Book Review: The One Minute Manager

Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson wrote the book, The One Minute Manager, in 1982 and it has been one of the most widely read books in the business world. If you haven’t read it yet, you need to. It is an easy read and gives timely advice to all managers through an allegory that helps a new manager or leader, find his way to success. The book contains reminders of the basics—“people who feel good about themselves produce good results; help people reach their full potential, catch them doing something right; the best minute I spend is the one I invest in people; everyone is a potential winner, some people are disguised as losers, don’t let their appearances fool you; we are not just our behavior we are the person managing our behavior; and goals begin behaviors, consequences maintain behaviors.” The understandings that add richness to these reminders are the content of the book. If you have an hour, you work with people on a regular basis, and you have the desire to be an effective manager/leader, then taking the time to read this book will be an amazing investment.

Not so usual celebrations

July 20th is Ugly Truck Day. While “Ugly Truck Day” can not be found in the encyclopedia or in another reference book, this is a day that celebrates the functional, tried-and-true truck that has been through the good times and the bad times and still stands ready to transport you from one place to another. Certainly these is something to be said for a shiny new truck with all of the bells and whistles, but an old truck has character, a story to tell for each dent, scratch, or bang. Actually, an old truck is like a history book and so we should celebrate the ones that can be still find providing service to its owner.

Activities for Kids

Have the youth research the history of the truck, downloading or drawing pictures of the transition of trucks through the past 100 years. For younger students have students look for pictures of trucks that have different purposes (moving vans, transport cattle, refrigerator trucks, and of course ones that carry liquid) and have them dictate sentences or stories about the truck.