The Gemba WalkLean Leadership Series

A Tool For Getting Connected With All Employees.

What Is Gemba? The term Gemba means “the real place” , a place where work is actually done or value is created.

A Gemba is literally any direct location where the action is taking place. Within the lean culture it refers to the location where value is created and ultimately improved.

Management is able to observe from the front lines to develop the best improvement ideas - instead of behind a desk.

The term Gemba means “the real place” , a place where work is actually done or value is created.

A Gemba is literally any direct location where the action is taking place. Within the lean culture it refers to the location where value is created and ultimately improved.

Management is able to observe from the front lines to develop the best improvement ideas - instead of behind a desk.

You respect people, you listen to them, you work together. You do not blame them, Maybe the process was set up well, so it was easy to make a mistake.

Gemba walk is not a rocket science. It is easy and economical and more importantly can be done with lots of joy. The results are tremendous in terms of getting valuable information and building trust all across the organization.

Human error is inevitable. We can never eliminate it. We can eliminate problems in the system that make it more likely to happen.

Gemba Walk = It’s The System

Walking the Gemba is a process of developing your people.

Why the Gemba Walk? or Objective of the Gemba Walk

The objective of a Gemba walk is not to draw a map, or to solve a specific problem, or to Plan or Do or Check or Act.

A chance to talk with employees & people to understand purpose, process and to hear what problems are not getting solved.

Become aware of any existing abnormalities.

Connect team goals with the organization’s strategy.

Why the Gemba Walk? or Objective of the Gemba Walk

Instill discipline (e.g. standard work practices) .

Implement sustainable continuous improvement projects.

Deal immediately with hazardous and unsafe conditions.

Create a more efficient and effective working environment.

Empower workers to solve problems.

Develop “Lean Thinking” Team Members .

Who would be beneficiary?

Line managers in manufacturing operations.

Leaders and members of process improvement teams (staffs).

Leaders and members of various vertical functions: IT, HR, product engineering, finance, purchasing, etc.

And…consultants.

Gemba Walk & Leadership•Gemba walk is a way to build up the learning model like

sensei’s apprenticeship

▫Senei is also a Japanese word means “teacher or coach”.

▫The subordinates are just like students or apprentices.

•The Gemba walk is a part of “Check” in Plan-Do-Check-Act.

•A leader should also instill in the subordinates the discipline needed to effectively sustain a lean conversion and have it improve consistently.

•A leader has the responsibility of showing the “True North” direction of his students, coach them, point them in right direction and tell them when to stop and when to go.

A SOLUTION AND ACTIONS

•A model that allows an organization to recognize the “key group” in a lean transition.

•A model that helps identify existing communication gaps between operators and leadership and leadership and operators. This group is vital to successful policy deployment, and the development of a cultural of continuous improvement.

Gemba walk is a way of learning. A model that will help you gradually establish a new, lean way

of seeing and thinking.

Gemba Walk model

Your Approach is Key

• The observer must have a deep interest in understanding what is really going on

• Leave all assumptions and opinions at the office. Show respect.

• Direct observation takes a specific skill set. It essential to getting the most out of your Gemba.

• The observer must have a deep interest in understanding what is really going on

• Leave all assumptions and opinions at the office. Show respect.

• Direct observation takes a specific skill set. It essential to getting the most out of your Gemba.

Before you go to the Gemba you have to know how to approach the Gemba:

Your Approach is Key• The goal is to fully understand Gemba behaviors

and how they relate to the current situation within the Gemba

Your direct interaction with the employee(s) is important to the Gemba

Make sure they feel respected to get the most out of your Gemba.

Great opportunity to strengthen your lean culture.

• The goal is to fully understand Gemba behaviors and how they relate to the current situation within the Gemba

Your direct interaction with the employee(s) is important to the Gemba

Make sure they feel respected to get the most out of your Gemba.

Great opportunity to strengthen your lean culture.

Know Your PurposeIf you don't know why you're there, then there's no

point being there .

Wandering around without a purpose is inefficient and counter- productive.

Know before you go

Why am I going to observe?

What am I trying to learn?

You should never go to a Gemba without knowing these answers first!

If you don't know why you're there, then there's no point being there .

Wandering around without a purpose is inefficient and counter- productive.

Know before you go

Why am I going to observe?

What am I trying to learn?

You should never go to a Gemba without knowing these answers first!

Know Your GembaCalling your factory floor “your” Gemba is limiting your ability to improveCalling your factory floor “your” Gemba is limiting your ability to improve

The Gemba is wherever the activity is performed that you are trying to understand and improve.

The Gemba is wherever the activity is performed that you are trying to understand and improve.Each organization has it's own unique points of activity.Each organization has it's own unique points of activity.

Each point is a new Gemba.Each point is a new Gemba.

Observing takes… • Time • Effort • Patience • Practice • Humility

Taking the Gemba Walk: Tips for ObservingTaking the Gemba Walk: Tips for Observing

Gain Understanding of the Process Test Positions and Locations for Observing Record Observations & Questions Do not Assume, Ask Do not be in a Rush - Grow Roots

Gain Understanding of the Process Test Positions and Locations for Observing Record Observations & Questions Do not Assume, Ask Do not be in a Rush - Grow Roots

Observe The Framework

Validate Never assume that what you see is what you get. Assume

that what you see is a true representation of reality.

Something's the eye can't see.

Thought process as one works through a problem.

If you don't know the norm, you can't address abnormalities in the process. Avoid a false reality.

When an observation is complete, validate your conclusions with the one you observed.

You can then test your reality and validate your claims.

What Gemba Is Not Gemba is NOT Management by Walking Around or wandering around (MBWA).

Your goal is not to solve specific problems by walking around pointing out negatives .

Participating or observing a daily or tier management meeting.

One place that is not “Gemba” is a manager’s desk.

An opportunity to find fault in others.

What Gemba Is Not Don’t come with preoccupied . Don’t come having already decided. Don’t come to lecture.

Don’t come to get it off the list.

Don’t come holding your nose .

Don’t come as a wolf.

What Are You Waiting For?GET TO THE GEMBA!GET TO THE GEMBA!

Observe the Gemba

Engage with Employees

Continue to Improve Operations

Sustain your Lean Practices

Strengthen your Culture

Observe the Gemba

Engage with Employees

Continue to Improve Operations

Sustain your Lean Practices

Strengthen your Culture

Implementing the Gemba Walk• Take a walk through the core activities of the whole,

extended enterprise:

▫ Product and process development.

▫ Supplier management.

▫ Customer management and support.

▫ Fulfillment from order to delivery.

▫ General management system for the extended enterprise. (“What do managers do?” “How do managers lead?”)

Implementing technique for the Gemba Walk Be frank in your approach while talking to your colleagues. Avoid formal ways of conversation as it results in rigid responses most of the time.

Listen passionately. People tend to be more interested in talking and sharing when they see leaders are paying due attention.

Instead of sharing your ideas, ask people to come up with their views and thoughts. People need to realize -- ideas are sought in order to make things better for them.

Be frank in your approach while talking to your colleagues. Avoid formal ways of conversation as it results in rigid responses most of the time.

Listen passionately. People tend to be more interested in talking and sharing when they see leaders are paying due attention.

Instead of sharing your ideas, ask people to come up with their views and thoughts. People need to realize -- ideas are sought in order to make things better for them.

Implementing technique for the Gemba Walk

Be absolutely open and honest while answering any query or question. In case you do not have the right answer, please admit that, follow up and get back. If you are not in a position to share something, please say it upfront. Hiding facts or saying half-truths could completely destroy the trust.

Recognize people's success immediately. When things are not going right, avoid giving immediate feedback in public. This should be done later on in private.

Be absolutely open and honest while answering any query or question. In case you do not have the right answer, please admit that, follow up and get back. If you are not in a position to share something, please say it upfront. Hiding facts or saying half-truths could completely destroy the trust.

Recognize people's success immediately. When things are not going right, avoid giving immediate feedback in public. This should be done later on in private.

Implementing technique for the Gemba Walk An equal amount of time and focus need to be invested in every function. Biasness towards a section of people or function might ruin the whole purpose. A leader must be approachable by everyone in the organization.

Do not always talk about “work” only. Try to build relationship with your staff at a personal level. Simple things like smile, cracking jokes, and patting on the back have greater impact on building relationship.

Communicate and share company vision, goals, values, strategies with all staff members. If the whole organization is not tuned, success is hard to come by.

An equal amount of time and focus need to be invested in every function. Biasness towards a section of people or function might ruin the whole purpose. A leader must be approachable by everyone in the organization.

Do not always talk about “work” only. Try to build relationship with your staff at a personal level. Simple things like smile, cracking jokes, and patting on the back have greater impact on building relationship.

Communicate and share company vision, goals, values, strategies with all staff members. If the whole organization is not tuned, success is hard to come by.

The Bottom LineThe currency of leadership is presence.

Where leaders spend their time determines what is important to their organization