How effective is "Management by wandering around"?

[JEDI]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_by_wandering_around

The term management by wandering around (MBWA), also management by walking around,[1] refers to a style of business management which involves managers wandering around, in an unstructured manner, through the workplace(s), at random, to check with employees, or equipment, about the status of ongoing work.[1]

The emphasis is on the word wandering as an impromptu movement within a workplace, rather than a plan where employees expect a visit from managers at more systematic, pre-approved or scheduled times.

The expected benefit is that a manager, by random sampling of events or employee discussions, is more likely to facilitate improvements to the morale, sense of organisational purpose, productivity and total quality management of the organization, as compared to remaining in a specific office area and waiting for employees, or the delivery of status reports, to arrive there, as events warrant in the workplace.


Thoughts of Office Space comes to mind

 

[Rakehellion]

It's good to be engaged rather than passive.

 

[z1ggy]

Yeaaaaaaaah.... I'm going to need you to go ahead and come in on Sunday.....

 

[gorcorps]

That's pretty much how it is around here. I work at a steel mill, and we head out to the line to check on things and talk to the operators at random, multiple times a day. It's more casual so it doesn't feel like a meeting, and everybody is a lot more open about saying what's on their mind. If it was more structured some of the guys might not speak up. Some days you need to crunch data at the desk, and you need a break from the computer sometimes... walking the line talking to people is a great break for such days.

 

[kranky]

My belief is that people have to use a management style that fits them. I am a big fan of MBWA and use it myself. It has worked well for me. Some years back we had a CEO who essentially ordered all managers to adopt MBWA, and it simply didn't work for some of them. They felt awkward, struggled to open conversations, and weren't able to assimilate the many tiny bits of information into something actionable. And some managers seemed to think MBWA meant micro-managing which certainly doesn't work in most cases. (cue that Dilbert strip about the PHB deciding to be more of a hands-on manager)

You also have to account for the type of work being done. Don't do MBWA when the employees are typically doing difficult work because they will resent the interruption. You have to find a way to catch them when they are not waist-deep in a task that needs intense concentration.

A bonus to MBWA is it makes it easier to interact with others outside your direct group because you'll run into them more often as you walk around.

Just like people have different learning styles, managers should adopt a management style that works best in their situation. MBWA is one option but not necessarily the right one.

 

[brandonb]

I've worked at once place that did that.

I thought the system was way better all around than companies that follow a structured approach.

Like today in my job. We have the structured approach. I have a weekly meeting with my boss on Thursday at 1pm for an hour. Maybe once a month is he here at 1pm. The other 4 times he is getting his car fixed. Or has a "hair appointment". Etc.

It really quite bothers me that he blows off my 1 hour I get with him a week for other stupid reasons. If I try to talk to him outside of my meeting time he just has this irritated look like "I'm busy quit bothering me"...

Now at the other place the Management by wandering around:

The boss (or CTO) would wander around the office daily. In a lot of ways, we'd run out of things to talk about on a daily basis that was work related. Work might not have progressed much, so he'd just sit next to me and we'd bullshit about life. Or stupid business ideas we had that weren't related to what we were doing. Or video games etc.

It was a much more friendly atmosphere. He'd also stay late and start up Quake 3 matches in the office "My GF has a girls night out, so I have some extra time to kill. Anybody up for some Quake 3?"

My productivity and morale was 100x higher than it is at my current job. Granted not every place is going to follow these extreme examples. But I'd say that I liked the Management by wandering around worked very well for me and I'd say I enjoyed my job more there than anywhere else so far.

 

[Tombstone1881]

 

[OutHouse]

My belief is that people have to use a management style that fits them. I am a big fan of MBWA and use it myself. It has worked well for me. Some years back we had a CEO who essentially ordered all managers to adopt MBWA, and it simply didn't work for some of them. They felt awkward, struggled to open conversations, and weren't able to assimilate the many tiny bits of information into something actionable. And some managers seemed to think MBWA meant micro-managing which certainly doesn't work in most cases. (cue that Dilbert strip about the PHB deciding to be more of a hands-on manager)

You also have to account for the type of work being done. Don't do MBWA when the employees are typically doing difficult work because they will resent the interruption. You have to find a way to catch them when they are not waist-deep in a task that needs intense concentration.

A bonus to MBWA is it makes it easier to interact with others outside your direct group because you'll run into them more often as you walk around.

Just like people have different learning styles, managers should adopt a management style that works best in their situation. MBWA is one option but not necessarily the right one.

post of the year.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I agree with Kranky and brandonb. I use it and it has allowed me to engage with many people within the company that I wouldn't have normally and in many times, when a few folks are in the middle of a discussion in the hallway or in open space, it's always nice to hear different perspectives and somethings I get sucked in and have a new assignment added to my list.

I still remember when I worked for a company the CEO was present for every new hire orientation. During the course of the day, he stopped to talk to everyone, knew everyone by their first name(over 1000+ employees). I remember him asking me one time in the hallway how many dogs were doing b/c he had seen me walking my dogs along the lake the office was next to. Not only did he have a pulse at lowest totem pole but he made you feel important and valued, not just a number.

 

[mmntech]

It has its downsides, as some managers have a penchant to overdo it.

You don't want to be seen as:
1) bothering your employees when they're trying to work
2) hovering over them
3) or having people starting to wonder if you actually do any real work

 

[ctbaars]

My belief is that people have to use a management style that fits them. I am a big fan of MBWA and use it myself. It has worked well for me. Some years back we had a CEO who essentially ordered all managers to adopt MBWA, and it simply didn't work for some of them. They felt awkward, struggled to open conversations, and weren't able to assimilate the many tiny bits of information into something actionable. And some managers seemed to think MBWA meant micro-managing which certainly doesn't work in most cases. (cue that Dilbert strip about the PHB deciding to be more of a hands-on manager)

You also have to account for the type of work being done. Don't do MBWA when the employees are typically doing difficult work because they will resent the interruption. You have to find a way to catch them when they are not waist-deep in a task that needs intense concentration.

A bonus to MBWA is it makes it easier to interact with others outside your direct group because you'll run into them more often as you walk around.

Just like people have different learning styles, managers should adopt a management style that works best in their situation. MBWA is one option but not necessarily the right one.

^^ Bingo.
For me, about 4 trips / day in meeting everyone. In the process, problems get solved.
Not everyone comes forward when they would appreciate help. And we are a team. There is a time to step up and a time to step back. You said it way better than I.

 

[gorcorps]

My belief is that people have to use a management style that fits them. I am a big fan of MBWA and use it myself. It has worked well for me. Some years back we had a CEO who essentially ordered all managers to adopt MBWA, and it simply didn't work for some of them. They felt awkward, struggled to open conversations, and weren't able to assimilate the many tiny bits of information into something actionable. And some managers seemed to think MBWA meant micro-managing which certainly doesn't work in most cases. (cue that Dilbert strip about the PHB deciding to be more of a hands-on manager)

You also have to account for the type of work being done. Don't do MBWA when the employees are typically doing difficult work because they will resent the interruption. You have to find a way to catch them when they are not waist-deep in a task that needs intense concentration.

A bonus to MBWA is it makes it easier to interact with others outside your direct group because you'll run into them more often as you walk around.

Just like people have different learning styles, managers should adopt a management style that works best in their situation. MBWA is one option but not necessarily the right one.

That could depend on the employee too. There are guys that feel like we're questioning their decision making when we're checking on stuff when really we just wanted to know that a decision was made.

 

[Imp]

I still remember when I worked for a company the CEO was present for every new hire orientation. During the course of the day, he stopped to talk to everyone, knew everyone by their first name(over 1000+ employees). I remember him asking me one time in the hallway how many dogs were doing b/c he had seen me walking my dogs along the lake the office was next to. Not only did he have a pulse at lowest totem pole but he made you feel important and valued, not just a number.

That's actually pretty good.

I worked at an accounting company once. Initially, I thought it was nice that HR popped by at the end of the first day to check on me. Turns out they planned that down to the minute for every new hire. I sat outside their offices and they wouldn't even return a "hi" when I walked by them in the hallway after the first week or two.

 

[nageov3t]

couldn't imagine my boss doing that.

his most important job, as far as I'm concerned, is running interference between the tech workers and Sales/PM/vendors so we can focus on doing our jobs. that and budgeting... he pretty much spends 75% of his day in meetings/conference calls.

 

[Ns1]

good thread, some nice replies in here.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I try to use it, but at my current job they have completely overloaded me to the point that I can no longer get my work done even if I sit at the desk for 10 hours...

 

[slag]

Back in the 90's when I worked at Walmart, it was called CBWA, Coaching By Walking Around. It's effective, but basically its easy to nitpick and micromanage and you have to catch yourself and not do it as it can be extremely demoralizing. Look for the good and know how to coach without breaking people down and it can be an extremely effective tool. You also have to be able to listen to your employees and value their input.