Business Briefing: Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?

Keywords: Delegation, Time Management, Leadership, Employee Empowerment, Productivity
Source: Harvard Business Review
Link: Read the full article on HBR.org
Authors: William Oncken, Jr., and Donald L. Wass
Published: November 1974
Est. Read Time (Original): ~30 minutes

A Note on Access: To read the full article, a Harvard Business Review subscription is required. We believe an HBR subscription is an invaluable asset. We particularly recommend utilizing the downloadable PDF version of their articles—they are a fantastic, high-value resource for sharing and discussion within your team.

The Core Idea

This classic HBR article uses a powerful metaphor to diagnose a universal management problem. The "monkey on the back" represents the next move on a task or problem. The authors argue that managers consistently allow subordinates to delegate their problems upward, a process they describe as a "monkey" leaping from the employee's back to the manager's. When a manager accepts a subordinate's monkey, they inadvertently become subordinate to their own team, promising them progress reports and taking on tasks that should remain with the employee. The core of the article is a set of rules for effective delegation that ensures the monkey stays with its rightful owner, thereby developing employee initiative and freeing up the manager's own discretionary time.

Why It Matters for Business Today

In today's fast-paced, collaborative work environment, the "monkey" can leap faster and more frequently than ever before through instant messages, emails, and quick check-ins.

• The Manager as the Bottleneck: A manager who collects monkeys becomes the single biggest bottleneck on their team. Every problem waits for their input, while their own critical, strategic work (boss-imposed and system-imposed time) gets pushed aside. This leads directly to manager burnout and a disempowered, stalled team.

• Delegation is a Tool for Development: Keeping the monkey on a subordinate's back is not about avoiding work; it's a critical act of leadership and development. It forces employees to think through problems, develop their own initiative, and learn to take ownership of the next move. A manager who takes on the monkey robs their team of valuable growth opportunities.

• Reclaiming Time for True Leadership: The ultimate goal is to shift a manager's time away from "subordinate-imposed" tasks and toward discretionary time. This reclaimed time is what allows for strategic thinking, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration—the high-leverage activities that define effective leadership.

The Strategic Question for Leaders

The article argues that a manager’s time is forfeit the moment a subordinate’s “monkey” lands on their back. In your daily interactions, what specific language and processes do you use to differentiate between coaching an employee and accidentally accepting their monkey, ensuring that initiative and ownership always remain with your team?

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