Going to the Gemba
My latest column for Industry Week, Lessons from the Road, titled Going to the Gemba has been posted. Here is an excerpt:
You can read the entire post here.
Going to the gemba has become popular for the simple reason that it is powerfully effective. But there is more to it than getting up from your desk, as even this simple explanation attempts to demonstrate.
Gemba means “the real place” and is intended to get you to the location where something is really going on, whether a news story or a sporting event or a factory floor. It’s use has grown to include a more comprehensive approach.
Jeez the commenting system on IW is horrible (or I don’t understand it). I agree with your sentiment about the importance of purpose. I wouldn’t put it as strongly as you though. I want people to go. If they are not sure why, understand that, and go and try to make concrete connections. I don’t want to give managers excuses to stay hidden in meetings all day – I know you don’t mean that either.
Jeez the commenting system on IW is horrible (or I don’t understand it). I agree with your sentiment about the importance of purpose. I wouldn’t put it as strongly as you though. I want people to go. If they are not sure why, understand that, and go and try to make concrete connections. I don’t want to give managers excuses to stay hidden in meetings all day – I know you don’t mean that either.
Jeez the commenting system on IW is horrible (or I don’t understand it). I agree with your sentiment about the importance of purpose. I wouldn’t put it as strongly as you though. I want people to go. If they are not sure why, understand that, and go and try to make concrete connections. I don’t want to give managers excuses to stay hidden in meetings all day – I know you don’t mean that either.
Thanks John. Excellent point.
I agree – I want people to go. We’ve gone as far as moving meetings to the floor that had no purpose of being there, just to get people onto the floor. And we’ll try any trick necessary to get people and the gemba closer.
However, many do not move past the just-going phase. They may even be forced to spend time on the floor each day, but that doesn’t mean they learned anything. In some cases, I’ve seen people do damage to the culture by doing the wrong things while just hanging out at the gemba. I do think those who learn to make this concept effective do begin to go with purpose and meaning.
Thanks John. Excellent point.
I agree – I want people to go. We’ve gone as far as moving meetings to the floor that had no purpose of being there, just to get people onto the floor. And we’ll try any trick necessary to get people and the gemba closer.
However, many do not move past the just-going phase. They may even be forced to spend time on the floor each day, but that doesn’t mean they learned anything. In some cases, I’ve seen people do damage to the culture by doing the wrong things while just hanging out at the gemba. I do think those who learn to make this concept effective do begin to go with purpose and meaning.
Thanks John. Excellent point.
I agree – I want people to go. We’ve gone as far as moving meetings to the floor that had no purpose of being there, just to get people onto the floor. And we’ll try any trick necessary to get people and the gemba closer.
However, many do not move past the just-going phase. They may even be forced to spend time on the floor each day, but that doesn’t mean they learned anything. In some cases, I’ve seen people do damage to the culture by doing the wrong things while just hanging out at the gemba. I do think those who learn to make this concept effective do begin to go with purpose and meaning.
I agree. When people don’t know what to do yet, sometimes just having templates to follow helps. It also gives you something visible, if I didn’t complete the template I didn’t do what I was suppose to. Sometimes they can be a bit limiting but at the beginning especially they can help.
Things like http://kaizenfieldbook.com/marksblog/archives/2366 is an especially good idea for new people that might not be in the flow for what to do.
I agree. When people don’t know what to do yet, sometimes just having templates to follow helps. It also gives you something visible, if I didn’t complete the template I didn’t do what I was suppose to. Sometimes they can be a bit limiting but at the beginning especially they can help.
Things like http://kaizenfieldbook.com/marksblog/archives/2366 is an especially good idea for new people that might not be in the flow for what to do.
I agree. When people don’t know what to do yet, sometimes just having templates to follow helps. It also gives you something visible, if I didn’t complete the template I didn’t do what I was suppose to. Sometimes they can be a bit limiting but at the beginning especially they can help.
Things like http://kaizenfieldbook.com/marksblog/archives/2366 is an especially good idea for new people that might not be in the flow for what to do.