The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey

I finished reading The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey book yesterday.  It was one of the management books Brian Westgate has been recommending me to read.  Below are some highlights from the book:

  • Experience is not what happens to you; It’s what you do with what happens to you.
  • The only way to develop responsibility in people is to give them responsibility.
  • Practice hands-off management as much as possible and hands-on management as much as necessary.
  • Assigning involves a single monkey; Delegation involves a family of monkeys.
  • If you always agree with your boss, one of you is not necessary.
  • A summary of Oncken’s four rules of monkey management:
    • Rule 1: Describe the Monkey: The dialogue must not end until appropriate “next moves” have been identified and specified.
    • Rule 2: Assign the Monkey: All monkeys shall be owned and handled at the lowest organizational level consistent with their welfare.
    • Rule 3: Insure the Monkey: Every monkey leaving your presence on the back of one of your people must be covered by one of two insurance policies: 1) Recommend, then act, 2) Act, then advise.
    • Rule 4: Check on the Monkey: Proper follow-up means healthier monkeys.  Every monkey should have a checkup appointment.