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Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Gain the mindset and skillset for getting what you need to succeed
Twenty years after creating the phenomenal bestselling classic The One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard returns to its roots with the most powerful and essential title in the series as he explores the skills needed to empower yourself to success.
In this captivating business parable, bestselling author Ken Blanchard tells the story of Steve, a young advertising executive who is about to lose his job. During a series of talks with a gifted magician named Cayla, Steve comes to realize the power of taking responsibility for his situation and not playing the victim. Passing along the knowledge she has learned from The One Minute Manager, Cayla teaches Steve the three tricks of self leadership. These three techniques not only empower him to keep his job, but give him the skills he needs to keep growing, learning, and achieving.
The primary message of SELF-LEADERSHIP AND THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER is that power, freedom, and autonomy come from having the right mindset and the skills needed to take personal responsibility for success.
145 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2018
303 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth H. Blanchard
314 books1,845 followersKen Blanchard, one of the most influential leadership experts in the world, is the coauthor of the iconic bestseller, The One Minute Manager, and 60 other books whose combined sales total more than 21 million copies. His groundbreaking works have been translated into more than 27 languages and in 2005 he was inducted into Amazon’s Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 bestselling authors of all time.
Ken is also the cofounder and chief spiritual officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies®, an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Margie Blanchard, began in 1979 in San Diego, California.
When he’s not writing or speaking, Ken also spends time teaching students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego. Ken can be found at www.kenblanchard.com.
Ken is also the cofounder and chief spiritual officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies®, an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Margie Blanchard, began in 1979 in San Diego, California.
When he’s not writing or speaking, Ken also spends time teaching students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego. Ken can be found at www.kenblanchard.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 9, 2017
I have always been a fan of the One Minute Manager books. I enjoy the art of storytelling and visualizing as I hear a story. Susan Fowler and Laurence Hawkin’s new partnership with the book Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager does not disappoint. Sure some leaders are born however, most of us acquire leadership skills through experience and mentoring. Have you ever started a new venture feeling like a superstar only to find that maybe you aren’t such a phenomenal leader? This book is for you.
I’ve never given too much thought to self-leadership but this book quickly jumpstarted my mind. We all need self-leadership in order to succeed and make a change. Our lives are ever changing and at one point we may need little more direction or support yet, we may find ourselves not pushing enough to ask for more support and assistance from someone else as circumstances change.
The book teaches us valuable lessons in business in a parable featuring Steve, a young advertising executive who feels that he is about to lose his job. He bumps into a friendly magician in a coffee shop who helps Steve realize how he needs to take the power of responsibility for his own situation and stop blaming others. The magician, Cayla, empowers others by coaching from what she has learned from the One Minute Manager. She shares 3 valuable self-leadership lessons that allow Steve to turn his situation around and lessons that we can all use in our own lives.
Assumed constraints are a negative and are a belief that will limit your experience and hold you back.
Activate your points of power: They include position, knowledge, task, personal, and relationship power.
Self-leadership means being proactive to get what you need to succeed: The two most powerful words to get what you need are “I need”.
Stories are all about sharing and teaching. Self-Leadership and the One Minute Manager does not disappoint. The book shares valuable lessons but also provides a Development Continuum Model that illustrates the four stages people experience when they are learning to master something, like a new job or life change. The model captures what people experience and helps them to realize their competence and commitment to change as we learn something new or pursue a goal.
The book offers visual models of the four stages along with a complete list of competences and commitments to help in understanding how to integrate the model into our lives. The book is a quick read yet offers so much information in an entertaining and empowering way. Steve was empowered by the gifts that Cayla shared with him and not only does he keep his job, but he becomes a One Minute Manager to those around him.
I’ve never given too much thought to self-leadership but this book quickly jumpstarted my mind. We all need self-leadership in order to succeed and make a change. Our lives are ever changing and at one point we may need little more direction or support yet, we may find ourselves not pushing enough to ask for more support and assistance from someone else as circumstances change.
The book teaches us valuable lessons in business in a parable featuring Steve, a young advertising executive who feels that he is about to lose his job. He bumps into a friendly magician in a coffee shop who helps Steve realize how he needs to take the power of responsibility for his own situation and stop blaming others. The magician, Cayla, empowers others by coaching from what she has learned from the One Minute Manager. She shares 3 valuable self-leadership lessons that allow Steve to turn his situation around and lessons that we can all use in our own lives.
Assumed constraints are a negative and are a belief that will limit your experience and hold you back.
Activate your points of power: They include position, knowledge, task, personal, and relationship power.
Self-leadership means being proactive to get what you need to succeed: The two most powerful words to get what you need are “I need”.
Stories are all about sharing and teaching. Self-Leadership and the One Minute Manager does not disappoint. The book shares valuable lessons but also provides a Development Continuum Model that illustrates the four stages people experience when they are learning to master something, like a new job or life change. The model captures what people experience and helps them to realize their competence and commitment to change as we learn something new or pursue a goal.
The book offers visual models of the four stages along with a complete list of competences and commitments to help in understanding how to integrate the model into our lives. The book is a quick read yet offers so much information in an entertaining and empowering way. Steve was empowered by the gifts that Cayla shared with him and not only does he keep his job, but he becomes a One Minute Manager to those around him.
March 7, 2019
The material and advice was good and useful. It presents ideas I've known for some time, but in a way that is easy to think about and apply to your own career. But I really hated the way it was presented and I wish it hadn't been in the format of what felt like a middle school play. I would much have preferred it was presented to me in a non-fiction presentation with examples provided. This is a personal preference and I would not deter others from reading the book since the author does lay out some good points to think about.
October 2, 2017
This book, originally published in 2005, introduced a proven path to empowerment in the format of a quick-read parable. In the increasingly fast-paced world of work, this updated edition is more relevant than ever as it gives readers three tricks to managing themselves.
We are introduced to Steve, a new advertising account executive. His first ad campaign, for United Bank, is rejected as “garbage” by the bank president. Stunned, and afraid that he will be fired, Steve, instead of driving back to the agency, comes upon Cayla’s Café, in an unfamiliar neighborhood. There he meets the owner, Cayla, doing magic tricks for children. Little does he know that Cayla, a protégé of the One Minute Manager, will help to change his life, and perhaps save his job.
Cayla meets a Steve who is full of excuses, and sees himself as a victim. She proceeds to teach him about self-leadership, something the One Minute Manager had taught her and asked her to pass on to others. She tells him that he will be ready for self-leadership when he accepts responsibility for his own success. She tells him that empowerment is something someone gives you, while self-leadership is what you do to make it work.
She will teach Steve three “tricks” of self-leadership:
1. Challenge assumed constraints. An assumed constraint is a belief that limits your experience.
2. Activate your points of power. She teaches him about five points of power – knowledge power, personal power, relationship power, task power and position power. She tells him that perhaps his greatest assumed constraint was not realizing his own power.
3. Be proactive! Get what you need to succeed! The two most powerful words to get what you need to success are, “I NEED”. When you use the “I need” phrase, you are coming from a position of strength.
Cayla introduces Steve to the Situational Leadership II Model, which includes the Development Continuum. The Development Continuum is a model of four stages people usually experience when they are learning to master something. For each development level, the model provides a corresponding leadership style to provide you with the appropriate amount of direction and/or support you need. For example, when your competence is low, you need direction. When your commitment is low, you need support.
This is a helpful, quick-read, that you will benefit from reading.
We are introduced to Steve, a new advertising account executive. His first ad campaign, for United Bank, is rejected as “garbage” by the bank president. Stunned, and afraid that he will be fired, Steve, instead of driving back to the agency, comes upon Cayla’s Café, in an unfamiliar neighborhood. There he meets the owner, Cayla, doing magic tricks for children. Little does he know that Cayla, a protégé of the One Minute Manager, will help to change his life, and perhaps save his job.
Cayla meets a Steve who is full of excuses, and sees himself as a victim. She proceeds to teach him about self-leadership, something the One Minute Manager had taught her and asked her to pass on to others. She tells him that he will be ready for self-leadership when he accepts responsibility for his own success. She tells him that empowerment is something someone gives you, while self-leadership is what you do to make it work.
She will teach Steve three “tricks” of self-leadership:
1. Challenge assumed constraints. An assumed constraint is a belief that limits your experience.
2. Activate your points of power. She teaches him about five points of power – knowledge power, personal power, relationship power, task power and position power. She tells him that perhaps his greatest assumed constraint was not realizing his own power.
3. Be proactive! Get what you need to succeed! The two most powerful words to get what you need to success are, “I NEED”. When you use the “I need” phrase, you are coming from a position of strength.
Cayla introduces Steve to the Situational Leadership II Model, which includes the Development Continuum. The Development Continuum is a model of four stages people usually experience when they are learning to master something. For each development level, the model provides a corresponding leadership style to provide you with the appropriate amount of direction and/or support you need. For example, when your competence is low, you need direction. When your commitment is low, you need support.
This is a helpful, quick-read, that you will benefit from reading.
May 25, 2021
Next to John C. Maxwell, Ken Blanchard is one of the writers who has influenced and shaped the way I think and practice leadership. Most of his books, perhaps except Lead Like Jesus, are short, concise, and filled with pearls of wisdom. What’s unique about Blanchard – and other co-writers of The One Minute Manager Series – is that he can teach leadership principles and skills in a fun way through narrative and interesting stories. Some of the books that make a difference in my leadership life are The Secret and Great Leaders Grow in which he co-authored with Mark Miller. I fully recommend any of Blanchard’s books.
Now, about the book… There is one fact that every leader must understand: If a leader can’t lead him/herself effectively, everything else in the leader’s life will be a struggle. Self-leadership comes first. Some of the toughest challenges you face as a leader, I think, come from the way you lead yourself. You may assume they come from someone or something else when you actually need to look at yourself as the source. Ken Blanchard writes, “Today it’s imperative that people become self-leaders – individuals capable of setting priorities, taking initiative, and solving problems independently.” Yes, you need to become a leader who is a proactive contributor and not just a reactive order-taker. In today’s fast-changing world, self-leaders are all the more important. Blanchard observes, “Our research shows that when individual contributors and managers align around self-leadership, both become more engaged and produce better results. As a result, customers are happier and organizations become more profitable.” He continues, “In fact, a culture of self-leadership is the hallmark of great organizations.” Are you ready to be a self-leader?
To read further, CLICK HERE: https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2019/03...
Now, about the book… There is one fact that every leader must understand: If a leader can’t lead him/herself effectively, everything else in the leader’s life will be a struggle. Self-leadership comes first. Some of the toughest challenges you face as a leader, I think, come from the way you lead yourself. You may assume they come from someone or something else when you actually need to look at yourself as the source. Ken Blanchard writes, “Today it’s imperative that people become self-leaders – individuals capable of setting priorities, taking initiative, and solving problems independently.” Yes, you need to become a leader who is a proactive contributor and not just a reactive order-taker. In today’s fast-changing world, self-leaders are all the more important. Blanchard observes, “Our research shows that when individual contributors and managers align around self-leadership, both become more engaged and produce better results. As a result, customers are happier and organizations become more profitable.” He continues, “In fact, a culture of self-leadership is the hallmark of great organizations.” Are you ready to be a self-leader?
To read further, CLICK HERE: https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2019/03...
January 16, 2018
I finished "Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager" last night. Overall, I liked it. I've read a couple of leadership books with a similar style (I've typically heard it called a "leadership parable"), and it makes for a nice read. Basically, you're not just given blank leadership principles. Instead, those principles are couched in a novel-type story of a fictional leader in a realistic situation who has to learn those specific leadership principles to succeed. There isn't much meat to it...you could probably give a pretty good summary on a 3x5 note-card, but because it gives you the info within a story, that does kind of help you think through possible situations and scenarios that you may face.
September 11, 2025
Simple and easy to understand language, not a lot of business jargon. Decent storytelling to keep you engaged like a child. I learned some new things and gained some new perspective about my own leadership style and I'm definitely going to practice some of the tricks mentioned in the book.
However, the core message or learning from the book could easily be summarised in a blog or a single article. In fact, the key learnings have been summarised at least thrice within the book itself.
Overall, good for a quick read.
However, the core message or learning from the book could easily be summarised in a blog or a single article. In fact, the key learnings have been summarised at least thrice within the book itself.
Overall, good for a quick read.
April 13, 2023
This was interesting and included helpful points. It was an easy read as well, and I'll definitely implement some of hte ideas mentioned.
However it was a bit boring and I skimmed a large portion of the book. Additionally, the book is certainly less helpful for neurodiverse people- as someone with ADHD in particular, there are self leadership ideas that would be difficult for me as I struggle with executive function.
However it was a bit boring and I skimmed a large portion of the book. Additionally, the book is certainly less helpful for neurodiverse people- as someone with ADHD in particular, there are self leadership ideas that would be difficult for me as I struggle with executive function.
July 16, 2022
Another great book from the One Minute Manager series. I really like this kind of narrative and the hidden lessens inside of it. This one is especially interesting, because it again comes up with the concept of situational leadership and combines it with the idea you need a special mindset to lead properly.
November 14, 2024
Contains some practical advise but feels long-winded for the content. The leadership lessons are wrapped in a story, and while the dialogue helps to explain the concepts the storyline is so far-fetched it makes for a corny read.
Despite the shortcomings, it's an easy/light read and still contains some practical advice and useful antidotes.
Despite the shortcomings, it's an easy/light read and still contains some practical advice and useful antidotes.
September 1, 2019
I loved this book: it reads super fast and builds up on the one minute manager to give a book that reads like "The Goal". The advice is very practical and the learning path (using magic tricks analogy) works perfectly.
March 12, 2021
Read from start to finish. Very enjoyable.
This is a book where you have to keep going until you get to the end of the story, as it's very enjoyable. Normally I read for an hour and then stop, but I kept going on this occasion. Well worth buying.
This is a book where you have to keep going until you get to the end of the story, as it's very enjoyable. Normally I read for an hour and then stop, but I kept going on this occasion. Well worth buying.
September 22, 2021
Ken Blanchard and company never disappoints. From the time I read the original One Minute Manager many years ago, I have been hooked. His approach of teaching through story telling makes the principles easy to remember, and the principles themselves are well researched and tested.
July 29, 2025
The first management book I've read that gets the message across in a short read without dragging it on just to make a thicker book! also presented in a fun way which at times felt a little childish - fine as long as you like fun.
October 6, 2017
Redifines the way you manage yourself and think of leading.
January 14, 2018
I have read this book previously but it has been revised recently so it was worth another read through as a refresher. I enjoy Mr. Blanchard's easy writing style.
February 18, 2018
I am sure I will listen to again.
December 2, 2018
love the format.
didn't think the takeways were as easily bundled as the original.
quadrants, types of power, i need
didn't think the takeways were as easily bundled as the original.
quadrants, types of power, i need
September 16, 2018
Great read add to your library.
November 10, 2018
Well dine
Simple yet put in a powerful way in this tiny book. Thanks for the great work and recommend everyone to read jt.
Simple yet put in a powerful way in this tiny book. Thanks for the great work and recommend everyone to read jt.
January 11, 2019
I read/listened to this book on Audible. I really like the way it's put together with the characters as a lesson and even with a little magic! Easy to understand and apply to our own lives.
Than you
Than you
September 6, 2019
Great, simple, entertaining
I loved this book. Simple, easy to understand, entertaining. Straight up what you need to apply and how. Great read.
I loved this book. Simple, easy to understand, entertaining. Straight up what you need to apply and how. Great read.
January 20, 2020
Very practical.... Will read over and over
February 20, 2020
Good
Useful information delivered in a fun and digestible way. I would recommend this short book to anyone, regardless of there career.
Useful information delivered in a fun and digestible way. I would recommend this short book to anyone, regardless of there career.
February 22, 2020
Amazing book!
Amazing inputs how to develop self confidence, how to give direct communication with teams, highly recommend to everyone who need to develop.
Amazing inputs how to develop self confidence, how to give direct communication with teams, highly recommend to everyone who need to develop.
April 5, 2020
Magic!
Completed the book in day, but I learned a lot! Love the business card trick, ready to be a magician!
Completed the book in day, but I learned a lot! Love the business card trick, ready to be a magician!
Read
July 15, 2020Great read. Process to become unstuck and stay that way and personal reflection in the process.
April 10, 2022
Tips for Self Leadership
A refreshing light read for managers to support their own goals and support their teams in self awareness and development
A refreshing light read for managers to support their own goals and support their teams in self awareness and development
April 4, 2023
This audiobook was a good story and also it was an inspiring one.
It’s a pleasant audiobook and quite interesting with all the samples and situations which are captured within the book.
Chapeau!
It’s a pleasant audiobook and quite interesting with all the samples and situations which are captured within the book.
Chapeau!
July 23, 2023
Three simple principles expressed
Read and enjoy the simplicity of the three rules of self leadership. The story format allows you to follow Steve as he learns the rules.
Read and enjoy the simplicity of the three rules of self leadership. The story format allows you to follow Steve as he learns the rules.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews