Author: Ken Blanchard

Saying “No”

/ Ken Blanchard / 2 Comments

One of the most difficult things I have had to do over the years is to learn to say no.  As a people-oriented person, it is very difficult for me to say no to anyone—I don’t want to hurt their feelings or make them feel unimportant.  As a result, ever since I was a teenager I have been overloaded with things I have agreed to do. I have always made too many commitments.

Saying no is simple, but not simply done by most people.  I have tried all kinds of ways to say no in my life.  When I was a professor at the University of Massachusetts, for example, I became so overwhelmed with things I had agreed to do that I sent out a letter to a number of people saying, “I am dying—dying from good opportunities.  If I don’t do something about it, I will not be long for this world.”  Then my letter went on to say that I had to drop a number of things I had agreed to do, just for survival.  I apologized to each reader because I had to drop something I had planned to do with that person.  The letter helped me out of the crisis in the short run, but was not something that made me proud.

To be effective in the long run in relieving overload, I’ve determined that you have to have a systematic approach and philosophy on saying no.  I recommend three steps:

1)  Be clear about what you are doing, and what your priorities are. If you are purposeful about how you are currently managing your work and time, it is easier to say no to new activities that are seemingly less important. We have a saying in one of our programs that goes, “A person who does not have goals is used by someone who does.”

To be proactive about saying no, you need to be very clear about your own goals. What are you trying to accomplish during a given period of time?  How can you focus your energy on things that will move you toward those goals?  This doesn’t mean you have to be rigid and inflexible if a new assignment or opportunity comes along, it just means your goals become your reality check. Within those goals, set priorities and stick to them. Then you will be better able to discern whether something is consistent with your job or area of expertise, which will make it easier to determine if you should take it on.

All good performance starts with clear goals.  Without them you will quickly be a victim, because you will have no framework to make decisions about where you should or shouldn’t focus your energy.  I become much better at saying no when I am more clear about my focus and what my goals are.

2)  Be clear and realistic about the consequences of doing one more thing. This is for yourself as well as the person who wants you to do something new.  I’ve found the best approach is to be honest and direct.  For example, say, “If I do this, I won’t be able to do the other things I’ve committed to.”  Or, if for no other reason than past history, you can say, “With what I’ve got going on right now, if I take on this additional task I feel certain that I won’t do as good a job as I’d like, and we will both be disappointed.”

In recent years when a new opportunity has come my way that I know I’m not able to do, I often compliment the idea (if I feel it has merit) and then simply say:  “I don’t choose to get involved.”  I’m amazed how, when I use this powerful approach, people very seldom say, “Well, why can’t you do it?”  They just accept it and say, “Thank you.”

3)  Offer alternatives and solutions. Suggest someone else who you feel could do the job or who may be available sooner to work on the task.  If the request is from your manager, suggest a project or priority you are working on that could be dropped, delayed, or given to someone else, or ask your manager to do the same.

The degree of flexibility between these three approaches is, of course, a function of exactly what the task is, who is asking you to take it on, and the time frame involved.  A request from your manager is going to involve more consideration and discussion than a request from an associate or someone you don’t know. Still, these basic approaches work.

Research done by Charles Garfield, author of the Peak Performance trilogy, clearly shows that peak performers only focus on a few key things.  And the late, great leadership expert Peter Drucker asserted that the people who truly get things done are “monomaniacs on a mission”—people who focus intensely on one thing at a time.  The more you take on, the greater the chance that you will lose effectiveness in not only getting that particular task done, but in all aspects of your life.  Keep in mind that when you say no to someone, you are not saying no to them, only to their proposition. And never forget the old expression: “Nobody can take advantage of you without your permission.”

Time Out For Time Management

/ Ken Blanchard / 5 Comments

Everyone knows the importance of making a list of things to do, prioritizing that list, and then working on the highest priority item.  Yet how many managers actually do that?  More often than not, managers have the best intentions as they come to work—but before they are even settled in their offices, they may be completely sidetracked by the needs of others.  From that point on, most managerial days become a series of interruptions, conversation snippets, ad hoc meetings, rushed phone calls and crises.

Interruptions aren’t all bad, necessarily.  In fact, research on time management indicates that effective managers and executives tend to have lots of interruptions during the day as they seek to keep in touch with day-to-day operations and to make themselves available to whoever needs them.  In fact, many effective managers define the most important part of their jobs as being available to others. Conversations are the primary way a manager or executive has to influence others today.  It may be the best strategy to take advantage of conversations whenever you can have them, even if other tasks you wanted to work on get delayed as a result.

Take Time to Focus

When, then, do those other tasks get done?  When should a manager take time to concentrate, focus and reflect?  The right answer varies from person to person and is a function, in part, of your personality.  If you are a morning person, you may surprise yourself at how much you can get done by getting up an hour earlier in the morning.  Some managers report getting everything they have to do in a given day done in less than an hour of unobstructed time, leaving the remainder of the day to help others.  If you are a night owl, it may make sense to periodically carve out time in the evenings to do such tasks.

And increasingly, people are discovering the distinct advantage in having the flexibility to work at home.  Managers indicate they can get two to three times as much work done than in a comparable time span at the office.  There are no interruptions, no socializing, no phone calls—just quiet focus time.

Use Different Time Management Systems

Probably more important than having any specific rules for managing your time is having a willingness to try different systems when the one you’re using is not working.  Since we are all creatures of habit, a time management system helps you gain efficiency in the use of your time.  Having flexibility in using different systems helps you to gain effectiveness in using the system that works best at any given time, and keeps you from becoming a slave to a single system.

“To do” lists, card sorts, post-it reminders, calendar tie-ins and project planning software are all useful time management tools.  Working on the next item that pops into your head, focusing on one high-priority item at a time, having a group work on a task, or doing a number of items as fast as you can, can also be effective time management approaches—but none of these approaches will work for you all the time. You have to have a willingness to switch to something new when what you’re doing is not working.

I go through phases in which a very flexible, detailed, priority-ranking time management system works best for me.  During such times, I grind through the tasks like a machine.  The following week I might go to bed determined to only work on one task the next day, stay home focused on that task, and put all other demands completely out of my mind until that task is finished.

Don’t Do What You Don’t Have To

Of course, the best way of getting something done is by not having to do it to begin with.  Thus, a manager should constantly check to see if the things he or she is spending time on are items that have to be done or that could be better done by someone else.  I find it useful to periodically review old “to do” lists to see if, looking back, those items completed were really that important. Often they were not. I then try to prune similar items from my current “to do” list.

We also need to constantly ask if things we are doing could be done better by someone else.  It is human nature to lean toward doing things we enjoy rather than those things we are required to do as part of our jobs.  Thus, a manager who used to be in a technical position might like troubleshooting equipment problems, while another manager who used to negotiate contracts might still enjoy spending extensive time combing over the details of a contract.  Effective managers keep this tendency in check, realize what parts of their jobs could be better done by others, and assign those tasks accordingly.

Transferring Training to the Workplace

/ Ken Blanchard / 1 Comment

I’m constantly amazed at how employees and managers seem to consider training for themselves and their people not as an important opportunity but as a fringe benefit, reward, or social occasion, with little if any plan or expectation on the part of attendees or their managers to maximize the investment.  This is a shame.

I find that with a minimal amount of forethought, the effectiveness, retention and practical application of almost any training opportunity can be greatly enhanced.  This is true whether it is a presentation, classroom lecture, experiential learning situation, or even an internship.  Here are three steps to follow to make sure training has a real impact on your organization.

Step 1:  Set learning goals prior to training.

Before any learning experience, set goals for yourself and with your manager of what you hope to learn during the training.  Just as we read faster and with better comprehension when we read with questions in mind, learning goals help us focus our attention and retention of concepts discussed in training.

For example, after you read the description of a training session, make a list of specific questions you would like to have answered while you are in the training. Ask how the session applies to your current or future job responsibilities.  Then talk about your expectations with your manager and others in your immediate work group.  Their comments might prompt you to form additional questions or learning goals for the training.  The clearer your expectations for what you want to get out of the training, the greater the chances you will achieve those expectations.

Step 2:  Use real-life applications in the training.

Once you are in the training, consistently try to apply what is being discussed back to your job and work group.  For example, if the course is about communication skills, consider how to apply this learning with your employees, manager, and colleagues.  If there is a chance to role-play, use someone you are having difficulty communicating with in your work group as a case study for your activity.  If the course is on leadership, make it an opportunity to actively define your philosophy of leadership with examples to illustrate your beliefs.  If the course is about problem solving, select one or more problems from your work environment to address during the seminar.

With other attendees and with the instructor, during a break or at the end of the day, discuss the application of the concepts to your focus area.  Also, before the session ends, check your list of questions to be sure all items have been addressed.

The more you can view training as a chance to pause and examine problems and situations in your work setting, the more apt you are to get lasting value from the program. Even if the training doesn’t call for it, make an action plan so that when you’re back on the job you will be able to implement learnings and insights you gained in the program.

Step 3:  Follow up on learnings once you are back at work.

As soon as you are back on the job, get out your original learning goals and see how many you achieved.  Share what you have learned with others—your manager, your peers, or your employees.  Having to explain things you learned will help you integrate those concepts into your own behavior.

Identify at least one change you can make right away to gain momentum for making other changes and to keep from slipping back, unchecked, into the status quo.  With others in your work group, share your action plan for doing things differently as a result of the seminar and seek support for the changes you plan to make.  Even the most determined person can benefit from the support and encouragement of others when trying to change his or her behavior.

Set a time in the not-so-distant future to review your plan and your progress.  Hold yourself accountable by sharing your plan with your manager or others in your department.  The extent and frequency of your follow-up is crucial to maximize the practical application of your learnings.

These three rules are not difficult to apply—in fact, you can have fun doing so.  The time invested in getting the most out of training will help to increase your learning and its application and retention so that the initial investment in the learning activity will be paid back time and time again.

Managing Up The Organization

/ Ken Blanchard / 4 Comments

It’s not uncommon after I have given a presentation for someone to say to me, “If only my manager had been here!  He (or she) really needed to hear this.”  I feel it’s a bit of a cop-out to blame your work problems on others.  It’s a safe way of not taking responsibility for your own circumstances and initiative to make things better.  The fact of the matter is that, during the span of your career, it’s likely that two out of every three managers will not be very good at the job of managing.  Are you going to let that keep you from getting what you want and need in your job?

If you’re going to succeed, you need to train your manager to give you what you need.  Fortunately, this is easier than it may sound—perhaps as easy as 1,2,3:

1. Give your manager what he/she needs to be successful. It’s going to be difficult to get your manager to make special efforts to help you if you don’t first show, through your actions, that you are worthy of such special effort.  Be responsive both in promptly doing what is asked of you, as well as volunteering to help on special projects and responsibilities.  Be proactive, try to anticipate your manager’s needs, and help to meet those needs.  Take a moment on occasion to ask what else you could be doing to help out.  Your attitude and behavior on this first step paves the way for the next step.

2. Tell your manager what you need from him/her to be successful in your job. After you have confirmed with your manager what is expected of you in your job, state what you’ll need from him/her for you to succeed.  This is where your knowledge of One Minute Management can be used to get the results you want.  Identify simple, clear, and specific One Minute Goals for each item you will be counting on for your manager to deliver, and then set realistic time frames for when those items can be done.

3. Follow up on 1 and 2. By doing what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it, you will build a reputation for being dependable and responsible.  By tactfully following up on items your manager agreed to do, you will build the expectation of reciprocity.

When your manager follows through on a commitment to you, use One Minute Praising to positively reinforce the behavior.  I am constantly amazed at how many employees feel that managers don’t need praisings!  After all—so goes the logic—that’s why managers are paid more.  It’s as if by making more money managers graduate to being appreciated less!  Let me let you in on a secret:  People are never too old or too high up in an organization to not want praisings—it’s human nature. Everyone likes others to notice things they worked hard to achieve. Give your manager a praising today and see for yourself!  And remember to praise progress—don’t wait until something is done perfectly before you say something.

If your manager does not follow through on a commitment to do something for you, you need some subtle form of a One Minute Reprimand.  Either reestablish the goal while checking on what you could do to move things along, or redirect your manager’s efforts toward a more feasible and realistic task.  Of course, you won’t have the position power to reprimand your manager, but the more you have built your personal power with him/her, the more likely a subtle reminder will work to get things back on track.

So don’t lament that your manager hasn’t created the perfect working environment for you—do something about it!  Take control of your work life, and learn how to get what you want from your manager in order to make things happen for you and the company.  People who learn the skills of managing up will soon be the ones who move up in today’s organizations.

The Art of Managing Monkeys

/ Ken Blanchard / 8 Comments

Do you ever go home feeling that you’ve spent the whole day doing jobs on other people’s “to do” lists instead of your own?  Do you feel that you’re doing more but accomplishing less?  Your life may seem out of control, but it doesn’t have to be if you learn the art of monkey management.

Several years ago I had a chance to work with the leading expert of monkey management, Bill Oncken, Jr., who authored, with Don Wass, one of the all-time best-selling articles published by the Harvard Business Review entitled Managing Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?  Bill and I joined forces with Hal Burrows to write The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey (Morrow, 1989).  It was a fabulous experience and I learned quite a few things about managing monkeys that still hold true today.

For those of you who are still scratching your head, allow me to explain. A “monkey” is the next move after two individuals meet, as illustrated here:  Say you meet an employee in the hallway.  He says, “Can I see you for a minute?  We have a problem.”  He explains; you listen; time flies. Twenty minutes later you know enough about the problem to realize you’ll have to be involved, but you don’t know enough to make a decision.  So you say, “This is very important, but I don’t have time to discuss it now.  Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.”

The detached observer understands what just happened, but when you’re in the middle, it’s harder to see the big picture.  Before you met your staff member in that hall, the monkey was on his back.  While you were talking, the matter was under joint consideration, so the monkey had one leg on each of your backs.  But when you said, “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you,” the monkey moved squarely onto your back.

The problem may have been part of your employee’s job, and he may have been perfectly capable of proposing a solution.  But when you allowed that monkey to leap onto your back, you volunteered to do two things that this person was generally expected to do as part of his job:  (1) You accepted the responsibility for the problem, and (2) you promised him a progress report.  Just be sure it’s clear who’s in charge now, your staff member will stop in on you several times the next few days to say, “Hi!  How’s it coming?”  If you haven’t resolved the matter to your employee’s satisfaction, he may begin to pressure you to do what is actually his job.

To avoid this travesty, monkey management is necessary.

Managers must be careful not to pick up other people’s monkeys.  When they do, they broadcast the message that the employees lack the skills to care for and feed the monkeys themselves.  Managers who grab monkeys off their people’s backs often kill employee initiative, and everyone is left waiting for the boss to “make the next move.”

Nobody wins when you take care of other people’s monkeys.  You become a hassled manager and don’t feel very good about yourself.  And you have workers who look to satisfy their needs elsewhere, because they feel underutilized and unappreciated.  They often become dependent upon the boss.  The care and feeding of other people’s monkeys is the ultimate lose/lose deal.

Bill Oncken, Jr. developed four rules of monkey management to help managers give back monkeys without being accused of buck-passing or abdication.  They are:

1.  Describe the monkey. The dialogue between a manager and a staff member must not end until appropriate next moves have been identified and clearly specified.

2.  Assign the monkey. All monkeys shall be owned and handled at the lowest organizational level possible.

3.  Insure the monkey. Every monkey leaving you on the back of one of your people must be covered by one of two insurance policies:  (1) recommend, then act, or (2) act, then advise.

4.  Check on the monkey. Proper follow-up means healthier monkeys.  Every monkey should have a checkup appointment.

If you follow Oncken’s rules, you’ll stop viewing your people as the major source of your problems and will soon start seeing them as major solutions, because each of their backs can be a depository for several monkeys.

Try monkey management—it works!