“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – John C. Maxwell
Happy Friday, Brew Nation!
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Mindset – Management by Walking Around vs. Walking with Purpose
You may have heard of the term ‘Management by Walking Around’ (MBWA), a leadership style that encourages leaders to walk the floor in an unstructured way to check in with team members, observe, and connect. It’s far from a new concept – management consultants Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman proposed the concept in their 1982 book In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best Run Companies. The intent? To boost morale, stay informed, and build relationships—not from behind a desk, but right in the heart of the action.
In the Lean world where I spend the majority of my time today, there’s a similar but more structured approach called the ‘Gemba Walk.’ The Gemba is the place where work happens—on the shop floor, in the field, or wherever value is created. Gemba walks are intentional, focused, and regular. And they’re powerful. Leaders who consistently show up in the Gemba earn trust, spot opportunities, and model presence.
“Real leadership doesn’t happen behind a desk—it happens where the work is done. Whether you’re wandering the floor or walking the Gemba, showing up with intention builds trust, boosts morale, and turns presence into influence.”
— Coach John Gallagher
Why does this matter?
It matters because leadership is about relationships. Whether in your workplace, your home, or your church, people need to know you care—and the only way they’ll know that is if you invest time with them. Intentional, present time.
So, if it is so important, then why do so many leaders set this practice to the side? The excuses, I mean reasons, are many: the busyness of daily tasks pushes it down the priority list, or the uncertainty of what to say during those crucial Gemba walks is a common barriers I hear regularly that prevent leaders from consistently engaging in Gemba walks. Others might include a fear of interrupting workflow or appearing intrusive, a lack of understanding of the true purpose and benefits of a Gemba walk, a belief that their time is better spent in meetings or behind a desk, or perhaps even a lack of awareness of the issues or concerns their team members are facing. Blah, blah, blah.
Apply Learning – Make It a Discipline, Not a Drive-By.
The truth? If you’re going to build real relationships, you have to be intentional. Remember… Good intentions without discipline lead to excuses. Good intentions with discipline lead to excellence.
Here are a few tips to get started:
- Schedule it: Block time for connection. If you don’t plan your time, someone else will. It has to become part of your daily or weekly routine.
- Prepare questions: Keep a few go-to questions handy. The goal is curiosity, not interrogation.
- Journal what you learn: Follow up when someone shares something personal. It shows you care and builds trust.
- Butterfly: Fly around and say hello like my friend Craig does. The magic is in the consistency.
And if you don’t have a “floor” to walk? Try the 3-2-1 framework:
– 3 coffees (or virtual coffees) per month
– 2 lunches with teammates or family
– 1 dinner to go deeper in one key relationship
Sure, schedules get crazy, and knowing what to say can feel awkward. But the bottom line? Relationships are the bedrock of leadership. People need to feel your care, and that only happens when you invest your time – real, intentional time – with them.
So, let’s ditch the excuses and embrace the discipline of connection.
Being effective as a leader requires building intentional relationships. That’s why I encourage leaders to practice the discipline of presence through daily or weekly Gemba walks—or relational check-ins using the 3-2-1 framework. Whether you’re on the shop floor, on Zoom, or at lunch with a team member, consistent connection communicates care more than any memo or meeting ever could. Because of good intentions without discipline? Just leads to excuses.
Want to get started? Email me at [email protected] with the word ‘GEMBA’ in the subject line, and I’ll send you my favorite Gemba Walk prompts and the 3-2-1 relationship tracker to help you lead with presence and purpose.
- Quote of the Week:
“Excellence only happens on purpose.” – Coach John
What You Need to Do
Call to Action: Walk with Intention, this week, schedule time to show up—physically or virtually—with someone you lead. Listen. Ask. Remember. And Repeat. Excellence in leadership isn’t random. It’s relational—and it’s intentional.
It’s an honor to be your trusted “Friday Coffee Guy.” Each week, I’m excited to provide another round of curated content that I’ve been reading, listening to, watching, or thinking over. The purpose of the Champions Brew is to inspire, equip, and encourage you to become the uncommon leader you were designed to be.
If you enjoyed this edition of Champions Brew, I’d love it if you shared it with someone in your circle who might benefit from it too. And ask them to subscribe! Let’s grow Brew Nation together!
Until next time – Go and Grow, Champions!
P.S. Are you a podcast fan? The Uncommon Leader Podcast is for you. Interested in being a guest and sharing your story? Email me at [email protected] and let’s chat and make something big!
