Management By Walking Around

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What Is Management By Walking Around (MBWA)?

Management by walking around (MBWA), also known as management by wandering around, is a managerial technique in which managers walk around their employees' workspace at random intervals to interact with them, monitor project progress, and observe office activities. The primary aim is to increase communication, build relationships, and improve productivity.

Management by walking around is an important technique as it not only helps the manager to be involved with their team but also enables them to observe the office activities closely, monitor project fulfillment, and interact with their subordinates regularly, resulting in a better understanding of their team's needs and increased employee engagement.

What Is Management By Walking Around (MBWA)?

Management by walking around (MBWA) is a managerial technique where managers walk around their employees' workspace, instead of giving orders from their cabin, to supervise their work and build relationships.
Some principles of MBWA include direct supervision, building relationships, networking with subordinates, exchanging ideas, creating an open communication channel, and exercising formal and informal control.
For companies that follow the MBWA practice, avoiding becoming too involved in their subordinates' work is important.

Management By Walking Around Explained

Management by walking around resembles the Japanese technique Gemba walk. Gemba means the real place or the place where the work happens. The technique was then used by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota. Later, in the 1970s, American multinational company Hewlett Packard adopted this model.

Employees may perceive managers as top executives who delegate work, demand project status, and attend meetings with other top executives. While it's true that some managers may spend a lot of time in their offices, many organizations recognize the importance of managers interacting with their employees directly in management by walking around (MBWA) system.

Some companies mandate managers to walk around and supervise their employees, while others do so voluntarily. Some managers want to know what happens in their department or floor. This would give them the self-satisfaction of having monitored the office activities first-hand. Should some issue arise, they can express their thoughts on what they have seen rather than expressing others' views.

Some managers believe in building relationships with their employees. They do not wish to be seen as a watchdog but as a responsible, friendly guardian. Also, networking with subordinates has its benefits. Firstly, employees are encouraged to communicate openly with the manager in case of any issues. When managers listen, they get many valuable inputs, which will help them in decision-making and increase employee participation.

Secondly, a direct association with the manager will increase the employees' accountability, as there is a relationship of trust and faith between them, which they wouldn't want to ruin. Thirdly, speaking with employees will keep the manager updated about projects, employee issues, workplace politics, etc., thus giving them more control.

Finally, all the traditional managerial roles, such as planning, controlling, staffing, leading, organizing, motivating, performance appraisal, etc., will become much easier when managers inspire employees who trust their leaders. These are some principles of management by walking around.

Examples

Here are a few examples of MBWA.

Example #1

David is the operations manager of a toy-manufacturing company Toy-OO. He has been working with the company for over 25 years and currently has 50 employees under him.

Every morning, David goes through the day's schedule and meets with his assistant when he reaches the office. After that, David walks around the department and talks to the employees. He is so involved in his subordinates' work that he walks up to each of them, sits with them, and talks about their family and other interests. He starts talking about the work allotted to the employee only after this. David understands how they plan on doing the task and shares his ideas.

Example #2

Productivity paranoia is a phenomenon where managers do not realize the actual workforce productivity, even if it is high or unaffected. Managers have traditionally been accustomed to walking around their employees' workspace, interacting with them, and sharing ideas. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns, remote work became the norm for almost two years. As a result, managers have grown increasingly suspicious of their subordinates' work.

A recent study conducted in September 2022 involving 20,006 participants revealed that around 87% of employees felt that their productivity was unaffected due to the shift to remote work. However, only 12% of managers could say the same about their employees, indicating a growing distrust in remote work. Managers who cannot observe their employees' work in person tend to feel that work could have been completed sooner.

Advantages And Disadvantages

MBWA is an excellent managerial technique with many benefits. But nothing is without its downside. So let's study the pros and cons of this technique.

Advantages

The manager can directly supervise their employees and their work.
A great way of networking and building trust and relationships.
The manager has a higher degree of formal and informal control.
Managers can listen to their subordinates and increase their participation in decision-making.
Employees have an open channel with their managers, where the latter can motivate the former and share valuable ideas.
The workspace has a strong feedback mechanism.

Disadvantages

Too much involvement from the boss might not be appreciated by the employees, who wish to draw the line somewhere.
Besides, managers can sometimes get too nosy and wish to lead their employees step-by-step, thus dumbing-down work.
While the manager shares their ideas and inputs with the employee, the latter might disregard their ideas and bluntly accept the manager's opinion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are some strategies for introducing management by walking around in a company?

Introducing management by walking around can start with small steps, such as scheduling regular informal conversations with employees and gradually increasing interaction. Additionally, it can be helpful to communicate the benefits of MBWA to employees and provide training to managers on how to implement the technique effectively.

How can management by walking around improve job satisfaction?

Management by walking around, can improve job satisfaction by giving managers a better understanding of their employees' work, creating opportunities for open communication and feedback, and building relationships based on trust and mutual respect. This can lead to a more positive work environment and a greater sense of ownership and investment in the company's success.

What potential pitfalls to avoid when implementing management by walking around?

Some potential pitfalls to avoid when implementing management by walking around include micromanagement, over-involvement, and neglecting privacy boundaries. These can be addressed by establishing clear expectations, respecting boundaries, and training managers on effective communication and feedback.