Whose Monkey Is It, Anyway?

In The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey, Ken Blanchard teams up with William Oncken Jr. and Hal Burrows to deliver a witty, eye-opening guide to a problem every manager knows too well—shouldering responsibilities that were never theirs to begin with.

Using the unforgettable metaphor of the "monkey"—a stand-in for tasks, problems, or unfinished business—the authors reveal how leaders unintentionally become burdened by the work of others. As these monkeys multiply, managers find themselves trapped in a cycle of firefighting, while their teams stroll off worry-free.

Through Oncken’s Four Rules of Monkey Management, this fast-paced book teaches you how to delegate wisely, communicate clearly, and lead without drowning in detail. Whether you're managing a team or mentoring a peer, you’ll learn how to empower others while freeing yourself to focus on what truly matters.

A clever classic on time, trust, and taking back control—because the best managers don’t carry monkeys. They teach others how to feed their own.