Sometimes you find managers that get things done efficiently, but do not maintain good relationships with the employees; on the other hand, there are those who are great with the employees but lose grip on the actual work.
In the one minute manager, with just a bit above 100 pages only, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson describe effective management techniques, that take 60 seconds each, to save time and leave employees satisfied.
The 3 secrets to successful leadership are:
- One minute goals
- One minute praisings
- One minute reprimands
To keep this article brief like the book, we’ve summarized to you the 3 secrets to being a one minute manager in a 5-minute read!
[irp posts=”5057″ name=”5-min. Books: The Power of Habit”]One minute manager goal setting
One of the most important things a manager should do as soon as they hire someone is to explain their goals to them, to avoid confusion and misconception later on. Follow the following advice:
- Define 3-6 PRECISE goals for each of your employees;
- Write each of them down on a piece of paper, describing them in 250 words or less;
- Use the 80/20 rule or Pareto Principle.
(focus on the 20% tasks that will deliver 80% of the results) - Make sure that the employee knows and understands each goal very well, by reading them out loud and every once in a while;
- Verify if the work performance corresponds with the set goals, and give constructive feedback.
Why it works:
People love receiving feedback on their resulted work. Positive feedback reinforces more dedicated work, and negative feedback gives room for self-improvement.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Positive feedback reinforces more dedicated work, and negative feedback gives room for self-improvement. #Management #Work” quote=”Positive feedback reinforces more dedicated work, and negative feedback gives room for self-improvement.”]One minute praisings
Don’t wait for people to do something wrong to give them feedback. If you see remarkable work, appreciate and praise it in the following manner:
- Tell people that they’ve done a great job immediately, do not delay the compliment;
- Keep your praise within the 60-second time limit;
- Show people how their work contributes to the whole organization’s progress and make them see their impact.
Why it works:
Positive reinforcement motivates people to work better and to work more.
[irp posts=”5372″ name=”10 TED talks for the first-time manager”]One-minute reprimands
Once you’ve used the previous 2 points successfully, people would be likely to accept and welcome your reprimands as well, given the following:
- Tell people beforehand that you are going to provide them with feedback/criticism;
- Give the criticism as soon as the person doesn’t meet what is required;
- Criticize people on their actions and results, not on personal matters;
- Make it short and to the point (still within the 60-second time limit);
- Be appreciative in your feedback, so as to show the employees that they’re being judged fairly, without leaving any hard feelings.
Why it works:
Reprimands, when executed methodically and reasonably, are great for correcting substandard performance.
One-minute management doesn’t necessarily mean that the processes take literally less than a minute, although practically it is encouraged to do so. The focal point is that instead of spending long hours on feedback and appraisals if they’re performed frequently and every time it’s necessary, it’s going to have a better effect on the employees’ well-being and work performance.
And here is a summary of the whole plan:
