The One-Minute Manager
I just started reading a book last night, “The One Minute Manager” by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson. I feel pretty smart too because I’m over halfway done with it already! Actually, in keeping with the title, it is set up to be a quick read.
Anyway, it brings some interesting points up about goal setting and management of people. One key point that stuck with me is the one minute praise. Nearly all managers of people feel that in order to justify their position of authority, they are obligated to point out when somebody they supervise is wrong or has made a mistake. How often do they make a conscious effort to look for something that person did well or did right? My experience has been that managers rarely, if ever, do so.
This simple idea can set “leaders” out from among “managers”. As I’ve said before, and will say again, there is a difference between being a leader and being a manager. A leader empowers people to outperform themselves.
A quote from the book: “People who feel good about themselves produce good results”