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Management

Monkey Management

· 3 min read

“Let me take a look at that and get back to you.” This single sentence can ruin a manager’s life. Once said, someone else’s monkey — their task — is on your shoulder, and from now on it’s your responsibility. With a full plate already, how do we handle this smartly?

Monkey management is helping your staff manage their own monkeys instead of taking them on yourself. Metaphorically, the “monkey” is the next move in any given task or problem. In “Who’s Got the Monkey?” (Harvard Business Review, 1974), William Oncken Jr. and Donald L. Wass describe a manager who takes on employees’ unsolved problems, letting them delegate upwards. The result: a heavier workload for the manager and staff who never develop their potential.

Why do I need monkey management?

It is a strategy for efficiency with two core benefits — better time management, and independently minded people who solve problems autonomously. More specifically:

  1. Effective use of the manager’s time
  2. Increased employee problem-solving skills
  3. Increased organisational problem-solving capacity
  4. Greater employee job satisfaction

The four steps

01 Describe the monkey

Always describe the appropriate next moves clearly before you assign the monkey. If someone comes with a solution, make sure you know the problem — ask “What problem are we trying to solve?” Then decide together whether to solve it or dismiss it. “I agree that is an issue, but because of (…), it is not a priority right now” beats an ambiguous acknowledgement.

02 Assign the monkey

Every monkey should be owned at the lowest level of the organisation compatible with its welfare — the person who gets it must be able to take the next move without undue risk to themselves, the organisation, or you. Getting this right often means finding a small, safe next move.

03 Insure the monkey

You are responsible for risk, so every monkey you assign needs its own insurance policy — the level of authority you delegate. Oncken describes five degrees of initiative:

  1. Wait until told (lowest initiative and risk)
  2. Ask what to do
  3. Recommend, then take resulting action
  4. Act, but advise at once
  5. Act on own, then routinely report (highest initiative and risk)

04 Check on the monkey

What your team does remains your responsibility, so follow up properly. Give every monkey a check-up appointment to keep it healthy, and end each discussion with a clear, scheduled next step.

A bonus tip

Be very clear about whom you assign the monkey to. Any ambiguity leaves it with one foot on your shoulder and one on theirs — nobody sure who’s looking after it.

Conclusion

Care for and feed the monkeys that belong on your back; strategically avoid the ones that belong on someone else’s. It’s not selfish — it’s smart.

References