I. Categories of Management Time

1. Boss-imposed time - activities required by boss; usually severe penalty if disregarded

• System-imposed time - active support requested by peers; usually mild or moderate penalty if disregarded
• Self-imposed time - activities which the manager originates or agrees to do; usually no penalty if disregarded
• "subordinate-imposed time"
• "discretionary time"

Axiom 2: A manager's strategy is to increase the "discretionary" component and minimize or do away with the "subordinate" component.

II. The "Monkey"

• Subordinate-imposed time begins the moment a "monkey" successfully executes a leap from the back of a subordinate to the back of his or her superior and does not end until the "monkey" is returned to its proper owner for care and feeding.
• By accepting the "monkey" the manager has made himself subordinate to his subordinate:
•             accepts responsibility from the subordinate
•             promises subordinate a progress report

• Even if a manager takes on only a couple "monkeys" a day, by end of the week he may have 10 or more - too many to adequately address each one. He thus spends his subordinate-imposed time juggling his "priorities."

• "Monkey" promptly climbs on your back - Let me think about it and I will get back to you.
• "Monkey" is crawling up your leg - Send me a memo on that.
• "Monkey" is swinging above you - Just let me know how I can help.
• "Monkey" straddles both backs - I will draw up an initial draft for discussion with you.

• Ensure that subordinates have the initiative.
• Manager and subordinate can not share the same initiative at the same time.

• wait until told (lowest initiative)
• ask what to do
• recommend, then take resulting action
• act, but advise at once
• act on own, then routinely report (highest initiative)
• Manager does not do 1) - no control over time or content

• Manager does not do 2) - controls timing but not content
• Manager's ideal is 5) - gives manager the greatest control
• Manager's job in relation to subordinate initiative:
• Outlaw 1) and 2)
• Agree upon level of initiative to be taken by subordinate
• Agree upon time and place of next manager-subordinate conference
• Record these agreements

• Monkeys should be fed or shot.
• Keep the monkey population below the maximum number the manager has time to feed.
• Monkeys should be fed by appointments only.
• Monkeys should be fed face to face or by telephone, but never by mail.
• Every monkey should have an assigned "next feeding time" and "degree of initiative."

• Enlarge discretionary time by eliminating subordinate-imposed time.
• Use a portion of this newfound discretionary time to see to it that each subordinate possesses the initiative without which he or she cannot exercise initiative, and then see to it that this initiative is in fact taken.
• Use another portion of the increased discretionary time to get and keep control of the timing and content of both boss-imposed and system-imposed time.

• Learn to say "no."
• Limit exposure and keep distance from monkey-carrying subordinates?
• Establish self-value.

Blanchard K, Oncken W, Burrows H. The One Minute Manager meets the Monkey, Quill Books, 1989. (ISBN 0-688-10380-4)

• This is a "must" read for those who will be managing others (e.g. clinic chiefs, etc.)

• a concise review of the "Monkey" analogy