Book Review: The New One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson: The bestselling handbook to effective leadership

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The New One Minute Manager is an updated version of Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson’s bestselling book The One Minute Manager. It tells the story of a young man who is searching in vain for the ideal manager, until he comes across a man known as the “One Minute Manager”, who has managed to strike the perfect balance between encouragement, constructive criticism, guidance and independence. The original version of the book has sold over 15 million copies worldwide to date and been translated into numerous languages; The New One Minute Manager takes into account the impact of globalisation and new technologies, resulting in a text that anyone can use to navigate the challenges of management in an increasingly complex business world.

This book review and analysis is perfect for: 
• New managers looking for guidance as they lead their first team
• Seasoned leaders who want a quick refresher of key points
• Students of management and leadership

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The Book Review series from the 50Minutes collection is aimed at anyone who is looking to learn from experts in their field without spending hours reading endless pages of information. Our reviews present a concise summary of the main points of each book, as well as providing context, different perspectives and concrete examples to illustrate the key concepts. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: 50Minutes.com
• Release date: Feb 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9782808007054

Book preview

From authority to autonomy: an alternative view of management

The New One Minute Manager is an accessible, engaging book packed with simple, easy-to-apply tips, making it an excellent introduction for new managers and a valuable refresher for more seasoned leaders.

Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson rose to fame for their economic writing in the 1980s and quickly garnered widespread recognition as management experts. The original edition of their book The One Minute Manager has sold over 15 million copies to date, and has long been essential reading for leaders around the world. In 2015, Blanchard and Johnson published The New One Minute Manager, an updated version of their classic text which takes changes in contemporary society and their impact on how we work into account.

The book is designed to be accessible and comprehensive, and tells the story of a brilliant young man who sets out to search for the ideal manager. After several failed encounters in a range of companies all over the world, he eventually meets the One Minute Manager, who has steered a perfect middle course between the autocrats and democrats the young man has encountered up to that point. This manager tells the young man three secrets that allow him to inspire exceptional performances and take a genuine interest in his employees’ wellbeing.

These secrets can be applied to both your professional and your personal life and will provide real insights that you can use in your role as a manager at work, as the captain of your basketball team or as a parent.

Key information

Reference edition: Blanchard, K. and Johnson, S. (2015) The New One Minute Manager. London: Thorsons.

1st edition: 1982 (for The One