MBWA (Management By Walking Around) “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, equipment, or on the status of ongoing work. The emphasis is on the word wandering as an unplanned 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 organizational 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.”1
The Walking Leader as it applies to MBWA.
While the premise of MBWA is to go in an “unstructured manner…at random” sounds great and the spontaneity of the getting out seems the best way to catch them off guard. It is also the best way to NOT get it done, to not make it happen. When you are out of being spontaneous what have you got? You have the uncertainty of not being able to keep them on the edge or on their toes, patiently or impatiently waiting for your arrival. Eventually, that uncertainty will lead to doubt. Once doubt creeps in, the want and will to do the MBWA becomes difficult and will lead to stopping all together.
The Walking Leader calls for the intentional manner of scheduling time, planning a route and leave the spontaneity to the conversations you will encounter. By planning and scheduling time ensures that you have the time set aside to get out there and walk around. Those you are walking around to see and meet will expect you and they too can alter their schedules, as well.
Now you may ask what about the randomness. Of course, you can always mix things up. Intentionally, mix things up. The Walking Leader encourages randomness but to keep things focused on allowing those you are walking around to see and meet to continue doing their job. Never let the spontaneity and randomness of MBWA become a distraction to the workflow. Then again, never let the schedule and planning become a distraction to their workflow as well as yours.
However, as the Walking Leader you should make MBWA part of your workflow. By making the time, effort, and interaction a part of your day’s workflow you are giving yourself the ability to obtain more information, achieve higher visibility, and of course, your ability to walk your talk leads to and lends to increased credibility.
Integrating the 20 rules of the Walking Leader allows anyone to go out and about the organization loaded with the tools which can be altered to fit any leader, leader’s mission and vision, as well as any organization’s mission and vision. The twenty rules of the Walking Leader are designed to empower any leader by making them the right fit for each unique situation found in about any modern workplace, no matter the industry.
Simply, being the Walking Leader is leading by example. Management By Walking Around is the method that allows the Walking Leader to lead by example. Leading by Example is how new leaders are made. Making new leaders is the primary mission and focus of ALL Leaders.
The Walking Leader (dot) com’s Weekly Leadership Poll Question for this week (09/29 – 10/05) is: COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR ALL LEADERS? (click here to answer)
Communication is the only priority. When it comes to leaders becoming leaders, staying leaders, and making new leaders communication is king. By this I mean there is no other form that will convey the message and sustain the message greater than communication.
Communication in all its forms is what drives leadership.
Whether it be written or spoken, the message of the leader to her followers and the message of the followers to the leader must be clear, concise, well read, understood and can be acted upon with impunity then the conveyance of the message is success. Why with impunity?
Impunityis defined as the “exception from punishment or freedom from the injures consequences of inaction“. Thus when the message is clear, concise and understood, there should be no worries about what actions need to be taken, as there is no misunderstanding. Unfortunately, not all forms of communications are this way. Most messages are riddled with ambiguity and most of all uncertainty. It’s a miracle any work gets done at all.
So, as the leader must lead by example it falls upon the leader to deliver any message (in any format) in a manner that the message is understood and can be acted upon. It is when a leader fails to deliver that caliber of message that the followers cannot act on the message. When open ended questions are asked the answers will vary almost to the level of missing the point of the question altogether and that is when the ambiguity and the uncertainty creeps in.
It falls on the leaders, all leaders at all levels of the organization, to ensure that they work on improving their communication skills. Whether it is practicing your speeches, practicing and honing their writing skills, or creating better graphics they have the responsibility to ensure the message is understood.
Of course, there are applications and software packages that will change text or create better looking designs but where is the leader learning to improve? If the leader turns over those functions of communication to a software package and washes his hands of personally improving the content then how is that leader getting better? The leader is not getting better.
The leader got into a position of leadership begin by doing the dirty work and the leader must continue to do that to dirty work even if it means cracking open a thesaurus, every once in awhile. Therefore, the leader must do everything he or she can to improve themselves personally and professionally. If they have to give the speech how are they going to get better there are no applications for that? What there is, is standing up in front of a mirror and practicing and speech over and over again.
Because the message is so important, communication IS a Top Priority. As I mentioned, Communication is what put the leaders in that position they are now. Communicating is what will keep them there. Communicating is how they will make new future leaders. And again as always, that is nonnegotiable!
Leaders are a very special breed of people. Special in that they recognize the need to constantly work at becoming better leaders. As leaders, they know the way to become better involves a very diverse and broad reaching actions. Actions deliver huge impacts on their growth but also serve as motivating factors for their followers. These unique leaders know that it all begins when they get out from behind their desks and walk the company floor. While out and about their actions and behaviors will be under close observation. They do this because they are leaders worthy of followers. These actions and behaviors will contribute to the continued growth of the leader, her peers, her followers, and all stakeholders.
#1 Leaders Get Out From Behind Their Desks
All Leaders know first hand they cannot lead sitting behind a desk. Leaders must get up from behind their desks and not only walk around their department but also walk the company floor. A leader that wants to become a better leader knows that being visible and available all while ensuring their duties and responsibilities are met are the kind of leaders that will move up in the organization. This does not mean that a leader has to schmooze but it does mean they have to get out and meet people. By meeting people, I mean they have to meet everyone in the organization not only the C-Suite. Being one of those individuals that would rather schmooze the bosses and look down on the receptionist does not even qualify as a bad manager. Don’t do it! If you are currently doing that, just stop! Get back on track and start shaking those hands. Greet people, go to them, do not wait for them to come to you. Smile, Say Hello and most of all, MEAN IT! Do not be like that bad manager and go through the motions. No matter what you do, always make time to get out there, either schedule it or force it but remain consistent. Oh, do not for one second think you can ignore your team. They take their cues from you, so ensure you visit with them as well.
#2 Leaders Say What They Mean and Mean What They Say
Resolving to becoming a better leader means the leader is always changing and evolving. However, not all things need to change only refined. The one thing that can never be changed is the leader’s authenticity, it can only get better through refinement. The leader that never flinches with what they say and what they do is a leader that cannot waiver from his/her duty and responsibility to those she leads. A leader that can be counted on to say what they mean and mean what they say will never be questioned as to their authenticity because their track record is proven. Certainly, I am not saying anything new here. I am, however, reinforcing that through constant growth, development, and refinement of who they are, what they stand for, and how they convey that message to everyone. Leaders may find that it is not easy to sharpen and refine their level of authenticity if they were to sit down and think about how they are going to be better. Sadly, to sharpen and refine means to get up and do. It means to get up off your backside and start doing.
#3 Leaders Value The Opinions of Others, Even If They Do Not Agree With Them
As the world is full of individuals that would rather use their powers for evil or nefarious acts, those that would use their powers for good get cast to the wayside. For those individuals that use their powers for good and are in positions of leadership are the lucky few. They are lucky because using their powers and abilities for good include valuing the opinions of others, especially if they do not agree with them. In this current political climate, there are so many varying views in the home, the work place, social gatherings, you name it. Leaders that value the opinions of others are also rare, few and far between but they are out there. Those leaders that make it a point to hear all sides of the argument are the leaders that will be around for a long time. Why? They respect people. They respect that uniqueness of individuals. They respect people enough to hear them out. This does not mean leaders have to agree with everyone. Remember, leaders cannot be all things to all people. Great Leaders know this as do the people that follow the leader. A Great Leader will have to weigh everything and then act on what is best for the group and sometimes, that is not the popular thing. Even when it is not popular, the one thing that all followers will agree on is that the leader took the time to hear and listen to them.
#4 Leaders Are NOT Quick To Judge
Leaders must never be quick to judge. To be fair and impartial, leaders are always at risk of being considered bias and partial, is not easy. However, a leader that is not biased and is impartial is one that has seen more than his fair share of bias, prejudice, favoritism, and other atrocities. A leader that has experienced that form of nonsense and can come out of it a fair and just individual is a leader worthy of leading and shaping the future of others. These are the leaders that will seek, gather, collect, and assess the information needed to make timely and sound decisions. A leader such as this will intentionally withhold judgment of others, especially when the information provided seems purely one-sided. A leader that has a sense of fair play will advocate for everyone to be heard and understood. Jumping to conclusions or delivering a decision before knowing all there is to know is the fast track to becoming known as unfair and unjust. Once tagged as unfair and unjust the leader might as well turn in his title as leader and consider himself a bad manager at best. This may sound harsh but the reality is there are still many individuals out there that through their own inability to do the right thing will continue to behave in such a manner. However, as a leader that believes in fairness, justice and equity is a leader that is making more leaders to not only become like her but better. Truly that is the leader’s ultimate goal.
#5 Leaders Never Front
Leaders are ORIGINAL. Leaders are UNIQUE. Leaders are ONE IN A MILLION. To be unique, original, and one in a million a leader must never front. Never put up a façade or a false front. Leaders do not have the luxury of fronting. Leader cannot afford to be caught fronting. A leader that fronts will quickly be discovered as a fraud, a fake and once labeled a fake or fraud, a leader almost never recovers. Why is it so difficult for a leader to recover from being labelled or considered a fake or fraud? Time and the Value of time. The time, effort, energy and value given to the leader by her followers. A leader will take her time to gain and maintain the trust of her followers. When that trust is broken then it becomes a deep, emotional loss. This loss is hard to replace. Remember, we are talking about leaders, real leaders, and not managers, especially when there is no love lost between a “micro-manager” and his employees. While it may be tempting for an up and coming leader to play a little “one-up” it is most certainly not beneficial to the career of that leader to even attempt to start or sustain that type of front. A leader, especially one that wants to improve themselves must not fall for the quick hits brought on by fronting but instead will work diligently to be original, unique and someone that will work to improve the trust between him and his followers.
These five things leaders do to become better leaders are just the tip of the iceberg of leadership. To become a better leader, you have to keep trying. You have to find what works for you as an individual. While many will say you have to do this or have to do that to be a great leader. What you have to do is find what works for you, stick to it, then add something else. A true leader will always seek improvement in themselves and in others. A leader that is on her way to become a Great Leader knows that doing what it takes comes with a price. The price is simple; never slack off and always stay on course. Yes, achieving Greatness is that simple. Many do not achieve that greatness because it looks like, feels like, sounds like and tastes like work.
