The On-Time, On-Target Manager: How a "Last-Minute Manager" Conquered Procrastination

The author of the phenomenal New York Times bestselling classic The One-Minute® Manager explores one of the most common and insidious problems plaguing the workplace—procrastination.

In every workplace, in every industry, lurks a diabolical career killer. Procrastination. In this latest addition to his bestselling series, Ken Blanchard tackles this problem head on, offering practical strategies any professional can immediately put into practice to improve his or her performance. In The On-Time Manager, he stells the story of Bob, a typical middle manager who tends to puts things off until the last minute. As a result, he misses deadlines because his lack of focus causes him to accomplish all the meaningless tasks before he can get to the important things. Like many professionals, Bob rationalizes, justifies, and tries to explain. With his trademark clarity and vision, Blanchard shows how Bob learns to overcome his problem transforming himself from a Last-Minute manager into a productive On-Time manager.

Based on the powerful "Three P Strategy," this book reveals how to:

• A Simple Productivity System: Master the Three P’s—Priority, Propriety, and Commitment—to conquer your to-do list and focus on what truly matters.
• Effective Decision Making: Learn the "triage" method to distinguish between the tasks you want to do and the ones you have to do to get results.
• Reduce Workplace Stress: End the cycle of last-minute panic for yourself and your team by creating systems that ensure you’re always ahead of schedule.
• Meet Deadlines, Every Time: Follow the story of Bob the manager as he transforms from missing deadlines to delivering on-time, on-target results.

Ken Blanchard's phenomenal bestsellers, such as The One Minute Manager and Raving Fans, have made him a globally recognized business legend. Millions look to Blanchard for innovative approaches to management, leadership, customer service, and much more. Now, he has joined with noted business author Steve Gottry to explore one of the most common and insidious problems plaguing the workplace—procrastination.

The On-Time, On-Target Manager is the story of Bob, a typical middle manager who puts things off to the last minute. As a result, he misses deadlines because his lack of focus causes him to accomplish meaningless tasks before getting to the important things. Like many professionals, Bob rationalizes, justifies, and tries to explain. Luckily, Bob is sent to his company's CEO—which stands for "Chief Effectiveness Officer"—who helps him deal with the three negative side effects of procrastination: lateness, poor work quality, and stress to himself and others. Bob learns how to transform himself from a crisis-prone Last-Minute manager into a productive On-Time, On-Target manager.

With this engaging parable, Blanchard and Gottry offer practical strategies any professional can put into practice to improve his or her performance.