A Life Worth Catching: The Story Behind Ken Blanchard’s Biography
On October 21, Berrett-Koehler Publishers will release Catch People Doing Things Right: How Ken Blanchard Changed the Way the World Leads. The creation of this biography has been decades in the making.
It began in the 1980s, when I stumbled upon a slim little book that would change not only my leadership style, but the entire trajectory of my career. It was called The One Minute Manager, coauthored by Ken Blanchard and Dr. Spencer Johnson, and within its pages I found a radical idea: leadership could be rooted in connection, collaboration, and even love.This was not the command-and-control style I’d been taught. Instead of micromanaging people or waiting to pounce on their mistakes, Ken’s philosophy encouraged leaders to “catch people doing something right.” It was simple, powerful, and—though I didn’t know it then—way ahead of its time. Reading it gave me permission to lead differently, and I never looked back.
Meeting the Man Behind the Movement
Fast forward to 2003. I was a published mystery novelist, but after the tragic events of 9/11, I found myself questioning my work. Did the world really need more stories about bad guys? The news was already saturated with tales of discord and destruction. I wanted to write—and live—stories that uplifted.
That’s when an unexpected opportunity arose: Ken Blanchard—by this time a mega best-selling author and leadership guru—needed an in-house editor for his many book projects. The man whose ideas had transformed my own approach to leadership was inviting me into his creative world. Instead of fictional detectives, I would now be working alongside someone who’d inspired millions to look for the good in others. I jumped at the chance.
The Spark Behind the Biography
Over time, I came to know Ken not just as a celebrated thought leader, but as a human being. He was already recognized by the American Management Association as one of the top leadership authorities of the century. His books—seventy in total—had been translated into 47 languages, selling more than 25 million copies worldwide. He was the head of a global organization and the co-creator of the most widely used leadership model in the world. Yet behind the accolades was a deeply humble man with a playful sense of humor and a limitless affection for people.
I knew his story needed to be told. Too many biographies chronicle the lives of big egos motivated by self-interest, power, and status. While these people may be interesting, they make dubious role models. Here was a human being who had achieved greatness not through ruthless ambition but by genuinely caring about others.
No one asked me to write his biography; in fact, some people discouraged me. But the calling was too strong to ignore.
A Life Worth Catching
The result is Catch People Doing Things Right: How Ken Blanchard Changed the Way the World Leads. It’s not just a biography—it’s an invitation. An invitation to see leadership as something you do with people, not to them. To understand that love and vulnerability are not weaknesses, but strengths that can transform workplaces, homes, and communities.
Ken Blanchard is the real deal. He has lived what he’s taught for decades, and the lessons in his life are ones we can all carry forward. My hope is that in reading his story, you’ll not only be entertained and informed, but also inspired to catch people doing things right.