The New One Minute Manager

A young man is traveling the world in search of discovering the secrets of being a great business leader. He has visited the smallest towns and the largest capitals, speaking with women and men of all ages and backgrounds who are experts in their fields. He categorizes the managers he meets into two groups: “tough” and “nice” (9). The “tough” managers are prideful and arrogant about their abilities—and the people who work below them tend to be miserable. However, these tough managers are result-oriented, bringing success to their organizations. In contrast, the “nice” managers are more humanistic in their approach, and though they are appreciated by their employees, they are seen as less effective within their organizations.

In both cases, each leadership style is rooted in a certain practice and unconcerned with adaptation or change. The young man feels “disturbed” that in each scenario, the leaders are only seeing one side of the situation. He knows there must be a better way to lead in the modern world, where both the “the people and the organization profit” (10) from a balance of a tough yet compassionate leadership style. He eventually encounters a few exceptional leaders, but they won’t share their secrets with him, and he becomes disheartened. Then, he hears about a great leader who is loved by his employees and produces tremendous results for his company. The young man asks around until he meets this Manager, and they have a phone conversation. To the young man’s surprise, the leader is willing and happy to meet him whenever he likes.

They meet in the Manager’s office, and the Manager shares the basics about how to manage others successfully. He explains that in modern times, leading with collaboration and speed is key, so that he has moved away from a “top-down” approach. He holds weekly meetings with his employees every Wednesday morning. His role is to facilitate discussions and analyzes problems with his team, allowing them to make important decisions and create solutions. He is both results- and people-oriented because he believes results cannot be achieved without the talents of a diverse team of people.

The Manager shares his motto with the young man: “People Who Feel Good About Themselves Produce Good Result” (14). The Manager points out that employees do their best work when they feel confident, comfortable, and good about themselves, and the young man agrees. Quality is just as important as quantity, according to the Manager. He points out a restaurant on the street, where the customers are lined up outside. Next door, another restaurant is empty. He asks the young man why this must be, and the young man responds that the quality must be better. The Manager agrees but also points out that it’s the employees working in the first restaurant who create the quality and experience for the customers.

Interested, the young man asks what type of manager he is. The leader responds by saying, “They call me the New One Minute Manager,” a person who finds “new ways to get great results in very little time” (15). The young man seems doubtful, so the Manager prints out a list of six people who work for him and tells the young man to talk to them for more information about his leadership style. When the young man asks which person he should start with, the Manager responds by saying he doesn’t make decisions for others. The young man feels embarrassed for not making a simple decision but is affirmed that he can make the choice himself. The Manager tells the young man that if he has any questions after speaking with his employees, he can come to see him again anytime. The young man leaves the office feeling inspired. The secretary tells him that he looks “thoughtful” and must’ve “experienced our Manager” (16). She helps the young man set up meetings with the names of employees on the list he was given.

The young man meets Teresa Lee in her office to discuss the Manager’s leadership style. She is impressed at how well the Manager’s tactics work, and how he has set her up to be successful. She reveals that he only works with her when she is learning a new task or responsibility, and during that period they establish “New One Minute Goals” which is “the first of the Three Secrets to One Minute Management” (17). Together, she and the New One Minute Manager set short, feasible goals for her work. Each goal is then finalized and shared in a brief paragraph, and as she is working, she references her goal to make sure she is on track. The Manager believes in the 80/20 rule—that 80% of an employee’s effectiveness comes from mastering 20% of a goal. After setting goals with the Manager, it’s the employee’s responsibility to find ways to reach them.

The young man asks for an example of how the process works. Teresa explains that when she was new, she had a problem she couldn’t solve so she reached out to the Manager. He listened to her on the phone, excited that she had a problem because that’s why he hired her. She explains herself but is nervous, and he puts her at ease, explaining that she needs to articulate what her desired outcomes are and what barriers are preventing her from reaching them. When she can’t identify anything, he tells her that there is a difference between complaining and problem-solving. This motivates her to think about her actual problem, and she explains it. The Manager guides her through a series of questions, helping her to identify potential solutions. He merely asks questions, never giving answers. By the end of the process, she has figured out a solution. Teresa thanks him for providing a solution, but she says that she provided the solution, he merely asked her the questions she will need to ask herself in the future. She tells the young man that the Manager shows her what good performance looks like so she can replicate it independently.

The young man writes down a list of the top five things regarding “One Minute Goals” after his conversation with Teresa. He shows her his list and she approves, telling him he’s a “fast learner” which makes him “[feel] good about himself” (23). He asks her what the remaining secrets are, but she tells him he should meet next with “Paul Trenell.” The young man is impressed that Teresa knows his schedule. He thanks her and she says it was a pleasure because it helps her in becoming a One Minute Manager.