TCFBO #028: Managing Monkeys

Read Time: 2.5 minutes

Have you ever felt like your day is a never-ending cycle of solving other people’s problems, leaving you no time for your own work?

If that hits home, "The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey" by Ken Blanchard is a book we’d recommend reading.

It’s a concise guide that gets to the heart of efficient management.

In it the author presents a vivid metaphor that will change the way you view how you take on and effectively manage tasks.

In essence, unassigned tasks are described as ‘monkeys’.

And, as business owners, these monkeys can leap from the backs of team members, customers, and suppliers straight onto our overwhelmed shoulders.

For instance, when a team member comes up to you and says:

“I've got a problem”

and you respond with:

“Let me think about that and get back to you”

 …you’ve just allowed their monkey to climb across onto your back.

The book provides insightful scenarios, such as a manager ending up with a task after a meeting simply because they wanted to “take a closer look.”

It illustrates just how easily and how often we can unwittingly adopt other people’s monkeys.

And it shows the subsequent impact this has on our productivity and time management.

What Ken Blanchard does in this book is teach leaders how to prevent this transfer of responsibility.

Instead, he advocates a workplace where each individual maintains ownership of their respective monkeys.

So let's look at three common problems the book addresses, along with actions we can take.

Allowing Too Many Monkeys on Our Back

As small businesses owners we can often find ourselves bombarded with tasks that aren't ours.

These monkeys can quickly accumulate on our backs, weighing us down and impeding our progress.

So next time someone comes to you with a task that’s theirs to handle, avoid taking it on.

Instead, guide them with advice but ensure they leave with the monkey still firmly on their back.

Becoming a Decision-Making Bottleneck

We know it can be tempting to have a hand in every decision.

(Paul, being the control freak he is, suffers from this temptation more than Philly!)

This not only creates a bottleneck but also stifles your team’s ability to grow and make decisions independently.

So look at ways you can empower your team more.

Start small.

Identify decisions that your team can make without you.

Clearly communicate these areas and empower them to act.

You’re likely to discover that the more you trust your team the more they will trust you in return.

Mismanaging Our Time

Being caught up in daily firefighting means strategic planning takes a backseat.

If we're busy handling everyone else's issues, when do we focus on growing our business?

So protect your time.

Block out time for strategic work.

Take time to regularly experience your life and business visions in your mind.

Treat this time as sacred and non-negotiable.

If a monkey tries to intrude, ask if it can be handled later or by someone else.

"The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey" isn't just about managing others.

It’s about managing ourselves, our time and our tasks.

By delegating effectively, empowering those around us, and protecting our time, we can free ourselves from unnecessary tasks and burdens.

And by doing so we can create a proactive, empowered, and independent team.

As a result, your business will stop being swamped by out-of-control monkeys.

And instead, every team member, will be an effective manager of their own tasks.

Let us know how you get on and we’ll see you next week.

Paul & Philly

P.S. To discover a simple hack to get your non-urgent yet important tasks and projects done, even when you’ve got a bunch of urgent monkeys clamouring for your attention, check out “Hacking the Priority Matrix” here.

Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways we can help you:

1. Discover how to create a life and business you truly love with your copy of “Backwards Planning - A Simple Method to Move You and Your Business Forward” from Amazon.

2. To work with us through the entire “Backwards Planning” process outlined in the book, you can apply to join The Clear Focus Business Academy.

The first step is to book a facilitated Life Vision Session which we conduct one to one over Zoom. This session will not only give you clarity on what you want from your life but will give you the opportunity to experience how we work and ensure we're a good fit for each other before deciding whether The Clear Focus Business Academy is right for you. It comes with a 100% money back guarantee, so if you're not entirely satisfied, simply let us know at the end of the session and we'll issue a full refund.