Catch People Doing Things Right: How Ken Blanchard Changed the Way the World Leads - Hardcover

by Martha C. Lawrence (Author)

WINNER OF THE 2025 BEST BOOK AWARD FOR BIOGRAPHY

This candid business biography reveals how bestselling author, speaker, and business consultant Ken Blanchard revolutionized management by leading with love and service.

Ken Blanchard transformed modern leadership theory through unlikely means--by catching people doing things right. Written like a novel with warmth and humor, this authorized biography reveals how a mediocre student who was told he "couldn't write" became a bestselling author and a globally renowned management expert.

Through extensive access to personal papers, letters, and interviews spanning six decades, Martha Lawrence paints an intimate portrait of the man behind The One Minute Manager and dozens of other influential books. From his early days coaching Cub Scouts to building a worldwide training organization, Blanchard demonstrated that nice guys can finish first by focusing on serving rather than being served.

During pivotal moments--his sister's tragic death, losing his home to wildfire, economic downturns threatening his company--Blanchard's optimistic leadership philosophy was tested. Yet his unwavering commitment to bringing out the best in others while leading with love created a lasting legacy that continues to influence organizations globally.

More than just a business biography, this book shows an American success story of someone who achieved greatness not through ruthless ambition but by genuinely caring about people and helping them reach their full potential. Blanchard's story offers an inspiring road map for anyone seeking to lead with both results and relationships in mind.

Author Biography

Martha Lawrence, a former editor for Simon & Schuster and Harcourt Publishers, is an executive editor at Blanchard and has worked closely with Ken Blanchard for more than twenty years. Over the course of her career, she has edited hundreds of books, including the multimillion-copy bestseller Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway and The One Minute Entrepreneur, a #1 New York Times bestseller. She coauthored, with Ken Blanchard and Cynthia Olmstead, Trust Works! Four Keys to Building Lasting Relationships, winner of the 2014 San Diego Book Award. She is also the author of five Edgar, Anthony, Agatha, and Shamus award-nominated mystery novels featuring private investigator Elizabeth Chase.