A manager’s true role is to unlock and amplify their team’s potential, but all too often, it drifts into aimless firefighting. A book that has recently changed my perspective on things and that struck a chord with me is Ken Blanchard’s The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey.
Without clear processes or boundaries, the overworked manager becomes everyone’s default problem-solver. I experienced this firsthand: never trained in leadership, I ended up stretched so thin that I lost sight of purpose and momentum.
If you’ve ever read the E-Myth, this is also a danger that can happen with managers that you bring into your team if you’re a business owner. You’ll recognise the risky leap that occurs when a technically gifted individual is promoted into management without a solid operating system to guide them.
In the absence of clear processes, role definitions, and accountability structures, they can unwittingly slip into a reactive “putting out fires” mode—juggling urgent tasks, micromanaging every detail, and neglecting the strategic oversight that true leadership demands.
By contrast, equipping your rising stars with a proven managerial framework — complete with standardised workflows, performance metrics, and regular feedback loops — ensures they transition from skilled doers to effective leaders who elevate the entire organisation.
My Experience of Reading the One Minute Manager
As someone who has experienced both being in firefighting mode as a manager and has placed someone in a management role without clear frameworks in place, it resonated with me instantly.
You’ve probably heard someone say, “I just want to get this monkey off my back.” In everyday speech, that “monkey” represents a nagging burden—an ongoing problem, responsibility, or guilt—that won’t let you rest until you deal with it. In this book, the monkey represents someone else’s responsibility in the form of a task or process.
Although Ken Blanchard’s persistent “monkeys” metaphor can wear thin, the book ultimately boils down to three core insights: how to communicate effectively, the four fundamental management rules, and the three distinct types of time.
The four fundamental management rules
Rule 1: Describe the Monkey (Clarify the Task)
Don’t end a conversation until it’s clear exactly what needs to happen next. No vague commitments — define the next step.
Rule 2: Assign the Monkey (Delegate Properly)
Make sure the task stays with the right person at the right level. Don’t take on something someone else should own.
Rule 3: Insure the Monkey
Set Expectations for Progress — When someone takes on a task, they need to either:
1. Recommend, then Act (get your input before moving forward), or
2. Act, then Advise (take action, then update you).
This keeps communication clear and accountability in place. A time commitment is important here, and you should mutually agree on the outcome.
Rule 4: Check on the Monkey
Follow Up — Every task needs a check-in. Schedule reviews to track progress and keep tasks moving.
The important 5th rule is to shoot the monkey (rid yourself of processes or tasks that are not valuable).
Probably the two rules that I have the most trouble with are rules 3 and 4. That regular communication between me and my staff members is critical, as they have to be held accountable, but if you manage a relatively large team, this can become more challenging to do. Checking in regularly with my staff is something that I need to do often.
I would also say that a slight negative with this book is that it provides you with simple principles for how to manage effectively, but it does not provide an in-depth framework. However, I cannot complain as the book is so short and readable.
Three Types of Time
Blanchard also mentions that there are three types of time that we fill our day with professionally (which is why this book is important for all workers):
1. Boss-Imposed Time
The Alpha Gorilla’s Orders
These are the big bananas from up top. The CEO, director, or your direct boss says, “Do this!” and there’s no room for monkey business. You must handle these tasks — no excuses.
Example:
• “Give me that report by noon.”
• “Get the team trained this quarter.”
Strategy:
Handle this fast and clean. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of a silverback.
2. System-Imposed Time
Jungle Rules and Routines
This is the time you spend keeping the jungle running — team meetings, procedures, responding to emails, and client check-ins. It’s not from your boss directly, but it’s still required if you don’t want vines to tangle.
Example:
• Weekly team meetings
• HR paperwork
• Client follow-ups
Strategy:
Keep this lean — don’t let it grow into a tangled jungle vine of inefficiency.
3. Self-Imposed Time
Your Tree, Your Time — or Is It?
This is your golden hammock time — for planning, dreaming, solving big problems, or improving your jungle camp. But beware: it’s also where sneaky little monkeys from your team love to jump onto your back.
Two types here:
• Discretionary: “I choose to do this — for strategy, growth, or sanity.”
• Subordinate-Imposed: “Why am I doing THEIR monkey’s job again?!”
Strategy:
Guard your tree! Help others manage their monkeys instead of letting them climb onto you. That way, you stay free to swing through bigger, better ideas.
Summary
• Alpha’s orders = must do.
• Jungle rules = optimise.
• Your time = protect it from stray monkeys.
Conclusion
The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey is a great little management book that can help you, whether you are a business owner, manager, or even an employee, make your workflow more effective, efficient and less stressful.
