Every entrepreneur dreams of a team that runs like clockwork: motivated, confident, and consistent. Yet most small business owners will tell you the reality is different.
Oct 1, 2025
Here’s the truth: most people don’t fail because they’re lazy or incompetent. They fail because they don’t know what is expected of them. They rarely hear what they’re doing right, and when mistakes happen, feedback arrives too late - or not at all.
That’s where Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson’s timeless book The One Minute Manager comes in. The philosophy is simple: clarity, praise, and correction - delivered quickly and with authenticity.
Applying this practically, let’s take the example of a small independent coffee shop. It’s the kind of business where consistency matters: a cold coffee, an unfriendly interaction, or a dirty environment can lose potential repeat customers.
Here’s how the One Minute Manager framework transforms an ordinary coffee shop into a well functioning, people-centric business.
1. One Minute Goals: Clarity in Black and White
Think of goals as the compass for your team. If they don’t know where they’re heading, they’ll wander.
In our coffee shop, each barista begins the week with a short list of specific goals, not vague promises like “deliver great service”:
Prepare all drinks within three minutes of ordering while maintaining quality standards.
Keep the counter area clean and restocked every 30 minutes.
Greet every customer with a smile and eye contact.
Complete the daily closing checklist before leaving.
These goals take less than a minute to read and even less time to check against reality. The barista knows when they’re hitting targets and the manager knows when to step in, leaving no room for guesswork.
2. One Minute Praisings: Catch Them Doing It Right
Most managers are experts at spotting mistakes but amateurs at recognising successes. Yet people don’t repeat what’s punished - they repeat what’s praised.
Imagine it’s 8am on a Monday in Liverpool Street and the customers are rushing in for their morning fix. The barista on shift that morning greets every customer with a smile, makes every coffee in a timely fashion and keeps the area clean. This is not an easy feat and should be acknowledged!
As a result you, as the owner, should let the barista know how pleased you are with her for maintaining the high standards even when it is difficult to.
It takes less than 60 seconds, but the impact lasts far longer. The barista feels seen, her behavior is reinforced, and the culture shifts. Over time, the team learns: in this coffee shop, good work doesn’t go unnoticed and they feel motivated to maintain the high standards.
3. One Minute Reprimands: Correction Without Crushing
As with everything, mistakes will happen. The key is not to let them linger and to provide feedback immediately.
For example, a barista forgets to wipe down tables after the lunchtime rush and customers sit at dirty tables. Instead of saving it for the weekly review, you should address it immediately:
“James, I noticed the tables weren’t wiped after the last rush, and customers ended up sitting at dirty ones. That’s not the standard we set. You’re normally very reliable with cleanliness, so I know you’ll stay on top of it next time.”
This way of providing feedback is quick, clear and respectful. The issue is corrected, but James walks away with his confidence intact. He’s reminded that he belongs to a team with high standards and that you believe in him.
Final Thoughts
When you put all three pieces together - goals, praisings, reprimands - you create a loop that powers a business:
One Minute Goals give clarity.
One Minute Praisings build confidence.
One Minute Reprimands ensure consistency.
You aren’t buried in endless oversight, and employees aren’t left guessing. Instead, there’s a rhythm of expectation, recognition, and accountability.
While our example plays out in a café, the principles apply everywhere: accounting firms, creative agencies, consultancies, tech startups. Anywhere there are people, there’s a need for clear targets and acknowledgement of when these targets are met or not.
If you want a business where your employees thrive, stop overcomplicating management. Start with one-minute goals, one-minute praisings, and one-minute reprimands. Do them consistently, and you’ll build not just a business, but a culture.
