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

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

Ken Blanchard, Steve Gottry. William Morrow & Company, $19.99 (126pp) ISBN 978-0-06-057459-8

This short, accessible and sometimes simplistic book addresses""a diabolical career killer that is lurking out there every day.... procrastination."" Blanchard (The One Minute Manager) and Gottry (A Kick in the Career) argue convincingly that procrastination is at the root of most career shortcomings, not to mention certain problems with health, marriage and a host of other issues. They offer a straightforward three-step plan (involving the mantra""Priority, Propriety and Commitment"") for overcoming procrastination and achieving success. The authors adopt an entertainingly narrative approach to their subject, conveying their points using a fictional story about a hard-luck character named""Bob the Manager"" who manages to see the light and turn his career around. Though the dialogue and story get hokey at times--Bob is coached by a""chief effectiveness officer"" and his evolution seems a little too easy--this book is friendlier than typical career guidebooks and the framing of obstacles and advice in a story could help the premise ring true for many readers.