Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson.

¶ … Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson. Specifically, it will discuss what have I learned from the book that I can utilize professionally as a school administrator. This book should be a must read for every manager in every organization. It makes management more effective, more positive, and simpler, in a time where too much of management just seems to be getting more complex and more convoluted.

The book notes that "it takes very little time for me to get big results from people" (Blanchard and Johnson), and it seems every manager in the world would find that compelling. Everyone wants to get better results in a smaller time frame. As a school administrator, I struggle with time on a daily basis, so immediately; this book captured my attention and interest. I was initially skeptical that one minute could actually make a difference, but after reading the book, I feel that many of the principles the authors discuss would work in my work situation, and could help create a better, more productive atmosphere between administration, staff, and teachers in my school.

Setting goals is an important part of any administrator's goals, for if there are no goals, there are no reasons for getting better, or for even coming to work every day. I believe we need to agree on goals for our students, our classrooms, and our teachers, and, as the book suggests, write each of these goals down so they are real, tangible, and attainable. Goals are a pathway to results, and one minute goal setting is certainly an attainable goal in my own workday. This book helps me set these goals quickly and effectively with "one minute goal setting," and that is a positive step for me and everyone around me. The goals should not be more than 250 words, or take more than a minute to read, so everyone understands the goals, and what needs to be accomplished quickly and effectively.

Probably the easiest things to accomplish in the book are the One Minute Praisings. As an administrator, it is often difficult to remember that everyone needs praise, and that praise does not need to take up large amounts of time. Making people feel good about what they are doing makes them more responsible and happy in their work. Stopping to praise a teacher for something they have done can only take a minute, but it can have much more lasting effects. As the book notes, "People Who Feel Good About Themselves Produce Good Results" (Blanchard and Johnson 30). This seems simple, but it is also quite true, and frankly, I would rather work at "catching" someone doing something right, rather than catching them at doing something wrong. Since I want my teachers to produce better learning results in their classrooms, I will use One Minute Praisings throughout the school year when they are appropriate to help my teachers feel better about themselves, understand their strengths, and develop positive long- and short-term goals for their students and their classrooms.