The One Minute Manager Part 6

"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.

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."

Goals Begin Behaviors Consequences Maintain Behaviors

"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. n.o.body 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.

HE.

became a One Minute Manager.

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.

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 repet.i.tion 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."

"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 a.s.sociates 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.

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 ..."

Share It With Others

Acknowledgments.

Over the years we have learned from, and been influenced by, many individuals. We would like to acknowledge and give a public praising to the following people: A Special Praising to: *Dr. Gerald Nelson, the originator of The One Minute Scolding, an amazingly effective method of parental discipline. We have adapted his method into "The One Minute Reprimand," an equally effective method of managerial discipline.

and to: Dr. Elliott Carlisle for what he taught us about productive managers who have time to think and plan.

Dr. Thomas Connellan for what he taught us about making behavioral concepts and theories clear and understandable to all.

Dr. Paul Hersey for what he taught us about weaving the various applied behavioral sciences into a useful fabric.

Dr. Vernon Johnson for what he taught us about the Crisis Intervention Method of treatment for alcoholics.

Dr. Dorothy Jongeward, Jay Shelov, and Abe Wagner for what they taught us about communication and the OK-ness of people.

Dr. Robert Lorber for what he taught us about the application and use of behavioral concepts in business and industry.

Dr. Kenneth Majer for what he taught us about goal-setting and performance.

Dr. Charles McCormick for what he taught us about touching and professionalism.

Dr. Carl Rogers for what he taught us about personal honesty and openness.

Louis Tice for what he taught us about unlocking human potential.