by Hal Burrows, Ken Blanchard, and William Oncken
I first learned about One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey from my very first manager after I joined corporate life. She knew that transitioning from startup culture to a larger organization could be challenging, especially when it came to delegation. So she gifted me this book and had it sent directly to my home. At the time, it was exactly what I needed.
Coming from a startup background, I was used to wearing a lot of different hats. In that environment, you have to be responsible for so many things at once—there’s no one else to hand tasks off to, and you end up carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders. But when I transitioned into a corporate setting, everything changed. I wasn’t responsible for everything anymore, and I had to learn how to let go of certain tasks and trust others to take ownership. This was a completely new skill for me, and, as someone who was used to helping everyone around me, it wasn’t easy.
This book helped me make that shift.
The monkey metaphor in the book was a game-changer for me. It visualizes tasks and responsibilities as “monkeys” that often jump from one person’s back to another’s during interactions. The idea is that when someone comes to you with a problem, they’re essentially handing you their “monkey”—their task or responsibility. As someone who loves to help, I had a tendency to collect these monkeys, often without realizing it. But One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey taught me how to recognize these situations and, more importantly, how to put the monkey back where it belongs—on the back of the person who should own that task.
It was a revelation. I learned that constantly taking on other people’s tasks was not only preventing me from focusing on my own responsibilities but also hindering the development of others. By allowing people to keep their monkeys and take ownership of their tasks, I was actually helping them grow and thrive.
Since reading this book, I’ve become much more aware of how I manage my time and responsibilities. It’s been a crucial part of my journey in learning how to delegate effectively and to recognize that letting go is not a sign of weakness but a strategic move that helps everyone succeed.
What is One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey about?
In One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey, the authors Hal Burrows, Ken Blanchard, and William Oncken introduce a simple yet powerful metaphor to explain the art of delegation. The “monkey” in the book represents tasks, responsibilities, or problems that people often try to offload onto others. The book’s central message is that managers (or anyone, really) often take on these monkeys without realizing it, overburdening themselves with tasks that aren’t theirs to handle.
The book provides practical advice on how to “put the monkey back” by ensuring that tasks are given to the right person, at the right time. It emphasizes the importance of delegation not only to free up time for the manager but also to empower others to take ownership of their responsibilities. Through clear, actionable steps, the authors help readers learn how to manage their workload effectively and avoid getting overwhelmed by other people’s monkeys.
With its engaging style and insightful metaphor, this book is a must-read for anyone who struggles with delegation or finds themselves constantly taking on too much. It’s a practical guide to learning when to help and when to step back, allowing others to grow while maintaining your own focus and priorities.
Book Cover
