Book Review: The One Minute Manager

The books we find most insightful are usually the ones that remind us of things we’ve simply forgotten. They don’t teach us something new, they simply remind us in a unique and powerful way of something we already knew.

That is exactly how I’d describe “The One Minute Manager.” The authors wrote a simple book full of common sense – and thus the book makes total sense.

This book sold 13 million copies! It’s only 106 pages, with about 200 words per page. Why would we pay 12 dollars for such a short book?

Because it speaks to us – it reminds us to be people – and that we can succeed and make money and make friends better if we do.

Great Lessons:
1.“People who feel good about themselves produce good results.”
2.If you don’t like the way things are, but you don’t know what you want changed – then you don’t have a problem, you’re just complaining. Once you know what you want changed – then you have a problem and can work toward a solution.
3.People are motivated by praise more than scolding.
4.When there are problems, attack the behavior, not the person doing it.
5.“I’ve never seen an unmotivated person after work.” (People get excited and motivated when they are looking forward to something – like what they get to do after work. So figure out how to get them excited about work)
6.Take a minute – see if your behavior matches your goals.
7.“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.”
8.Most employees aren’t trying to produce or accomplish anything anymore other than they’re trying to get paid without getting in trouble.
9.Manipulation is getting people to do something they are either unaware of or don’t agree to.
10.“Goals begin behaviors. Consequences maintain behaviors.”