘Waller, waller.’ That wasn’t ‘water,’ but it was close. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 46 “Now you don’t want a kid going into a restaurant at the age of twenty-one asking for a glass of ‘waller’ so after a while you only accept the word ‘water’ and then you begin on ‘please.’ “These examples illustrate that the most important thing in training somebody to become a winner is to catch them doing something right—in the beginning approximately right and gradually moving them towards the desired behavior. With a winner you don’t have to catch them doing things right very often, because good performers catch themselves doing things right and are able to be self-reinforcing.” “Is that why you observe new people a lot in the beginning,” asked the young man, “or when your more experienced people are starting a new project?” “Yes,” the One Minute Manager said. “Most managers wait until their people do something exactly right before they praise them. As a result, many people never get to become high performers because their managers concentrate on catching them doing things wrong—that is, anything that falls short of the final desired performance. In our pigeon example, it would be like putting the pigeon in the box and not only waiting until he hits the lever to give him any food but putting some electric grills around the box to punish him periodically just to keep him motivated.” “That doesn’t sound like it would be very effective,” the young man suggested. “Well, it isn’t,” agreed the One Minute Manager. “After getting punished for a while and not knowing what acceptable behavior is (that is, hitting the lever), the pigeon would go into the corner of the box and not move. To the pigeon it is a hostile environment and not worth taking any risks in. “That is what we often do with new, inexperienced people. We welcome them aboard, take them around to meet everybody, and then we leave them alone. Not only do we not catch them doing anything approximately right, but periodically we zap them just to keep them moving. This is the most popular leadership style of all. We call it the ‘leave alonezap’ style. You leave a person alone, expecting good performance from them, and when you don’t get it, you zap them.” “What happens to these people?” asked the young man. “If you’ve been in any organization, and I understand you’ve visited several,” the manager said, “you know, because you’ve seen them. They do as little as possible. “And that’s what’s wrong with most businesses today. Their people really do not produce—either quantity or quality. “And much of the reason for this poor business performance is simply because the people are managed so poorly.” The young man put his notebook down. He thought about what he just heard. He was beginning to see One Minute Management for what it is—a practical business tool. It was amazing to him how well something as simple as the One Minute Praising worked—whether it was inside or outside the business world. “That reminds me of some friends of mine,” the young man said. “They called me and said that they’d gotten a new dog. They asked me what I thought of their planned method of training the dog.” The manager was almost afraid to ask, “How were they going to do it?” “They said if the dog had an accident on the rug, they were going to take the dog, shove his nose in it, pound him on the butt with a newspaper and then throw the dog out Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 47 this little window in the kitchen into the back yard—where the dog was supposed to do his job. “Then, they asked me what I thought would happen with this method. I laughed because I knew what would happen. After about three days the dog would poop on the floor and jump out the window. The dog didn’t know what to do, but he knew he had better clear the area.” The manager roared his approval. “That’s a great story,” he said. “You see, that’s what punishment does when you use it with somebody who lacks confidence or is insecure because of lack of experience. If inexperienced people don’t perform (that is, do what you want them to do), then rather than punish them we need to go back to One Minute Goal Setting and make sure they understand what is expected of them, and that they have seen what good performance looks like.” “Well, then, after you have done One Minute Goal Setting again,” the young man asked, “do you try to catch them doing something approximately right again?” “Precisely so,” the One Minute Manager agreed. “You’re always trying to create situations in the beginning where you can give a One Minute Praising.” Then, looking the young man straight in the eyes, the manager said, “You are a very enthusiastic and receptive learner. That makes me feel good about sharing the secrets of One Minute Management with you.” They both smiled. They knew a One Minute Praising when they heard one. “I sure enjoy a praising more than a reprimand,” the young man laughed. “I think I understand now why One Minute Goals and One Minute Praisings work. They really do make good sense to me.” “Good,” said the One Minute Manager. “But I can’t imagine why the One Minute Reprimand works,” the young man wondered out loud. “Let me tell you a few things about it,” said the One Minute Manager. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 48 Why One Minute Reprimands Work “THERE are several reasons why the One Minute Reprimand works so well. “To begin with,” the manager explained, “the feedback in the One Minute Reprimand is immediate. That is, you get to the individual as soon as you observe the ‘misbehavior’ or your data information system tips you off. It is not appropriate to gunnysack or save up negative feelings about someone’s poor performance. “The fact that the feedback is so immediate is an important lesson in why the One Minute Reprimand works so well. Unless discipline occurs as close to the misbehavior as possible, it tends not to be as helpful in influencing future behavior. Most managers are ‘gunnysack’ discipliners. That is, they store up observations of poor behavior and then some day when performance review comes or they are angry in general because the ‘sack is so full,’ they charge in and ‘dump everything on the table.’ They tell people all the things they have done wrong for the last few weeks or months or more.” The young man breathed a deep sigh and said, “So true.” “And then,” the One Minute Manager went on, “the manager and subordinate usually end up yelling at each other about the facts or simply keeping quiet and resenting each other. The person receiving the feedback doesn’t really hear what he or she has done wrong. This is a version of the ‘leave alone-zap’ form of discipline that I’ve spoken about earlier.” “I remember it well,” responded the young man. “That is certainly something I want to avoid.” “Absolutely,” agreed the manager. “If managers would only intervene early, they could deal with one behavior at a time and the person receiving the discipline would not be overwhelmed. They could hear the feedback. That’s why I think performance review is an ongoing process, not something you do only once a year.” “So, one reason that the One Minute Reprimand works is that the person receiving the reprimand can ‘hear’ the feedback, because when the manager deals with one behavior at a time, it seems more fair and clear,” the young man summarized. “Yes,” the manager said. “And secondly, when I give a One Minute Reprimand, I never attack a person’s worth or value as a person. Since their OK-ness as a person is not ‘up for grabs,’ they don’t feel they have to defend themselves. I reprimand the behavior only. Thus, my feedback and their own reaction to it is about the specific behavior and not their feelings about themselves as human beings. “So often, when disciplining people, managers persecute the individual. My purpose in a One Minute Reprimand is to eliminate the behavior and keep the person.” “So that’s why you make the second half of the reprimand a praising,” the young man said. “Their behavior is not OK. They are OK.” “Yes,” agreed the One Minute Manager. “Why wouldn’t you give the praising first and then the reprimand?” suggested the young man. “For some reason, it just doesn’t work,” insisted the manager. “Some people, now that I think of it, say that I am Nice ’n’ Tough as a manager. But to be more accurate, I’m really Tough ’n’ Nice.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 49 “Tough ’n’ Nice,” echoed the young man. “Yes,” insisted the One Minute Manager. “This is an old philosophy that has worked well for literally thousands of years. “There is, in fact, a story in ancient China that illustrates this. Once upon a time, an emperor appointed a second in command. He called this prime minister in and, in effect, said to him, Why don’t we divide up the tasks? Why don’t you do all the punishing and I’ll do all the rewarding? The prime minister said, Fine. I’ll do all the punishing and you do all the rewarding.” “I think I’m going to like this story,” the young man said. “You will, you will,” the One Minute Manager replied with a knowing smile. “Now this emperor,” the manager continued, “soon noticed that whenever he asked someone to do something, they might do it or they might not do it. However, when the prime minister spoke, people moved. So the emperor called the prime minister back in and said, Why don’t we divide the tasks again? You have been doing all the punishing here for quite a while. Now let me do the punishing and you do the rewarding. So the prime minister and the emperor switched roles again. “And, within a month the prime minister was emperor. The emperor had been a nice person, rewarding and being kind to everyone; then he started to punish people. People said, What’s wrong with that old codger? and they threw him out on his ear. When they came to look for a replacement, they said, You know who’s really starting to come around now—the prime minister. So, they put him right into office.” “Is that a true story?” the young man asked. “Who cares?” said the One Minute Manager, laughing. “Seriously,” he added, “I do know this. If you are first tough on the behavior, and then supportive of the person, it works.” “Do you have any modern-day examples of where the One Minute Reprimand has worked other than in management?” the young man asked the wise manager. “Yes certainly,” the manager said, “Let me mention two: one with severe adult behavior problems and another in disciplining children.” “What do you mean when you say ‘severe adult behavior problems’?” the young man asked. “I’m talking about alcoholics in particular,” the manager answered. “About thirty years ago an observant clergyman discovered a technique which is now called ‘crisis intervention.’ He made the discovery when he was helping a physician’s wife. She was in a Minnesota hospital in critical condition and slowly dying from cirrhosis of the liver. But she was still denying that she had a drinking problem. When all her family had gathered at her bedside, the clergyman asked each of them to describe specific drinking incidents they had observed. That’s an important part of the One Minute Reprimand. Before giving a reprimand you have to see the behavior yourself—you can’t depend on what someone else saw. You never give a reprimand based on ‘hearsay.’ ” “Interesting,” the young man broke in. “Let me finish. After the family described specific behaviors, the clergyman asked each of the family members to tell the woman how they felt about those incidents. Gathered closely around her, one by one they told her first what she did, and second, how they felt about it. They were angry, frustrated, embarrassed. And then they told her how Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 50 much they loved her, and they instinctively touched her and gently said how they wanted her to live and to enjoy life once again. That was why they were so angry with her.” “That sounds so simple,” said the young man, “especially with something as complicated as a drinking problem. Did it work?” “Amazingly so,” the One Minute Manager insisted. “And now there are crisis intervention centers all over the country. It’s not as simple as I’ve summarized it, of course. But these three basic ingredients—telling people what they did wrong; telling people how you feel about it; and reminding people that they are valuable and worthwhile—lead to significant improvements in people’s behavior.” “That’s nothing short of incredible,” the young man said. “I know it is,” the manager agreed. “You said you’d give me two examples of how other people successfully use methods like the One Minute Reprimand,” the young man said. “Yes, of course. In the early 1970’s, a family psychiatrist in California also made the same amazing discovery with children. He had read a lot about bonding—the emotional ties people have to people. He knew what people needed. People need to be in contact with people who care about them—to be accepted as valuable just because they are people. “The doctor also knew that people need to have a spade called a spade—to be pulled up short by people who care when they are not behaving well.” “How does that translate,” the young man wanted to know, “into practical action?” “Each parent is taught to physically touch their child by putting their hand on the child’s shoulder, touching his arm, or if he is young actually sitting the child in their lap. Then the parent tells the child exactly what he did wrong and how the parent feels about it—and in no uncertain terms. (You can see that this is very like what the family members did for the sick woman.) Finally, the parent takes a deep breath, and allows for a few seconds of silence—so the child can feel whatever the parent is feeling. Then the parent tells the youngster how valuable and important the child is to the parent. “You see, it is very important when you are managing people to remember that behavior and worth are not the same things. What is really worthwhile is the person managing their own behavior. This is as true of each of us as managers as it is of each of the people we are managing. “In fact, if you know this,” the manager said, as he pointed to one of his favorite plaques, “you will know the key to a really successful reprimand. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 51 ê We Are Not Just Our Behavior We Are The Person Managing Our Behavior ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 52 “If you realize that you are managing people, and not just their recent behavior,” the manager concluded, “you will do well.” “It sounds like there’s a lot of caring and respect behind such a reprimand,” the young man said. “I’m glad you noticed that, young man. You will be successful with the One Minute Reprimand when you really care about the welfare of the person you are reprimanding.” “That reminds me,” the young man injected, “Mr. Levy told me that you pat him on the shoulder, or shake hands, or in some other way make contact with him during a praising. And now I notice that the parents are encouraged to touch their children during the scolding. Is touching an important part of the One Minute Praisings and Reprimands?” “Yes and no,” the manager answered with a smile. “Yes, if you know the person well and are clearly interested in helping the person to succeed in his or her work. And no, if you or the other person has any doubts about that. “Touch is a very powerful message,” the manager pointed out. “People have strong feelings about being touched, and that needs to be respected. Would you, for instance, like someone whose motives you weren’t sure of, to touch you during a praising or a reprimand?” “No,” the young man answered clearly. “I really wouldn’t!” “You see what I mean,” the manager explained. “Touch is very honest. People know immediately when you touch them whether you care about them, or whether you are just trying to find a new way to manipulate them. “There is a very simple rule about touching,” the manager continued. “When you touch, don’t take. Touch the people you manage only when you are giving them something—reassurance, support, encouragement, whatever.” “So you should refrain from touching someone,” the young man said, “until you know them and they know you are interested in their success—that you are clearly on their side. I can see that. “But,” the young man said hesitantly, “while the One Minute Praisings and the One Minute Reprimands look simple enough, aren’t they really just powerful ways for you to get people to do what you want them to do? And isn’t that manipulative?” “You are right about One Minute Management being a powerful way to get people to do what you want them to do,” the manager confirmed. “However manipulation is getting people to do something they are either not aware of or don’t agree to. That is why it is so important to let each person know up front what you are doing and why. “It’s like anything else in life,” the manager explained. “There are things that work, and things that don’t work. Being honest with people eventually works. On the other hand, as you have probably learned in your own life, being dishonest eventually leads to failing with people. It’s just that simple.” “I can see now,” the young man said, “where the power of your management style comes from—you care about people.” “Yes,” the manager said simply, “I guess I do.” The young man remembered how gruff he thought this special manager was when he first met him. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 53 It was as though the manager could read his mind. “Sometimes,” the One Minute Manager said, “you have to care enough to be tough. And I am. I am very tough on the poor performance—but only on the performance. I am never tough on the person.” The young man liked the One Minute Manager. He knew now why people liked to work with him. “Maybe you would find this interesting, Sir,” the younger man said, as he pointed to his notebook. “It is a plaque I’ve created to remind me of how goals—the One Minute Goals—and consequences—the Praisings and the Reprimands—affect people’s behavior.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 54 ê Goals Begin Behaviors Consequences Maintain Behaviors ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 55 “That’s very good!” the manager exclaimed. “Do you think so?” the young man asked, wanting to hear the compliment once again. “Young man,” the manager said very slowly for emphasis, “it is not my role in life to be a human tape recorder. I do not have time to continually repeat myself.” Just when he thought he would be praised, the young man felt he was in for another One Minute Reprimand, something he wanted to avoid. The bright young man kept a straight face and said simply, “What?” They looked at each other only for a moment and then they both burst into laughter. “I like you, young man,” the manager said. “How would you like to go to work here?” The young man put down his notebook and stared in amazement. “You mean go to work for you?” he asked enthusiastically. “No. I mean go to work for yourself like the other people in my department. Nobody ever really works for anybody else. I just help people work better and in the process they benefit our organization.” This was, of course, what the young man had been looking for all along. “I’d love to work here,” he said. And so he did—for some time. The time the special manager had invested in him paid off. Because eventually, the inevitable happened. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 56 ê HE became a One Minute Manager. ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 57 He became a One Minute Manager not because he thought like one, or talked like one, but because he behaved like one. He set One Minute Goals. He gave One Minute Praisings. He gave One Minute Reprimands. He asked brief, important questions; spoke the simple truth; laughed, worked, and enjoyed. And, perhaps most important of all, he encouraged the people he worked with to do the same. He had even created a pocket size “Game Plan” to make it easier for the people around him to become One Minute Managers. He had given it as a useful gift to each person who reported to him. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 58 A Gift To Yourself MANY years later, the man looked back on the time when he first heard of the principles of One Minute Management. It seemed like a long time ago. He was glad he had written down what he learned from the One Minute Manager. He had put his notes into a book, and had given copies to many people. He remembered Ms. Gomez’s telephoning to say, “I can’t thank you enough. It’s made a big difference in my work.” That pleased him. As he thought back on the past, he smiled. He remembered how much he had learned from the original One Minute Manager, and he was grateful. The new manager was also happy that he could take the knowledge one step further. By giving copies to many other people in the organization, he had solved several practical problems. Everyone who worked with him felt secure. No one felt manipulated or threatened because everyone knew “up front” what he was doing and why. They could also see why the seemingly simple One Minute Management techniques— Goals, Praising and Reprimands—worked so well with people. Every person who had their own copy of the text could read and re-read it at their own pace until they could understand it and put it to good use themselves. The manager knew full well the very practical advantage of repetition in learning anything new. Sharing the knowledge in this simple and honest way had, of course, saved him a good deal of time. And it had certainly made his job easier. Many of the people reporting to him had become One Minute Managers themselves. And they, in turn, had done the same for many of the people who reported to them. The entire organization had become more effective. As he sat at his desk thinking, the new One Minute Manager realized what a fortunate individual he was. He had given himself the gift of getting greater results in less time. He had time to think and to plan—to give his organization the kind of help it needed. He had time to exercise and stay healthy. He knew he did not experience the daily emotional and physical stress other managers subjected themselves to. And he knew that many of the other people who worked with him enjoyed the same benefits. His department had fewer costly personnel turnovers, less personal illness, and less absenteeism. The benefits were significant. As he looked back, he was glad he had not waited to use One Minute Management until he thought he could do it just right. After his staff had read about this management system, he had asked each person who reported to him if they would like to be managed by a One Minute Manager. He was amused to learn that there was something that people really wanted even more than learning how to become a One Minute Manager themselves. And that was to have one for a boss! Once he knew this, it was a lot easier for him to clearly tell his staff that he wasn’t sure that he could do it just exactly the way he was “supposed to.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 59 “I’m not accustomed to telling people how good they are or how I feel about things,” he had said. “And I’m not sure I can remember to calm down after I’ve given someone a reprimand and reminded them of how good they are as a person.” The typical answer from his associates had caused him to smile. “Well, you could at least give it a try!” By simply asking if his staff wanted to be managed by a One Minute Manager and by admitting that he may not always be able to do it right, he had accomplished something very important. The people he worked with felt that he was honestly on their side from the very beginning. And that made all the difference. Then the new One Minute Manager got up from his desk and began to walk about his uncluttered office. He was deep in thought. He felt good about himself—as a person and as a manager. His caring about people had paid off handsomely. He had risen in the organization, gaining more responsibilities and more rewards. And he knew he had become an effective manager, because both his organization and the people in it had clearly benefited from his presence. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 60 A Gift For Others SUDDENLY the intercom buzzed and startled the man. “Excuse me, sir, for interrupting you,” he heard his secretary say, “but there is a young woman on the phone. She wants to know if she can come and talk to you about the way we manage people here.” The new One Minute Manager was pleased. He knew more women were entering the business world. And he was glad that some of them were as keen to learn about good management as he had been. The manager’s department was now running smoothly. As you might expect, it was one of the best operations of its kind in the world. His people were productive and happy. And he was happy too. It felt good to be in his position. “Come any time,” he heard himself telling the caller. And soon he found himself talking to a bright young person. “I’m glad to share my management secrets with you,” the new One Minute Manager said, as he showed the visitor to his couch. “I will only make one request of you.” “What is that,” the visitor asked. “Simply,” the manager began, “that you ...” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 61 ê Share It With Others ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –.....
http://www.pro-actions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/One-Minute-Manager.pdfTHE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 11 The young man had looked everywhere for an effective manager but had found only a few. The few he did find would not share their secrets with him. He began to think maybe he would never find out what really made an effective manager tick. Then he began hearing marvelous stories about a special manager who lived, ironically, in a nearby town. He heard that people liked to work for this man and that they produced great results together. The young man wondered if the stories were really true and, if so, whether this manager would be willing to share his secrets with him. Curious, he telephoned the special manager’s secretary for an appointment. The secretary put him through immediately. The young man asked this special manager when he could see him. He heard, “Any time this week is fine, except Wednesday morning. You pick the time.” The young man quietly chuckled because this supposedly marvelous manager sounded like a “kook” to him. What kind of manager had that kind of time available? But the young man was fascinated. He went to see him. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 12 The One Minute Manager WHEN the young man arrived at the manager’s office, he found him standing and looking out of the window. When the young man coughed, the manager turned and smiled. He invited the young man to sit down and asked, “What can I do for you?” The young man said, “I’d like to ask you some questions about how you manage people.” The manager willingly said, “Fire away.” “Well, to begin with, do you hold regularly scheduled meetings with your subordinates?” “Yes, I do—once a week on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 11:00. That’s why I couldn’t see you then,” responded the manager. “What do you do at those meetings?” probed the young man. “I listen while my people review and analyze what they accomplished last week, the problems they had, and what still needs to be accomplished. Then we develop plans and strategies for the next week.” “Are the decisions made at those meetings binding on both you and your people?” questioned the young man. “Of course they are,” insisted the manager. “What would be the point of having the meeting if they weren’t?” “Then you are a participative manager, aren’t you?” asked the young man. “On the contrary,” insisted the manager, “I don’t believe in participating in any of my people’s decision-making.” “Then what is the purpose of your meetings?” “I already told you that,” he said. “Please, young man, do not ask me to repeat myself. It is a waste of my time and yours. “We’re here to get results,” the manager continued. “The purpose of this organization is efficiency. By being organized we are a great deal more productive.” “Oh, so you’re aware of the need for productivity. Then you’re more results-oriented than people-oriented,” the young man suggested. “No!” the manager resounded, startling his visitor. “I hear that all too often.” He got to his feet and began to walk about. “How on earth can I get results if it’s not through people? I care about people and results. They go hand in hand. “Here, young man, look at this.” The manager handed his visitor a plaque. “I keep it on my desk to remind me of a practical truth.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 13 ê People Who Feel Good About Themselves Produce Good Results ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 14 As the young man looked at the plaque, the manager said, “Think about yourself. When do you work best? Is it when you feel good about yourself? Or when you don’t?” The young man nodded as he began to see the obvious. “I get more done when I’m feeling good about myself,” he responded. “Of course you do,” the manager agreed. “And so does everyone else.” The young man raised his index finger with new-found insight. “So,” he said, “helping people to feel good about themselves is a key to getting more done.” “Yes,” the manager agreed. “However, remember productivity is more than just the quantity of work done. It is also the quality.” He walked over to the window and said, “Come over here, young man.” He pointed to the traffic below and asked, “Do you see how many foreign cars there are on the road?” The young man looked out at the real world, and said, “I see more of them every day. And I guess that’s because they’re more economical and they last longer.” The manager nodded reluctantly and said “Exactly. So why do you think people are buying foreign cars? Because American manufacturers did not make enough cars? Or,” the manager said without interrupting, “because they did not make the quality car the American public really wanted? “Now that I think of it,” the young man answered, “it’s a question of quality and quantity.” “Of course,” the manager added. “Quality is simply giving people the product or service they really want and need.” The older man stood at the window lost in his thoughts. He could remember, not so long ago, when his country provided the technology that helped to rebuild Europe and Asia. It still amazed him that America had fallen so far behind in productivity. The young man broke the manager’s concentration. “I’m reminded of an ad I saw on television,” the visitor volunteered. “It showed the name of the foreign car, and over it came the words If you’re going to take out a long-term car loan, don’t buy a short-term car.” The manager turned and said quietly, “I’m afraid that’s a rather good summary. And that’s the whole point. Productivity is both quantity and quality.” The manager and his visitor began to walk back towards the couch. “And frankly, the best way to achieve both of these results is through people.” The young man’s interest increased. As he sat down, he asked, “Well, you’ve already said that you’re not a participative manager. Just how would you describe yourself?” “That’s easy,” he responded without hesitation. “I’m a One Minute Manager.” The young man’s face showed surprise. He’d never heard of a One Minute Manager. “You’re a what?” The manager laughed and said, “I’m a One Minute Manager. I call myself that because it takes very little time for me to get very big results from people.” Although the young man had spoken with many managers, he had never heard one talk like this. It was hard to believe. A One Minute Manager—someone who gets good results without taking much time. Seeing the doubt on his face the manager said, “You don’t believe me, do you? You don’t believe that I’m a One Minute Manager.” “I must admit it’s hard for me even to imagine,” the young man responded. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 15 The manager laughed and said, “Listen, you’d better talk to my people if you really want to know what kind of manager I am.” The manager leaned over and spoke into the office intercom. His secretary, Ms. Metcalfe, came in moments later and handed the young man a sheet of paper. “Those are the names, positions and phone numbers of the six people who report to me,” the One Minute Manager explained. “Which ones should I talk to?” the young man asked. “That’s your decision,” the manager responded. “Pick any name. Talk to any one of them or all of them.” “Well, I mean who should I start with?” “I already told you, I don’t make decisions for other people,” the manager said firmly. “Make that decision yourself.” He stood up and walked his visitor towards the door. “You have asked me, not once, but twice, to make a simple decision for you. Frankly, young man, I find that annoying. Do not ask me to repeat myself. Either pick a name and get started, or take your search for effective management elsewhere.” The visitor was stunned. He was uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. A moment of embarrassed silence seemed like an eternity. Then the One Minute Manager looked the young man in the eye and said, “You want to know about managing people, and I admire that.” He shook his visitor’s hand. “If you have any questions after talking to some of my people,” he said warmly, “come back and see me. I appreciate your interest and desire to learn how to manage. I would, in fact, like to give you the concept of the One Minute Manager as a gift. Someone gave it to me once and it’s made all the difference to me. I want you to understand it fully. If you like it, you may want to become a One Minute Manager yourself someday.” “Thank you,” the young man managed. He left the manager’s office somewhat dumbfounded. As he passed the secretary she said understandingly, “I can see from your dazed look that you’ve already experienced our One Minute Manager.” The young man said very slowly, still trying to figure things out, “I guess I have.” “Maybe I can help you,” Ms. Metcalfe said. “I’ve phoned the six people who report to him. Five of them are here and they have each agreed to see you. You may be better able to understand our ‘One Minute Manager’ after you’ve spoken with them.” The young man thanked her, looked over the list and decided to talk to three of them: Mr. Trenell, Mr. Levy and Ms. Brown. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 16 The First Secret: One Minute Goals WHEN the young man arrived at Trenell’s office, he found a middle-aged man smiling at him. “Well, you’ve been to see the ‘ole man.’ He’s quite a guy, isn’t he?” “He seems that way,” the young man responded. “Did he tell you about being a One Minute Manager?” “He sure did. It’s not true, is it?” asked the young man. “You’d better believe it is. I hardly ever see him.” “You mean you never get any help from him?” puzzled the young man. “Essentially very little, although he does spend some time with me at the beginning of a new task or responsibility. That’s when he does One Minute Goal Setting.” “One Minute Goal Setting. What’s that?” said the young man. “He told me he was a One Minute Manager, but he didn’t say anything about One Minute Goal Setting.” “That’s the first of the three secrets to One Minute Management,” Trenell answered. “Three secrets?” the young man asked, wanting to know more. “Yes,” said Trenell. “One Minute Goal Setting is the first one and the foundation for One Minute Management. You see, in most organizations when you ask people what they do and then ask their boss, all too often you get two different lists. In fact, in some organizations I’ve worked in, any relationship between what I thought my job responsibilities were and what my boss thought they were, was purely coincidental. And then I would get in trouble for not doing something I didn’t even think was my job.” “Does that ever happen here?” asked the young man. “No!” Trenell said. “It never happens here. The One Minute Manager always makes it clear what our responsibilities are and what we are being held accountable for.” “Just how does he do that?” the young man wanted to know. “Efficiently,” Trenell said with a smile. Trenell began to explain. “Once he has told me what needs to be done or we have agreed on what needs to be done, then each goal is recorded on no more than a single page. The One Minute Manager feels that a goal, and its performance standard, should take no more than 250 words to express. He insists that anyone be able to read it within a minute. He keeps a copy and I keep a copy so everything is clear and so we can both periodically check the progress. “Do you have these one-page statements for every goal?” “Yes,” answered Trenell. “Well, wouldn’t there be a lot of these one-page statements for each person?” “No, there really aren’t,” Trenell insisted. “The old man believes in the 80-20 goalsetting rule. That is, 80% of your really important results will come from 20% of your goals. So we only do One Minute Goal Setting on that 20%, that is, our key areas of responsibility—maybe three to six goals in all. Of course, in the event a special project comes up, we set special One Minute Goals.” “Interesting,” the young man commented. “I think I understand the importance of One Minute Goal Setting. It sounds like a philosophy of ‘no surprises’—everyone knows what is expected from the beginning.” “Exactly,” Trenell nodded. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 17 “So is One Minute Goal Setting just understanding what your responsibilities are?” the young man asked. “No. Once we know what our job is, the manager always makes sure we know what good performance is. In other words, performance standards are clear. He shows us what he expects.” “How does he do that—show you what he expects?” asked the young man. “Let me give you an example,” Trenell suggested. “One of my One Minute Goals was this: Identify performance problems and come up with solutions which, when implemented, will turn the situation around. “When I first came to work here I spotted a problem that needed to be solved, but I didn’t know what to do. So I called the One Minute Manager. When he answered the phone, I said, Sir, I have a problem. Before I could get another word out, he said, Good! That’s what you’ve been hired to solve. Then there was a dead silence on the other end of the phone. “I didn’t know what to do. The silence was deafening. I eventually stuttered out, But, but, Sir, I don’t know how to solve this problem. “Trenell, he said, one of your goals for the future is for you to identify and solve your own problems. But since you are new, come on up and we’ll talk. “When I got up there, he said, Tell me, Trenell, what your problem is—but put it in behavioral terms. “Behavioral terms? I echoed. What do you mean by behavioral terms? “I mean, the manager explained to me, that I do not want to hear about only attitudes or feelings. Tell me what is happening in observable, measurable terms. “I described the problem the best I could. “He said, That’s good, Trenell! Now tell me what you would like to be happening in behavioral terms. “I don’t know, I said. “Then don’t waste my time, he snapped. “I just froze in amazement for a few seconds. I didn’t know what to do. He mercifully broke the dead silence. “If you can’t tell me what you’d like to be happening, he said, you don’t have a problem yet. You’re just complaining. A problem only exists if there is a difference between what is actually happening and what you desire to be happening. “Being a quick learner, I suddenly realized I knew what I wanted to be happening. After I told him, he asked me to talk about what may have caused the discrepancy between the actual and the desired. “After that the One Minute Manager said, Well, what are you going to do about it?” “Well, I could do A, I said. “If you did A, would what you want to happen actually happen? he asked. “No, I said. “Then you have a lousy solution. What else could you do? he asked. “I could do B, I said. “But if you do B, will what you want to happen really happen? he countered again. “No, I realized. “Then, that’s also a bad solution, he said. What else can you do? Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 18 “I thought about it for a couple of minutes and said, I could do C. But if I do C, what I want to happen won’t happen, so that is a bad solution, isn’t it? “Right. You’re starting to come around, the manager then said, with a smile on his face. Is there anything else you could do? he asked. “Maybe I could combine some of these solutions, I said. “That sounds worth trying, he reacted. “In fact, if I do A this week, B next week and C in two weeks, I’ll have it solved. That’s fantastic. Thanks so much. You solved my problem for me. “He got very annoyed. I did not, he interrupted, you solved it yourself. I just asked you questions—questions you are able to ask yourself. Now get out of here and start solving your own problems on your time, not mine. “I knew what he had done, of course. He’d shown me how to solve problems so that I could do it on my own in the future. “Then he stood, looked me straight in the eye and said, You’re good, Trenell. Remember that the next time you have a problem. “I remember smiling as I left his office.” Trenell leaned back in his chair and looked as if he were reliving his first encounter with the One Minute Manager. “So,” the young man began, reflecting on what he had just heard. ... Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 19 One Minute Goals: Summary One Minute Goal Setting is simply: 1. Agree on your goals. 2. See what good behavior looks like. 3. Write out each of your goals on a single sheet of paper using less than 250 words. 4. Read and re-read each goal, which requires only a minute or so each time you do it. 5. Take a minute every once in a while out of your day to look at your performance, and 6. See whether or not your behavior matches your goal. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 20 “That’s it,” Trenell exclaimed, “you’re a fast learner.” “Thank you,” the young man said, feeling good about himself. “But let me just jot that down,” he said, “I want to remember that.” After the young man wrote briefly in the small blue notebook he carried with him, he leaned forward and asked, “If One Minute Goal Setting is the first secret to becoming a One Minute Manager, what are the other two?” Trenell smiled, looked at his watch and said, “Why don’t you ask Levy that? You are scheduled to see him this morning too, aren’t you?” The young man was amazed. How did Trenell know that? “Yes,” the young man said as he rose to shake Trenell’s hand. “Thanks so much for your time, sir.” “You’re welcome,” Trenell answered. “Time is one thing I have a lot more of now. As you can probably tell, I’m becoming a One Minute Manager myself.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 21 The Second Secret: One Minute Praisings As the young man left Trenell’s office, he was struck by the simplicity of what he had heard. He thought, “It certainly makes sense. After all, how can you be an effective manager unless you and your people are sure of what they are being asked to do. And what an efficient way to do it.” The young man walked the length of the building and took the elevator to the second floor. When he got to Mr. Levy’s office, he was surprised to meet so young a man. Levy was probably in his late 20’s or early 30’s. “Well, you’ve been to see the ‘ole man.’ He’s quite a guy, isn’t he?” He was already getting used to the One Minute Manager being called “quite a guy.” “I guess he is,” responded the young man. “Did he tell you about being a One Minute Manager?” asked Levy. “He sure did. It’s not true, is it?” asked the young man, wondering if he’d get a different answer from Trenell’s. “You’d better believe it’s true. I hardly ever see him.” “You mean you never get any help from him?” pursued the young man. “Essentially very little, although he does spend a fair amount of time with me at the beginning of a new task or responsibility.” “Yes, I know about One Minute Goal Setting,” interrupted the young man. “Actually I wasn’t thinking so much about One Minute Goal Setting. I was referring to One Minute Praisings.” “One Minute Praisings?” echoed the young man. “Are they the second secret to becoming a One Minute Manager?” “Yes, they are,” Levy revealed. “In fact, when I first started to work here, the One Minute Manager made it very clear to me what he was going to do.” “What was that?” the visitor asked. “He said that he knew that it would be a lot easier for me to do well, if I got crystalclear feedback from him on how I was doing. “He said he wanted me to succeed. He wanted me to be a big help to the organization, and to enjoy my work. “He told me that he would try, therefore, to let me know in no uncertain terms when I was doing well, and when I was doing poorly. “And then he cautioned me that it might not be very comfortable at first for either of us.” “Why?” the visitor asked. “Because, as he pointed out to me then, most managers don’t manage that way and people aren’t used to it. Then he assured me that such feedback would be a big help to me.” “Can you give me an example of what you are talking about?” the young man requested. “Sure,” Levy complied. “Shortly after I started to work, I noticed that, after my manager had done One Minute Goal Setting with me, he would stay in close contact.” “What do you mean by ‘close contact’?” asked the young man. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 22 “There were two ways that he did it,” explained Levy. “First of all, he observed my activities very closely. He never seemed to be very far away. Secondly, he made me keep detailed records of my progress which he insisted I send to him.” “That’s interesting,” said the young man. “Why does he do that?” “At first I thought he was spying and didn’t trust me. That is, until I found out from some of the other people who report to him what he was really doing.” “What was that?” the young man wanted to know. “He was trying to catch me doing something right,” Levy said. “Catch you doing something right?” echoed the young man. “Yes,” responded Levy. “We have a motto around here that says: Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 23 ê Help People Reach Their Full Potential Catch Them Doing Something Right ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 24 Levy continued, “In most organizations the managers spend most of their time catching people doing what?” he asked the young man. The young man smiled and said knowingly, “Doing something wrong.” “Right!” said Levy, “Here we put the accent on the positive. We catch people doing something right.” The young man made a few notes in his notebook and then asked, “What happens, Mr. Levy, when the One Minute Manager catches you doing something right?” “That’s when he gives you a One Minute Praising,” Levy said with some delight. “What does that mean?” the young man wanted to know. “Well, when he has seen that you have done something right, he comes over and makes contact with you. That often includes putting his hand on your shoulder or briefly touching you in a friendly way.” “Doesn’t that bother you,” the young man wondered, “when he touches you?” “No!” Levy insisted. “On the contrary, it helps. I know he really cares about me and he wants me to prosper. As he says, The more consistently successful your people are, the higher you rise in the organization.’ “When he makes contact, it’s brief, but it lets me know once again that we’re really on the same side. “Anyway, after that,” Levy continued, “he looks you straight in the eye and tells you precisely what you did right. Then he shares with you how good he feels about what you did.” “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a manager doing that,” the young man broke in. “That must make you feel pretty good.” “It certainly does,” Levy confirmed, “for several reasons. First of all, I get a praising as soon as I’ve done something right.” He smiled and leaned towards his visitor. Then he laughed and said, “I don’t have to wait for an annual performance review, if you know what I mean.” Both men smiled. “Second, since he specifies exactly what I did right, I know he’s sincere and familiar with what I am doing. Third, he is consistent.” “Consistent?” echoed the young man, wanting to know more. “Yes,” insisted Levy. “He will praise me if I am performing well and deserve it even if things are not going well for him elsewhere. I know he may be annoyed about other things. But he responds to where I am, not just to where he is at the time. And I really appreciate that.” “Doesn’t all this praising have to take up a lot of the manager’s time?” the young man asked. “Not really,” said Levy. “Remember you don’t have to praise someone for very long for them to know you noticed and you care. It usually takes less than a minute.” “And that’s why it’s called a One Minute Praising,” the visitor said, as he wrote down what he was learning. “Right,” Levy said. “Is he always trying to catch you doing something right?” the young man asked. “No, of course not,” Levy answered. “Just when you first start work here or when you begin a new project or responsibility, then he does. After you get to know the ropes, he doesn’t seem to be around much.” “Why?” the young man wondered. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 25 “Because you and he have other ways of knowing when your job performance is ‘praiseworthy.’ You both can review the data in the information system—the sales figures, expenditures, production schedules, and so on. And then,” Levy added, “after awhile you begin to catch yourself doing things right and you start praising yourself. Also, you’re always wondering when he might praise you again and that seems to keep you going even when he’s not around. It’s uncanny. I’ve never worked so hard at a job in my life.” “That’s really interesting,” commented the young man. “So One Minute Praising is a secret to becoming a One Minute Manager.” “It is, indeed,” Levy said with a gleam in his eye. He enjoyed watching someone learn the secrets of One Minute Management. As the visitor looked at his notes, he quickly reviewed what he had learned about the One Minute Praising. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 26 One Minute Praisings: Summary The One Minute Praising works well when you:
1. Tell people up front that you are going to let them know how they are doing.
2. Praise people immediately.
3. Tell people what they did right—be specific.
4. Tell people how good you feel about what they did right, and how it helps the organization and the other people who work there.
5. Stop for a moment of silence to let them “feel” how good you feel.
6. Encourage them to do more of the same.
7. Shake hands or touch people in a way that makes it clear that you support their success in the organization. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 27 “What’s the third secret?” the young man asked anxiously. Levy laughed at the visitor’s enthusiasm, rose from his chair and said, “Why don’t you ask Ms. Brown? I understand you’re planning to talk to her, too.” “Yes, I am,” admitted the young man. “Well, thanks so much for your time.” “That’s OK,” insisted Levy. “Time is one thing I have plenty of—you see I’m a One Minute Manager myself now.” The visitor smiled. He’d heard that somewhere before. He wanted to reflect on what he was learning. He left the building and took a walk among the trees nearby. He was struck again by the simplicity and common sense of what he had heard. “How can you argue with the effectiveness of catching people doing something right,” the young man thought, “especially after they know what they are to do and what good performance looks like. “But do One Minute Praisings really work?” he wondered. “Does all this One Minute Management stuff really get results—bottom-line results?” As he walked along his curiosity about results increased. So he returned to the One Minute Manager’s secretary and asked Ms. Metcalfe to reschedule his appointment with Ms. Brown for some time the next morning. “Tomorrow morning is fine,” the secretary said as she hung up the phone. “Ms. Brown said to tell you to come any time except Wednesday morning.” Then she called downtown and made the new appointment he requested. He was to see Ms. Gomez, an official in the headquarters office. “They have information there about all the different plants and locations in the total company,” Ms. Metcalfe said in a very knowing way. “I’m sure you’ll find whatever you’re looking for.” He thanked her and left. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 28 The Appraisal AFTER lunch the young man went downtown. He met with Ms. Gomez, a competent looking woman in her early 40’s. Getting down to business, the young man asked, “Could you please tell me what is the most efficient and effective of all your operations in the country? I want to compare it with the so-called ‘One Minute Manager’s.’ ” A moment later, he laughed, as he heard Ms. Gomez say, “Well, you won’t have to look very far, because it is the One Minute Manager’s. He’s quite a guy, isn’t he? His operation is the most efficient and effective of all of our plants.” “That’s unbelievable,” said the young man. “Does he have the best equipment?’.’ “No,” said Ms. Gomez. “In fact, he’s got some of the oldest.” “Well, there’s got to be something wrong out there,” said the young man, still puzzled by the old man’s management style. “Tell me, does he lose a lot of his people? Does he have a lot of turnover?” “Come to think of it,” Ms. Gomez said, “he does have a lot of turnover.” “Aha,” the young man said, thinking he was on to something. “What happens to those folks when they leave the One Minute Manager?” the young man wanted to know. “We give them their own operation,” Ms. Gomez quickly responded. “After two years with him, they say, ‘Who needs a manager?’ He’s our best trainer of people. Whenever we have an opening and need a good manager, we call him. He always has somebody who is ready.” Amazed, the young man thanked Ms. Gomez for her time—but this time he got a different response. “I was glad I could fit you in today,” she said. “The rest of my week is really jammed. I wish I knew what the One Minute Manager’s secrets were. I’ve been meaning to go over there and see him, but I just haven’t had time.” Smiling, the young man said, “I’ll give you those secrets as a gift when I find them out myself. Just like he’s giving them to me.” “That would be a precious present,” Ms. Gomez said with a smile. She looked around her cluttered office and said, “I could use whatever help I can get.” The young man left Ms. Gomez’s office and walked out onto the street, shaking his head. The One Minute Manager was absolutely fascinating to him. That night the young man had a very restless sleep. He found himself excited about the next day—about learning the third secret to becoming a One Minute Manager. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 29 The Third Secret: One Minute Reprimands THE next morning he arrived at Ms. Brown’s office at the stroke of nine. A very smartly dressed woman in her late 50’s greeted him. He got the usual, “He’s quite a guy, isn’t he?” routine, but by now the young man was getting to the point where he could sincerely say, “Yes, he is!” “Did he tell you about being a One Minute Manager?” asked Ms. Brown. “That’s all I’ve been hearing about,” the young man said laughing. “It’s not true, is it?” he asked, still wondering if he’d get a different answer. “You’d better believe it is. I hardly ever see him.” “You mean you don’t have much contact with him,” pursued the young man, “outside your regular weekly meeting?” “Essentially very little. Except of course, when I do something wrong,” said Ms. Brown. Shocked, the young man said, “You mean the only time you see the One Minute Manager is when you do something wrong?” “Yes. Well, not quite,” said Ms. Brown, “but almost.” “But I thought a key motto around here was catching people doing things right.” “It is,” insisted Brown. “But you have to know some things about me.” “What?” asked the young man. “I’ve been working here for quite a few years. I know this operation inside and out. As a result, the One Minute Manager doesn’t have to spend much time with me, if any, on goal setting. In fact, I usually write out my goals and send them over to him.” “Is each goal on a separate sheet of paper?” asked the young man. “You bet. No longer than 250 words and each one takes me or the One Minute Manager only a minute to read. “Another thing about me that’s important is that I just love my work. As a result, I do most of my own One Minute Praisings. In fact, I believe if you’re not for yourself, who is? A friend of mine told me a motto I’ll always remember: ‘If you don’t blow your own horn, someone else will use it as a spittoon.’ ” The young man smiled. He liked her sense of humor. “Does your manager ever praise you?” he asked. “Sometimes he does, but he doesn’t have to do it very often because I beat him to the punch,” answered Ms. Brown. “When I do something especially good, I might even ask the One Minute Manager for a praising.” “How would you ever have the nerve to do that?” asked the young man. “It’s easy. Just like making a bet where I either win or I break even. If he gives me the praising, I win.” “But if he doesn’t?” the young man broke in. “Then I break even,” responded Ms. Brown. “I didn’t have it before I asked.” The young man smiled as he took note of Ms. Brown’s philosophy, and then continued. “You said he spends time with you when you do something wrong. What do you mean?” asked the young man. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 30 “If I make a significant mistake, that’s when I invariably get a One Minute Reprimand,” Ms. Brown said. “A what?” the startled young man asked. “A One Minute Reprimand,” Ms. Brown repeated. “That’s the third secret to becoming a One Minute Manager.” “How does it work?” wondered the young man out loud. “It’s simple,” said Ms. Brown. “I figured you’d say that,” said the young man. Ms. Brown joined his laugh and explained, “If you have been doing a job for some time and you know how to do it well, and you make a mistake, the One Minute Manager is quick to respond.” “What does he do?” asked the young man. “As soon as he has learned about the mistake he comes to see me. First he confirms the facts. Then he might put his hand on my shoulder or maybe just come around to my side of the desk.” “Doesn’t that bother you?” asked the young man. “Sure, it does, because you know what’s coming, especially since he doesn’t have a smile on his face. “He looks me straight in the eye,” she continued, “and tells me precisely what I did wrong. Then he shares with me how he feels about it—he’s angry, annoyed, frustrated or whatever he is feeling.” “How long does that take?” asked the young man. “Only about 30 seconds but sometimes it seems forever to me,” confided Ms. Brown. The visitor couldn’t help but remember the feelings he had when the One Minute Manager told him “in no uncertain terms” how annoyed he was with his indecision. “And then what happens?” the young man asked as he moved to the edge of his chair. “He lets what he said sink in with a few seconds of silence—boy, does it sink in!” “Then what?” the young man asked. “He looks me squarely in the eye and lets me know how competent he thinks I usually am. He makes sure I understand that the only reason he is angry with me is that he has so much respect for me. He says he knows this is so unlike me. He says how much he looks forward to seeing me some other time, as long as I understand that he does not welcome that same mistake again.” The young man broke in. “It must make you think twice.” “It certainly does,” Ms. Brown nodded vigorously. The young man knew what Ms. Brown was talking about. He was taking notes now as fast as he could. He sensed that it wasn’t going to take this woman long to cover several important points. “First of all,” Ms. Brown said, “he usually gives me the reprimand as soon as I’ve done something wrong. Second, since he specifies exactly what I did wrong, I know he is ‘on top of things’ and that I’m not going to get away with sloppiness. Third, since he doesn’t attack me as a person—only my behavior—it’s easier for me not to become defensive. I don’t try to rationalize away my mistake by fixing blame on him or somebody else. I know he is being fair. And fourth, he is consistent.” “Does that mean he will reprimand you for doing something wrong, even if things are going well for him elsewhere?” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 31 “Yes,” she answered. “Does the whole process really take only a minute?” the young man asked. “Usually,” she said. “And when it’s over, it’s over. A One Minute Reprimand doesn’t last long but I can guarantee you, you don’t forget it—and you don’t usually make the same mistake twice.” “I think I know what you’re talking about,” the young man said. “I’m afraid I asked him ...” “I hope,” she interrupted, “you didn’t ask him to repeat himself.” The young man was embarrassed. “I did,” he confessed. “Then you know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a One Minute Reprimand,” she said. “Although I expect, as a visitor, you got a rather mild one.” “I don’t know if you’d call it mild,” he said, “but I don’t think I’ll ask him to repeat himself very often. That was a mistake. “I wonder,” the visitor said out loud, “if the One Minute Manager ever makes a mistake. He seems almost too perfect.” Ms. Brown began to laugh. “Hardly,” she said. “But he does have a good sense of humor. So when he does make a mistake, like forgetting to do the last half of the One Minute Reprimand, we point it out to him and kid him about it. “After we’ve had time to recover from the Reprimand, that is. We might, for example, phone him later and tell him we know we were wrong. Then we might laugh and ask for the praising half of the Reprimand, because we’re not feeling too good.” “And what does he do then?” the young man asked. “He usually laughs and says he’s sorry he forgot to remind me that I am an OK Person.” “You can laugh about praisings and reprimands?” the young man asked. “Sure,” Ms. Brown said. “You see, the One Minute Manager has taught us the value of being able to laugh at ourselves when we make a mistake. It helps us get on with our work.” “That’s terrific,” the young man enthused. “How did you learn to do that?” “Simply,” Ms. Brown answered, “by watching the boss do it himself.” “You mean your boss can laugh at himself when he makes a mistake?” the astonished young man asked. “Well, not always,” Ms. Brown admitted. “He’s like most of us. Sometimes it’s tough. But he often can. And when he does laugh at himself, it has a positive effect on everyone around him.” “He must be pretty secure,” the young man suggested. “He is,” Ms. Brown answered. The young man was impressed. He was beginning to see how valuable such a manager was to an organization. “Why do you think the One Minute Manager’s reprimands are so effective?” he asked. “I’ll let you ask the One Minute Manager,” she said, as she rose from behind the desk and walked the young man to the door. When he thanked her for her time, Ms. Brown smiled and said, “You know what the response to that is going to be.” They both laughed. He was beginning to feel like an “insider” rather than a visitor, and that felt good. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 32 As soon as he was in the hall, he realized how little time he’d spent with her and how much information she had given him. He reflected on what she had said. It sounded so simple. He reviewed in his own mind what you should do when you catch an experienced person doing something wrong. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 33 One Minute Reprimands: Summary The One Minute Reprimand works well when you: 1. Tell people beforehand that you are going to let them know how they are doing and in no uncertain terms. the first half of the reprimand: 2. Reprimand people immediately. 3. Tell people what they did wrong—be specific. 4. Tell people how you feel about what they did wrong—and in no uncertain terms. 5. Stop for a few seconds of uncomfortable silence to let them feel how you feel. the second half of the reprimand: 6. Shake hands, or touch them in a way that lets them know you are honestly on their side. 7. Remind them how much you value them. 8. Reaffirm that you think well of them but not of their performance in this situation. 9. Realize that when the reprimand is over, it’s over. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 34 The young man may not have believed in the effectiveness of the One Minute Reprimand if he hadn’t personally experienced its effect. There was no doubt that he felt uncomfortable. And he did not want to experience it again. However, he knew that everyone made mistakes now and then, and that he might very well receive another reprimand some day. But he knew if it came from the One Minute Manager, that it would be fair; that it would be a comment on his behavior and not on his worth as a person. As he headed toward the One Minute Manager’s office, he kept thinking about the simplicity of One Minute Management. All three of the secrets made sense—One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings, and One Minute Reprimands. “But why do they work?” he wondered. “Why is the One Minute Manager the most productive manager in the company?” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 35 The One Minute Manager Explains WHEN he got to the One Minute Manager’s, his secretary said, “You can go right in. He’s been wondering when you’d be back to see him.” As the young man entered the office, he noticed again how clear and uncluttered it was. He was greeted by a warm smile from the One Minute Manager. “Well, what did you find out in your travels?” he asked. “A lot!” the young man said enthusiastically. “Tell me what you learned,” the manager encouraged. “I found out why you call yourself a One Minute Manager. You set One Minute Goals with your people to make sure they know what they are being held accountable for and what good performance looks like. You then try to catch them doing something right so you can give them a One Minute Praising. And then, finally, if they have all the skills to do something right and they don’t, you give them a One Minute Reprimand.” “What do you think about all that?” asked the One Minute Manager. “I’m amazed at how simple it is,” said the young man, “and yet it works—you get results. I’m convinced that it certainly works for you.” “And it will for you too, if you’re willing to do it,” the manager insisted. “Perhaps,” said the young man, “but I would be more likely to do it if I could understand more about why it works.” “That’s true of everyone, young man. The more you understand why it works, the more apt you are to use it. I’d be happy, therefore, to tell you what I know. Where do you want to start?” “Well, first of all, when you talk about One Minute Management, do you really mean it takes a minute to do all the kinds of things you need to do as a manager?” “No, not always. It just is a way to say that being a manager is not as complicated as people would have you believe. And also managing people doesn’t take as long as you’d think. So when I say One Minute Management, it might take more than a minute for each of the key elements like goal setting, but it’s just a symbolic term. And very often it does take only a minute. “Let me show you one of the notes I keep on my desk.” When he looked, the young man saw: Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 36 ê The Best Minute I Spend Is The One I Invest In People ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 37 “It’s ironic,” the manager said. “Most companies spend 50% to 70% of their money on people’s salaries. And yet they spend less than 1% of their budget to train their people. Most companies, in fact, spend more time and money on maintaining their buildings and equipment than they do on maintaining and developing people.” “I never thought of that,” the young man admitted. “But if people get results, then it certainly makes good sense to invest in people.” “Exactly,” the manager said. “I wish I had had someone invest in me sooner when I first went to work.” “What do you mean?” the young man asked. “Well, in most of the organizations I worked in before, I often didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing. No one bothered to tell me. If you asked me whether I was doing a good job, I would say either ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I think so.’ If you asked why I thought so, I would reply, ‘I haven’t been chewed out by my boss lately’ or ‘no news is good news.’ It was almost as if my main motivation was to avoid punishment.” “That’s interesting,” the young man admitted. “But I’m not sure I understand it.” Then he added anxiously, “In fact, if it’s all right with you, maybe I could understand things better if I could get to some of my ‘why’ questions. Let’s start with One Minute Goal Setting. Why does it work so well?” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 38 Why One Minute Goals Work “YOU want to know why One Minute Goals work,” the manager said. “Fine.” He got up and began to pace slowly around the room. “Let me give you an analogy that might help. I’ve seen a lot of unmotivated people at work in the various organizations I’ve been employed in over the years. But I’ve never seen an unmotivated person after work. Everyone seems to be motivated to do something. “One night, for example, I was bowling and I saw some of the ‘problem employees’ at work from my last organization. One of the real problem people, who I remembered all too well, took the bowling ball and approached the line and rolled the ball. Then he started to scream and yell and jump around. Why do you think he was so happy?” “Because he got a strike. He had knocked down all the pins.” “Exactly. Why don’t you think he and other people are that excited at work?” “Because he doesn’t know where the pins are,” smiled the young man. “I get it. How long would he want to bowl if there were no pins?” “Right,” said the One Minute Manager. “Now you can see what happens in most organizations. I believe that most managers know what they want their people to do. They just don’t bother to tell their people in a way they would understand. They assume they should know. I never assume anything when it comes to goal setting. “When you assume that people know what’s expected of them, you are creating an ineffective form of bowling. You put the pins up but when the bowler goes to roll the ball, he notices there is a sheet across the pins. So when he rolls the ball, and it slips under the sheet, he hears a crack but doesn’t know how many pins he knocked down. When you ask him how he did, he says, I don’t know. But it felt good. “It’s like playing golf at night. A lot of my friends have given up golf and when I asked them why, they said, ‘Because the courses are too crowded.’ When I suggested that they play at night, they laughed because who would ever play golf without being able to see the pins? “It’s the same with watching football. How many people in this country would sit in front of their TV’s on a Sunday afternoon or Monday night and watch two teams run up and down the field if there were no goals to shoot at or any way to score?” “Yeah! Why is that?” asked the young man. “It’s all because clearly the number one motivator of people is feedback on results. In fact, we have another saying here that’s worth noting: ‘Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions.’ Feedback keeps us going. Unfortunately, however, when most managers realize that feedback on results is the number one motivator of people, they usually set up a third form of bowling. “When the bowler goes to the line to roll the ball, the pins are still up and the sheet is in place but now there is another ingredient in the game—a supervisor standing behind the sheet. When the bowler rolls the ball, he hears the crash of the falling pins, and the supervisor holds up two fingers to signify you knocked down two pins. Actually, do most managers say you got two?” “No,” the young man smiled. “They usually say you missed eight.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 39 “Right on!” said the One Minute Manager. “The question I always used to ask was why doesn’t the manager ‘lift the sheet up’ so both he and his subordinate can see the pins. Why? Because he has the great American tradition—Performance Review—coming up.” “Because he has Performance Review coming up?” wondered the young man. “Right. I used to call that ‘NIHYSOB’ which stands for ‘Now I have you—you SOB.’ Such managers don’t tell their people what they expect of them; they just leave them alone and then ‘zap’ them when they don’t perform at the desired level.” “Why do you suppose they would do that?” the young man inquired, being very familiar with the truth in the manager’s comments. “So they can look good,” said the manager. “What do you mean, so they can look good?” asked the young man. “How do you think you would be viewed by your boss if you rated everyone that reported to you at the highest level on your performance review scale?” “As a ‘soft touch,’ as someone who could not discriminate between good performance and poor performance.” “Precisely,” said the manager. “In order to look good as a manager in most organizations, you have to catch some of your people doing things wrong. You have to have a few winners, a few losers, and everyone else somewhere in the middle. You see, in this country we have a normal-distribution-curve mentality. I remember one time when visiting my son’s school, I observed a fifth-grade teacher giving a state capitals test to her class. When I asked her why she didn’t put atlases around the room and let the kids use them during the test, she said, ‘I couldn’t do that because all the kids would get 100 percent.’ As though it would be bad for everyone to do well. “I remember once reading that when someone asked Einstein what his phone number was, he went to the phone book to look it up.” The young man laughed. “You’re kidding.” “No, I’m not kidding. He said he never cluttered his mind with information he could find somewhere else. “Now, if you didn’t know better,” the manager continued, “what would you think of someone who went to the phone book to look up his own number? Would you think he was a winner or a loser?” The young man grinned and said, “A real loser.” “Sure,” the manager responded. “I would, too, but we’d be wrong, wouldn’t we?” The young man nodded his agreement. “It’s easy for any of us to make this mistake,” the manager said. Then he showed his visitor the plaque he had made for himself. “Look at this:” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 40 ê Everyone Is A Potential Winner Some People Are Disguised As Losers, Don ’t Let Their Appearances Fool You. ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 41 “You see,” the manager said, “you really have three choices as a manager. First, you can hire winners. They are hard to find and they cost money. Or, second, if you can’t find a winner, you can hire someone with the potential to be a winner. Then you systematically train that person to become a winner. If you are not willing to do either of the first two (and I am continually amazed at the number of managers who won’t spend the money to hire a winner or take the time to train someone to become a winner), then there is only the third choice left—prayer.” That stopped the young man cold. He put down his notebook and pen and said, “Prayer?” The manager laughed quietly. “That’s just my attempt at humor, young man. But when you think about it, there are many managers who are saying their prayers daily—‘I hope this person works out.’ ” “Oh,” the young man said seriously. “Well, let’s take the first choice. If you hire a winner, it’s really easy to be a One Minute Manager, isn’t it?” “It sure is,” said the manager with a smile. He was amazed at how serious the young man was now—as though being more serious made a person a better manager. “All you have to do with a winner is do One Minute Goal Setting and let them run with the ball.” “I understand from Ms. Brown, sometimes you don’t even have to do that with her,” said the young man. “She’s absolutely right,” said the manager. “She’s forgotten more than most people know around here. But with everyone, winner or potential winner, One Minute Goal Setting is a basic tool for productive behavior.” “Is it true that no matter who initiates the One Minute Goal Setting,” the young man asked, “each goal always has to be written down on a single sheet of paper?” “Absolutely,” insisted the One Minute Manager. “Why is that so important?” “So people can review their goals frequently and then check their performance against those goals.” “I understand you have them write down only their major goals and responsibilities and not every aspect of their job,” the young man said. “Yes. That’s because I don’t want this to be a paper mill. I don’t want a lot of pieces of paper filed away somewhere and looked at only once a year when it’s time for next year’s goal setting or performance review, or some such thing. “As you probably saw, everyone who works for me has a plaque near them that looks like this.” He showed his visitor his copy of the plaque. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 42 ê Take A Minute: Look At Your Goals Look At Your Performance See If Your Behavior Matches Your Goals ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 43 The young man was amazed. He’d missed this in his brief visit. “I never saw this,” he said. “It’s terrific. Could I get one of these plaques?” “Sure,” the manager said. “I’ll arrange it.” As he was writing down some of what he was learning, the aspiring manager said, without lifting up his head, “You know, it’s difficult to learn everything there is to learn about One Minute Management in such a short time. There’s certainly more I’d like to learn about One Minute Goals, for instance, but maybe I could do that later. “Could we move to One Minute Praisings now?” asked the young man, as he looked up from his notebook. “Sure,” said the One Minute Manager. “You’re probably wondering why that works, too.” “I certainly am,” the visitor responded. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 44 Why One Minute Praisings Work LET’S look at a few examples,” the One Minute Manager said. “Maybe then it will be clear to you why One Minute Praisings work so well.” “I’d like that,” said the young man. “I’ll start with a pigeon example and then move on to people,” said the manager. “Just remember young man, people are not pigeons. People are more complicated. They are aware, they think for themselves and they certainly don’t want to be manipulated by another person. Remember that and respect that. It is a key to good management. “With that in mind, let us look at several simple examples which show us that we all seek what feels good to us and we avoid what feels bad to us. “Suppose you have an untrained pigeon that you want to enter a box in the lower lefthand corner and run across the box to the upper right-hand corner and push a lever with his right foot. Suppose that not too far from the entry point we have a pellet machine— that is, a machine that can release pellets of food to reward and reinforce the pigeon. What do you think is going to happen if we put the pigeon in the box and wait until the pigeon runs over to the upper right-hand corner and pushes the lever with his right foot before we give him any food?” asked the One Minute Manager. “He would starve to death,” responded the young man. “You’re right. We’re going to lose a lot of pigeons. The pigeon is going to starve to death because he doesn’t have any idea what he is supposed to do. “Now it’s actually not too hard to train a pigeon to do this task. All you have to do is to draw a line not too far from where the pigeon enters the box. If the pigeon enters the box and crosses the line—bang—the pellet machine goes off and the pigeon gets fed. Pretty soon you have the pigeon running to that spot, but you don’t want the pigeon there. Where do you want the pigeon?” “In the upper right-hand corner of the box,” said the young man. “Right!” the One Minute Manager confirmed. “Therefore, after a while you stop rewarding the pigeon for running to that spot and draw another line which isn’t too far from the last line, but is in the direction of the goal—the upper right-hand corner of the box. Now the pigeon starts running around his old spot and doesn’t get fed. Pretty soon though, the pigeon makes it across the new line and—bang—the machine goes off again and the pigeon gets fed. “Then you draw another line. Again this line has to be in the direction of the goal, but not too far away that the pigeon can’t make it again. We keep setting up these lines closer and closer to the upper right-hand corner of the box until we won’t feed the pigeon unless he hits the lever and then finally only when he hits the lever with his right foot.” “Why do you set up all these little goals?” wondered the young man. “By setting up these series of lines, we are establishing goals that the pigeon can achieve. So the key to training someone to do a new task is, in the beginning, to catch them doing something approximately right until they can eventually learn to do it exactly right. “We use this concept all the time with kids and animals, but we somehow forget it when we are dealing with big people—adults. For example, at some of these Sea Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 45 Aquariums you see ‘round the country, they usually end the show by having a huge whale jump over a rope which is high above the water. When the whale comes down he drenches the first ten rows. “The people leave that show mumbling to themselves, That’s unbelievable. How do they teach that whale to do that?’ “Do you think they go out in the ocean in a boat,” the manager asked, “and put a rope out over the water and yell, ‘Up, up!’ until a whale jumps out of the water over the rope? And then say, ‘Hey, let’s hire him. He’s a real winner.’ ” “No,” laughed the young man, “but that really would be hiring a winner.” The two men enjoyed the laugh they shared. “You’re right,” the manager said. “When they captured the whale, he knew nothing about jumping over ropes. So when they began to train him in the large pool, where do you think they started the rope?” “At the bottom of the pool,” answered the young man. “Of course!” responded the manager. “Every time the whale swam over the rope— which was every time he swam past—he got fed. Soon, they raised the rope a little. “If the whale swam under the rope, he didn’t get fed during training. Whenever he swam over the rope, he got fed. So after a while the whale started swimming over the rope all of the time. Then they started raising the rope a little higher.” “Why do they raise the rope?” asked the young man. “First,” the manager began, “because they were clear on the goal: to have the whale jump high out of the water and over the rope. “And second,” the One Minute Manager pointed out, “it’s not a very exciting show for a trainer to say, ‘Folks, the whale did it again.’ Everybody may be looking in the water but they can’t see anything. Over a period of time they keep on raising the rope until they finally get it to the surface of the water. Now the great whale knows that in order to get fed, he has to jump partially out of the water and over the rope. As soon as that goal is reached, they can start raising the rope higher and higher out of the water.” “So that’s how they do it,” the young man said. “Well, I can understand now how using that method works with animals, but isn’t it a bit much to use it with people?” “No, it’s very natural in fact,” the manager said. “We all do essentially the same thing with the children we care for. How do you think you teach them to walk? Can you imagine standing a child up and saying ‘Walk,’ and when he falls down you pick him up and spank him and say, ‘I told you to walk.’ No, you stand the child up and the first day he wobbles a little bit, and you get all excited and say, ‘He stood, he stood,’ and you hug and kiss the child. The next day he stands for a moment and maybe wobbles a step and you are all over him with kisses and hugs. “Finally the child, realizing that this is a pretty good deal, starts to wobble his legs more and more until he eventually walks. “The same thing goes for teaching a child to speak. Suppose you wanted a child to say, ‘Give me a glass of water, please.’ If you waited until the child said the whole sentence before you gave her any water, the child would die of thirst. So you start off by saying ‘Water, water.’ All of a sudden one day the child says, ‘Waller.’ You jump all over the place, hug and kiss the child, get grandmother on the phone so the child can say ‘Waller, waller.’ That wasn’t ‘water,’ but it was close. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 46 “Now you don’t want a kid going into a restaurant at the age of twenty-one asking for a glass of ‘waller’ so after a while you only accept the word ‘water’ and then you begin on ‘please.’ “These examples illustrate that the most important thing in training somebody to become a winner is to catch them doing something right—in the beginning approximately right and gradually moving them towards the desired behavior. With a winner you don’t have to catch them doing things right very often, because good performers catch themselves doing things right and are able to be self-reinforcing.” “Is that why you observe new people a lot in the beginning,” asked the young man, “or when your more experienced people are starting a new project?” “Yes,” the One Minute Manager said. “Most managers wait until their people do something exactly right before they praise them. As a result, many people never get to become high performers because their managers concentrate on catching them doing things wrong—that is, anything that falls short of the final desired performance. In our pigeon example, it would be like putting the pigeon in the box and not only waiting until he hits the lever to give him any food but putting some electric grills around the box to punish him periodically just to keep him motivated.” “That doesn’t sound like it would be very effective,” the young man suggested. “Well, it isn’t,” agreed the One Minute Manager. “After getting punished for a while and not knowing what acceptable behavior is (that is, hitting the lever), the pigeon would go into the corner of the box and not move. To the pigeon it is a hostile environment and not worth taking any risks in. “That is what we often do with new, inexperienced people. We welcome them aboard, take them around to meet everybody, and then we leave them alone. Not only do we not catch them doing anything approximately right, but periodically we zap them just to keep them moving. This is the most popular leadership style of all. We call it the ‘leave alonezap’ style. You leave a person alone, expecting good performance from them, and when you don’t get it, you zap them.” “What happens to these people?” asked the young man. “If you’ve been in any organization, and I understand you’ve visited several,” the manager said, “you know, because you’ve seen them. They do as little as possible. “And that’s what’s wrong with most businesses today. Their people really do not produce—either quantity or quality. “And much of the reason for this poor business performance is simply because the people are managed so poorly.” The young man put his notebook down. He thought about what he just heard. He was beginning to see One Minute Management for what it is—a practical business tool. It was amazing to him how well something as simple as the One Minute Praising worked—whether it was inside or outside the business world. “That reminds me of some friends of mine,” the young man said. “They called me and said that they’d gotten a new dog. They asked me what I thought of their planned method of training the dog.” The manager was almost afraid to ask, “How were they going to do it?” “They said if the dog had an accident on the rug, they were going to take the dog, shove his nose in it, pound him on the butt with a newspaper and then throw the dog out Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 47 this little window in the kitchen into the back yard—where the dog was supposed to do his job. “Then, they asked me what I thought would happen with this method. I laughed because I knew what would happen. After about three days the dog would poop on the floor and jump out the window. The dog didn’t know what to do, but he knew he had better clear the area.” The manager roared his approval. “That’s a great story,” he said. “You see, that’s what punishment does when you use it with somebody who lacks confidence or is insecure because of lack of experience. If inexperienced people don’t perform (that is, do what you want them to do), then rather than punish them we need to go back to One Minute Goal Setting and make sure they understand what is expected of them, and that they have seen what good performance looks like.” “Well, then, after you have done One Minute Goal Setting again,” the young man asked, “do you try to catch them doing something approximately right again?” “Precisely so,” the One Minute Manager agreed. “You’re always trying to create situations in the beginning where you can give a One Minute Praising.” Then, looking the young man straight in the eyes, the manager said, “You are a very enthusiastic and receptive learner. That makes me feel good about sharing the secrets of One Minute Management with you.” They both smiled. They knew a One Minute Praising when they heard one. “I sure enjoy a praising more than a reprimand,” the young man laughed. “I think I understand now why One Minute Goals and One Minute Praisings work. They really do make good sense to me.” “Good,” said the One Minute Manager. “But I can’t imagine why the One Minute Reprimand works,” the young man wondered out loud. “Let me tell you a few things about it,” said the One Minute Manager. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 48 Why One Minute Reprimands Work “THERE are several reasons why the One Minute Reprimand works so well. “To begin with,” the manager explained, “the feedback in the One Minute Reprimand is immediate. That is, you get to the individual as soon as you observe the ‘misbehavior’ or your data information system tips you off. It is not appropriate to gunnysack or save up negative feelings about someone’s poor performance. “The fact that the feedback is so immediate is an important lesson in why the One Minute Reprimand works so well. Unless discipline occurs as close to the misbehavior as possible, it tends not to be as helpful in influencing future behavior. Most managers are ‘gunnysack’ discipliners. That is, they store up observations of poor behavior and then some day when performance review comes or they are angry in general because the ‘sack is so full,’ they charge in and ‘dump everything on the table.’ They tell people all the things they have done wrong for the last few weeks or months or more.” The young man breathed a deep sigh and said, “So true.” “And then,” the One Minute Manager went on, “the manager and subordinate usually end up yelling at each other about the facts or simply keeping quiet and resenting each other. The person receiving the feedback doesn’t really hear what he or she has done wrong. This is a version of the ‘leave alone-zap’ form of discipline that I’ve spoken about earlier.” “I remember it well,” responded the young man. “That is certainly something I want to avoid.” “Absolutely,” agreed the manager. “If managers would only intervene early, they could deal with one behavior at a time and the person receiving the discipline would not be overwhelmed. They could hear the feedback. That’s why I think performance review is an ongoing process, not something you do only once a year.” “So, one reason that the One Minute Reprimand works is that the person receiving the reprimand can ‘hear’ the feedback, because when the manager deals with one behavior at a time, it seems more fair and clear,” the young man summarized. “Yes,” the manager said. “And secondly, when I give a One Minute Reprimand, I never attack a person’s worth or value as a person. Since their OK-ness as a person is not ‘up for grabs,’ they don’t feel they have to defend themselves. I reprimand the behavior only. Thus, my feedback and their own reaction to it is about the specific behavior and not their feelings about themselves as human beings. “So often, when disciplining people, managers persecute the individual. My purpose in a One Minute Reprimand is to eliminate the behavior and keep the person.” “So that’s why you make the second half of the reprimand a praising,” the young man said. “Their behavior is not OK. They are OK.” “Yes,” agreed the One Minute Manager. “Why wouldn’t you give the praising first and then the reprimand?” suggested the young man. “For some reason, it just doesn’t work,” insisted the manager. “Some people, now that I think of it, say that I am Nice ’n’ Tough as a manager. But to be more accurate, I’m really Tough ’n’ Nice.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 49 “Tough ’n’ Nice,” echoed the young man. “Yes,” insisted the One Minute Manager. “This is an old philosophy that has worked well for literally thousands of years. “There is, in fact, a story in ancient China that illustrates this. Once upon a time, an emperor appointed a second in command. He called this prime minister in and, in effect, said to him, Why don’t we divide up the tasks? Why don’t you do all the punishing and I’ll do all the rewarding? The prime minister said, Fine. I’ll do all the punishing and you do all the rewarding.” “I think I’m going to like this story,” the young man said. “You will, you will,” the One Minute Manager replied with a knowing smile. “Now this emperor,” the manager continued, “soon noticed that whenever he asked someone to do something, they might do it or they might not do it. However, when the prime minister spoke, people moved. So the emperor called the prime minister back in and said, Why don’t we divide the tasks again? You have been doing all the punishing here for quite a while. Now let me do the punishing and you do the rewarding. So the prime minister and the emperor switched roles again. “And, within a month the prime minister was emperor. The emperor had been a nice person, rewarding and being kind to everyone; then he started to punish people. People said, What’s wrong with that old codger? and they threw him out on his ear. When they came to look for a replacement, they said, You know who’s really starting to come around now—the prime minister. So, they put him right into office.” “Is that a true story?” the young man asked. “Who cares?” said the One Minute Manager, laughing. “Seriously,” he added, “I do know this. If you are first tough on the behavior, and then supportive of the person, it works.” “Do you have any modern-day examples of where the One Minute Reprimand has worked other than in management?” the young man asked the wise manager. “Yes certainly,” the manager said, “Let me mention two: one with severe adult behavior problems and another in disciplining children.” “What do you mean when you say ‘severe adult behavior problems’?” the young man asked. “I’m talking about alcoholics in particular,” the manager answered. “About thirty years ago an observant clergyman discovered a technique which is now called ‘crisis intervention.’ He made the discovery when he was helping a physician’s wife. She was in a Minnesota hospital in critical condition and slowly dying from cirrhosis of the liver. But she was still denying that she had a drinking problem. When all her family had gathered at her bedside, the clergyman asked each of them to describe specific drinking incidents they had observed. That’s an important part of the One Minute Reprimand. Before giving a reprimand you have to see the behavior yourself—you can’t depend on what someone else saw. You never give a reprimand based on ‘hearsay.’ ” “Interesting,” the young man broke in. “Let me finish. After the family described specific behaviors, the clergyman asked each of the family members to tell the woman how they felt about those incidents. Gathered closely around her, one by one they told her first what she did, and second, how they felt about it. They were angry, frustrated, embarrassed. And then they told her how Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 50 much they loved her, and they instinctively touched her and gently said how they wanted her to live and to enjoy life once again. That was why they were so angry with her.” “That sounds so simple,” said the young man, “especially with something as complicated as a drinking problem. Did it work?” “Amazingly so,” the One Minute Manager insisted. “And now there are crisis intervention centers all over the country. It’s not as simple as I’ve summarized it, of course. But these three basic ingredients—telling people what they did wrong; telling people how you feel about it; and reminding people that they are valuable and worthwhile—lead to significant improvements in people’s behavior.” “That’s nothing short of incredible,” the young man said. “I know it is,” the manager agreed. “You said you’d give me two examples of how other people successfully use methods like the One Minute Reprimand,” the young man said. “Yes, of course. In the early 1970’s, a family psychiatrist in California also made the same amazing discovery with children. He had read a lot about bonding—the emotional ties people have to people. He knew what people needed. People need to be in contact with people who care about them—to be accepted as valuable just because they are people. “The doctor also knew that people need to have a spade called a spade—to be pulled up short by people who care when they are not behaving well.” “How does that translate,” the young man wanted to know, “into practical action?” “Each parent is taught to physically touch their child by putting their hand on the child’s shoulder, touching his arm, or if he is young actually sitting the child in their lap. Then the parent tells the child exactly what he did wrong and how the parent feels about it—and in no uncertain terms. (You can see that this is very like what the family members did for the sick woman.) Finally, the parent takes a deep breath, and allows for a few seconds of silence—so the child can feel whatever the parent is feeling. Then the parent tells the youngster how valuable and important the child is to the parent. “You see, it is very important when you are managing people to remember that behavior and worth are not the same things. What is really worthwhile is the person managing their own behavior. This is as true of each of us as managers as it is of each of the people we are managing. “In fact, if you know this,” the manager said, as he pointed to one of his favorite plaques, “you will know the key to a really successful reprimand. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 51 ê We Are Not Just Our Behavior We Are The Person Managing Our Behavior ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 52 “If you realize that you are managing people, and not just their recent behavior,” the manager concluded, “you will do well.” “It sounds like there’s a lot of caring and respect behind such a reprimand,” the young man said. “I’m glad you noticed that, young man. You will be successful with the One Minute Reprimand when you really care about the welfare of the person you are reprimanding.” “That reminds me,” the young man injected, “Mr. Levy told me that you pat him on the shoulder, or shake hands, or in some other way make contact with him during a praising. And now I notice that the parents are encouraged to touch their children during the scolding. Is touching an important part of the One Minute Praisings and Reprimands?” “Yes and no,” the manager answered with a smile. “Yes, if you know the person well and are clearly interested in helping the person to succeed in his or her work. And no, if you or the other person has any doubts about that. “Touch is a very powerful message,” the manager pointed out. “People have strong feelings about being touched, and that needs to be respected. Would you, for instance, like someone whose motives you weren’t sure of, to touch you during a praising or a reprimand?” “No,” the young man answered clearly. “I really wouldn’t!” “You see what I mean,” the manager explained. “Touch is very honest. People know immediately when you touch them whether you care about them, or whether you are just trying to find a new way to manipulate them. “There is a very simple rule about touching,” the manager continued. “When you touch, don’t take. Touch the people you manage only when you are giving them something—reassurance, support, encouragement, whatever.” “So you should refrain from touching someone,” the young man said, “until you know them and they know you are interested in their success—that you are clearly on their side. I can see that. “But,” the young man said hesitantly, “while the One Minute Praisings and the One Minute Reprimands look simple enough, aren’t they really just powerful ways for you to get people to do what you want them to do? And isn’t that manipulative?” “You are right about One Minute Management being a powerful way to get people to do what you want them to do,” the manager confirmed. “However manipulation is getting people to do something they are either not aware of or don’t agree to. That is why it is so important to let each person know up front what you are doing and why. “It’s like anything else in life,” the manager explained. “There are things that work, and things that don’t work. Being honest with people eventually works. On the other hand, as you have probably learned in your own life, being dishonest eventually leads to failing with people. It’s just that simple.” “I can see now,” the young man said, “where the power of your management style comes from—you care about people.” “Yes,” the manager said simply, “I guess I do.” The young man remembered how gruff he thought this special manager was when he first met him. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 53 It was as though the manager could read his mind. “Sometimes,” the One Minute Manager said, “you have to care enough to be tough. And I am. I am very tough on the poor performance—but only on the performance. I am never tough on the person.” The young man liked the One Minute Manager. He knew now why people liked to work with him. “Maybe you would find this interesting, Sir,” the younger man said, as he pointed to his notebook. “It is a plaque I’ve created to remind me of how goals—the One Minute Goals—and consequences—the Praisings and the Reprimands—affect people’s behavior.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 54 ê Goals Begin Behaviors Consequences Maintain Behaviors ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 55 “That’s very good!” the manager exclaimed. “Do you think so?” the young man asked, wanting to hear the compliment once again. “Young man,” the manager said very slowly for emphasis, “it is not my role in life to be a human tape recorder. I do not have time to continually repeat myself.” Just when he thought he would be praised, the young man felt he was in for another One Minute Reprimand, something he wanted to avoid. The bright young man kept a straight face and said simply, “What?” They looked at each other only for a moment and then they both burst into laughter. “I like you, young man,” the manager said. “How would you like to go to work here?” The young man put down his notebook and stared in amazement. “You mean go to work for you?” he asked enthusiastically. “No. I mean go to work for yourself like the other people in my department. Nobody ever really works for anybody else. I just help people work better and in the process they benefit our organization.” This was, of course, what the young man had been looking for all along. “I’d love to work here,” he said. And so he did—for some time. The time the special manager had invested in him paid off. Because eventually, the inevitable happened. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 56 ê HE became a One Minute Manager. ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 57 He became a One Minute Manager not because he thought like one, or talked like one, but because he behaved like one. He set One Minute Goals. He gave One Minute Praisings. He gave One Minute Reprimands. He asked brief, important questions; spoke the simple truth; laughed, worked, and enjoyed. And, perhaps most important of all, he encouraged the people he worked with to do the same. He had even created a pocket size “Game Plan” to make it easier for the people around him to become One Minute Managers. He had given it as a useful gift to each person who reported to him. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 58 A Gift To Yourself MANY years later, the man looked back on the time when he first heard of the principles of One Minute Management. It seemed like a long time ago. He was glad he had written down what he learned from the One Minute Manager. He had put his notes into a book, and had given copies to many people. He remembered Ms. Gomez’s telephoning to say, “I can’t thank you enough. It’s made a big difference in my work.” That pleased him. As he thought back on the past, he smiled. He remembered how much he had learned from the original One Minute Manager, and he was grateful. The new manager was also happy that he could take the knowledge one step further. By giving copies to many other people in the organization, he had solved several practical problems. Everyone who worked with him felt secure. No one felt manipulated or threatened because everyone knew “up front” what he was doing and why. They could also see why the seemingly simple One Minute Management techniques— Goals, Praising and Reprimands—worked so well with people. Every person who had their own copy of the text could read and re-read it at their own pace until they could understand it and put it to good use themselves. The manager knew full well the very practical advantage of repetition in learning anything new. Sharing the knowledge in this simple and honest way had, of course, saved him a good deal of time. And it had certainly made his job easier. Many of the people reporting to him had become One Minute Managers themselves. And they, in turn, had done the same for many of the people who reported to them. The entire organization had become more effective. As he sat at his desk thinking, the new One Minute Manager realized what a fortunate individual he was. He had given himself the gift of getting greater results in less time. He had time to think and to plan—to give his organization the kind of help it needed. He had time to exercise and stay healthy. He knew he did not experience the daily emotional and physical stress other managers subjected themselves to. And he knew that many of the other people who worked with him enjoyed the same benefits. His department had fewer costly personnel turnovers, less personal illness, and less absenteeism. The benefits were significant. As he looked back, he was glad he had not waited to use One Minute Management until he thought he could do it just right. After his staff had read about this management system, he had asked each person who reported to him if they would like to be managed by a One Minute Manager. He was amused to learn that there was something that people really wanted even more than learning how to become a One Minute Manager themselves. And that was to have one for a boss! Once he knew this, it was a lot easier for him to clearly tell his staff that he wasn’t sure that he could do it just exactly the way he was “supposed to.” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 59 “I’m not accustomed to telling people how good they are or how I feel about things,” he had said. “And I’m not sure I can remember to calm down after I’ve given someone a reprimand and reminded them of how good they are as a person.” The typical answer from his associates had caused him to smile. “Well, you could at least give it a try!” By simply asking if his staff wanted to be managed by a One Minute Manager and by admitting that he may not always be able to do it right, he had accomplished something very important. The people he worked with felt that he was honestly on their side from the very beginning. And that made all the difference. Then the new One Minute Manager got up from his desk and began to walk about his uncluttered office. He was deep in thought. He felt good about himself—as a person and as a manager. His caring about people had paid off handsomely. He had risen in the organization, gaining more responsibilities and more rewards. And he knew he had become an effective manager, because both his organization and the people in it had clearly benefited from his presence. Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 60 A Gift For Others SUDDENLY the intercom buzzed and startled the man. “Excuse me, sir, for interrupting you,” he heard his secretary say, “but there is a young woman on the phone. She wants to know if she can come and talk to you about the way we manage people here.” The new One Minute Manager was pleased. He knew more women were entering the business world. And he was glad that some of them were as keen to learn about good management as he had been. The manager’s department was now running smoothly. As you might expect, it was one of the best operations of its kind in the world. His people were productive and happy. And he was happy too. It felt good to be in his position. “Come any time,” he heard himself telling the caller. And soon he found himself talking to a bright young person. “I’m glad to share my management secrets with you,” the new One Minute Manager said, as he showed the visitor to his couch. “I will only make one request of you.” “What is that,” the visitor asked. “Simply,” the manager began, “that you ...” Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER 61 ê Share It With Others ê Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson –.....
6. How To Lie With Statistics
Tác giả: Darrell Huff
Tác giả: Darrell Huff
=> Bài học từ cuốn sách: Cuốn sách này dạy bạn những mánh khóe mà người ta thường hay sử dụng trong kinh doanh. Đó chắc chắn là một trong 10 cuốn sách đọc để “mở mắt” mà mỗi doanh nghiệp nên đọc.
=> Đoạn trích dẫn hay nhất: Các ngôn ngữ bí mật của số liệu thống kê được sử dụng để gây giật gân, thổi phồng, gây nhầm lẫn. Các phương pháp thống kê và thuật ngữ thống kê rất cần thiết trong việc báo cáo về dữ liệu của xu hướng kinh tế xã hội, kinh doanh, điều tra dân số… Nhưng nếu người viết không trung thực và có sự hiểu biết thì độc giả đọc cũng chẳng hiểu gì, và tất nhiên kết quả chỉ là những từ ngữ vô nghĩa.
http://www.horace.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/How-to-Lie-With-Statistics-1954-Huff.pdf
7. The Greatest Salesman In The World
Tác giả: Og Mandino
Tác giả: Og Mandino
=> Bài học từ cuốn sách: Nếu bạn không thể bán ý tưởng của bạn, sản phẩm của bạn hoặc dịch vụ của bạn thì bạn không bao giờ thành công trong kinh doanh. Bạn có thể đọc hàng chục cuốn sách về bán hàng nhưng tất cả đều dẫn đến những chân lý cơ bản trong cuốn sách này, mà chắc chắn một điều nó nằm trong 10 cuốn sách dạy về bán hàng bán chạy nhất trong thời gian này. Cuốn sách này không chỉ giúp bạn thành công hơn trong kinh doanh, nó còn giúp bạn thành công hơn trong cuộc sống.
=> Đoạn trích dẫn hay nhất: Tôi sẽ sống ngày hôm nay như thế nó là ngày cuối cùng của tôi. Ngày hôm nay là tất cả những gì tôi có và là vĩnh cửu của tôi, tôi chào đón mặt tròi mọc với tiếng khóc của niềm vui sướng như một tù nhân vừa được ân xá khỏi cái chết, tôi nhấc cánh tay mình lên như một lời cảm ơn vì món quà vô giá này khi cho tôi một ngày mới.
Tôi sẽ đấu tranh quyết liệt với một lòng biết ơn cho những ai chào đón bình minh của ngày hôm qua nhưng đã không còn sống trong ngày hôm nay nữa. Tôi là một người đàn ông thực sự may mắn và ngày hôm nay như là món tiền thưởng, thật không xứng đáng. Tại sao tôi lại được phép sống thêm một ngày nữa trong khi những người khác tốt hơn tôi lại phải ra đi? Có phải họ đã hoàn thành mục đích của họ trong khi tôi vẫn chưa đạt được nó? Đây có phải là một cơ hội cho tôi trở thành người đàn ông mà tôi tin rằng mình có thể làm được?
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