The One Minute Manager

Pouring out my thoughts:
What is the use of reading books and acquiring knowledge, if you don't use it?

Well, I have been reading many books but was lazy to note down my top ideas out of the book. After a few months or years, when some one asked me about the book, I knew I read it. But cannot remember what were the important take away. Hence Jotting down my take aways from the book - " The One minute manager". I shall strive to note points from each book I read hence forth,

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This 100 page book - "The One Minute Manager", by Kenneth Blanchard & Spencer Johnson, is a simple read and I completed it in a day. Most of the ideas were familiar to me as I have been reading similar leadership books and attending training.

Personally, I may not like to be the "One minute manager" especially about being harsh and to the point about not repeating some important points to your team members. But some times I think it is necessary.

There are good ideas that we can practically implement. Glad that I already practice the concept of "one minute praise" and "Catching them doing good".

Read along for take aways- 

1. People who feel good about them themselves, produce Good results
2. Help people reach their full potential. Catch them doing something right
3. The best minute I spend is the one I invest in people
4. Every one is a potential winner. Some are disguised as losers. Don't let their appearances fool you
5. Take a minute: 
1. Look at your goals. Look at your performance. see if your behavior matches your goals
6. We are not just our behaviors. We are person managing our behavior
7. Important quote:
1. Goals begin behaviors. Consequences maintain them
8. One Minute Goal setting- This is something I need to adopt
1. Agree on a goal, write it under 250 words and have clarity on what is good behavior and expectation
2. Read it regularly and see whether your behavior matches the goal
3. I like the story of training pegion in a box to push a lever and a whale to jump over the rope
4. We need to help others know what is expected, followed up with rewards. Start the expectation low. Hence catch them quickly when they do it right
9. One Minute Praising
1. Tell people from the start that you are going to let them know how they are doing
1. I need to do this aspect
2. Praise people immediately for a specific right thing they did
3. Tell them how good you feel about it and how organization benefits- Show biger picture
1. Again, I don't do this often
4. Pause for a moment. Let them feel how good you feel. Let it sink in
5. Encourage them to do more and show support through gestures- hand shake, touch etc
10. One Minute Reprimand
1. Use this only with experienced who knows what to do, but fails to do
2. Tell them that you are going to talk about how they are doing in no "uncertain terms"
3. First half
1. Highlight what they specifically did wrong
2. Talk about how you feel about what they did wrong
3. Pause. Let it sink in
4. Second half
1. Shake hands or touch them to inform that you are honestly on their side
2. Remind how much you value them
3. Reaffirm that you think well of them but not their performance in this instance
5. Don't get hung up on reprimand. Once these two steps are done. It is done

Wisdom comes by applying the knowledge. What else is the use of knowledge. Let us use these techniques to make the corporate world a better place.
Thank you authors for sharing this worldly wisdom. :)

Urs,
Vish

Bring out the best in people

If you are a leader, manager or a technical lead, bringing out the best in people is your number one priority. Your primary job is to enable your team to perform at their best and you seek out ways to do that. In my pursuit of the same as a Tech lead, I came across a good read and would like to share my nuggets and my thoughts about the book- "Bringing out the Best in people" by Aubrey Daniels.

If you have been reading psychology or behavioral analysis, some of the concepts in this book are easy to understand. Except the technical terminology antecedent, consequence, PIC table etc which need to be familiarized.
Before delving into a few concepts in this book, lets familiarize ourselves with these terminologies.

Antecedent:
As per Wiki, An antecedent is a stimulus that cues an organism to perform a learned behavior. When an organism perceives an antecedent stimulus, it behaves in a way that maximizes reinforcing consequences and minimizes punishing consequences.
Consequence: 
It is the result that follows after a behavior or action



My top ideas from the book

1. Be aware of Antecedents and Consequences present in your team/company. Antecedents set the event which results in behavior or action. After the behavior team member will receive consequence ( reward or punishment). This is called ABC model
1. Ex: What are the stimulus available for your team members to take up tasks, execute projects and complete them on time with quality? 
2. Is it because they are paid to do? Or are they motivated enough to do great work and help the team or company? Are they excited about the challenging task?
3. What are the consequences of doing a job? Do they have sufficient consequences to reward employees for a great job? or They are punished immediately with next task or more tasks?
4. Are their victories celebrated? Are they given opportunities to talk about their achievements in the team meetings?
2. Performance Management is providing and controlling antecedents and consequences. Analyse the antecedent and consequence based on Positive/Negative, Immediate/Future & Certain/Uncertain
3. When giving rewards, don't make the tangible rewards the highest priority. Instead the tangible rewards should help employees remember their achievements
1. For example, if you have budget to give costly rewards for great performance, then great. But if you don't, even you can give small rewards and present them to make them feel good. You may say, "Dear Suresh, this is a gift for your to help you remember your achievement".
4. Let the performer bask in the glory. The presentation ceremony should not be just receiving for performers, rather participatory. For example, instead of saying this award is for your so and so achievement and be done, ask employee how difficult or challenging that achievement was?
5. Model for performance problem solving
1. Pinpoint
2. Record
1. Measure
2. Feedback
3. Consequate or Reinforce
4. Evaluate

If you are using a different method of motivating your employees, do write in the comments.

Love,

Vish