One Minute Manager: 3 Simple Ideas for Effective Management

The second idea is one minute praise. Most people only point out the mistakes, but never really give praise for a job well done. They expect that the job should be well done by default and this requires no need for further discussions. But as humans, no matter how complicated we think we are, we still operate on some primitive principles. Think of when you train your puppy to do tricks, you first show him the trick and upon successful copying of the trick - you reward him with a 'treat'. In other words, you give him 'one minute praise', which in turn motivates him even more to do good job.

Nothing is always perfect. People make mistakes, but they should not be ignored. If ignored, only more will follow. Hence, here comes the one minute reprimand. You point out the mistake. The more specific you are - the better. The focus here should not be to attack the person behind the mistake or his abilities, but centre on the situation. Then, this is followed by a short silence, so the employee can reflect. After which, you pat him on the shoulder (showing him how valuable he is to you) and point out that he is capable of much more.

The 3 main ideas showed in the book are:

1. One minute goal setting.
2. One minute praise.
3. One minute reprimand.