MBWA and CBWA

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Tom Peters revisits MBWA - Management by Wandering Around in this post. Here's a tidbit:

"MBWA ... Managing By Wandering Around ... quickly became our favorite "excellence" idea! Technically, it meant staying in direct touch (damn the bureaucracy!) with the folks who do the work. Metaphorically, it stood for all/much of what was wrong with American management—McKinsey & Harvard Business School-style—as we confronted the Japanese challenge in areas such as product quality."

"Now, it's 25 years later ... and, frankly, not as much has changed as we had hoped. To this day! A lot of the problem in New Orleans was the absence of MBWA."

Interesting - I am with Tom on this one. So many problems are caused by bosses who are clueless -- bosses who have no idea what's keeping their employees up at night -- bosses who aren't noticing what's going on in time to be proactive.

I also like the concept of CBWA - coaching by wandering around. It's the practice of being a spontaneous catalyst. Being there at the second people could use a spark or sounding board. When I have worked in large organizations, I always enjoyed CBWA and my impact to the organization was higher when I got out and about.

Going back to the chunking idea - perhpas MBWA and CBWA is what we should do in between chunks.

Going back to the intimacy idea - perhaps MBWA and CBWA are important chunks, what better way to connect with people.

 

Comments

[Michael]

Bringing chunking and intimacy together makes great sense to me. Both are about greater depth, substance and quality from my perspective.

Your post has me trying to order these thoughts; here is a first attempt.

Chunking is intimacy with our work. It is the price of participating in a true craft. It is how quality work is done. Artisans have always known this but perhaps modern knowledge workers need to relearn this.

CBWA/MBWA is intimacy with our co-workers. It is the price of participating in a true community of workers creating quality outcomes. Again some leaders have always known that more things are "caught than taught" (a favorite phrase of mine) and for that reason have stayed close to those doing the work.

[Lisa Haneberg]

Michael - I think that is a great way of tieing it all together - I wish I have thought of that! Chunking IS about getting intiamte with your work. Thanks!