The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey
by Kenneth H. Blanchard · 1989
The sequel that explains exactly why your calendar disappears -- other people's unsolved problems keep jumping onto your back, one 'monkey' at a time.
Worth reading? A tiny 130-page fable about why your time disappears: other people's problems (monkeys) keep jumping onto your back. Read it if you're a manager who feels buried. Skip it if you already delegate cleanly, this is one metaphor stretched to a booklet.
| Author | Kenneth H. Blanchard |
|---|---|
| Published | 1989 |
| Category | Business & Money |
| Favorite quote | “Return the monkey: make them own the next step, not you.” |
The Verdict
A tiny 130-page fable about why your time disappears: other people’s problems (monkeys) keep jumping onto your back. Read it if you’re a manager who feels buried. Skip it if you already delegate cleanly, this is one metaphor stretched to a booklet.
you're a manager who feels buried in other people's problems and can't figure out where your day went
you already delegate cleanly -- this is one sharp metaphor stretched to a 130-page booklet, and if you've internalized it, there's little else here
Book Summary
Every problem a subordinate brings you without a proposed next step is a "monkey" -- and the moment you accept it, you've volunteered to do their work for them, taking on their problem instead of coaching them to solve it themselves. Most overwhelmed managers didn't get that way through too much real work; they got there by accumulating other people's monkeys one small, reasonable-seeming request at a time.
The fix is returning the monkey: require the person bringing a problem to also bring the next step, set a clear "when" for follow-up so it doesn't crawl back unannounced, and treat delegation as assigning real ownership with a check-in, not abandonment. Managing your monkey inventory, not your task list, is Blanchard's actual definition of time management for people who lead others.
Top 8 Lessons from The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey
- Every problem someone brings you is a 'monkey' that can end up on your back.
- When a subordinate dumps a problem on you, you've just volunteered for their work.
- Return the monkey: make them own the next step, not you.
- Set clear 'when' for follow-ups so monkeys don't crawl back unannounced.
- Teach people to solve before they report, so you're not the bottleneck.
- Too many monkeys on your back means your real job never gets done.
- Delegation isn't abandonment; it's assigning ownership with a check-in.
- Protect your time by controlling which monkeys you accept and when.
Top 1 Quotes from The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey
"Return the monkey: make them own the next step, not you."
Kenneth H. Blanchard, The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey worth reading?
Yes if you're a manager buried in other people's problems. It's a fast, memorable read.
What is the main idea of The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey?
Stop letting subordinates' problems land on you; return ownership so you're not the bottleneck.
Who should read The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey?
New and overwhelmed managers who can't figure out where their day went.
Is this book just the One Minute Manager again?
No, it's a standalone fable focused only on delegation and time control.
What does 'returning the monkey' mean?
Requiring the person who brought you a problem to also propose the next step, rather than you taking over their problem entirely -- Blanchard's core delegation technique for not accumulating other people's unsolved work.
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