The Method of Management by Walking Around

Running Head: The Method of Management by Walking Around

Management by Walking Around

Brandon Richardson

Grantham University

The method of managing by walking around is a direct way for managerial staff to get better acquainted with their subordinate staff members and momentarily get a glimpse of their performance while at work. It is the habit of stopping by to talk with people face to face, get a sense of how they think things are going, and listen to whatever may be on their minds. It may be that popping in on employees unexpectedly is considered as a distraction, but according to (), the practice also yields real benefits. Management by walking around really helps you be more visible, connect with employees and share ideas, and invite suggestions for doing things better. However, beyond the obvious advantages of keeping your own finger on the pulse of the organization, employees are likely to be more engaged and productive if they see you and speak with you frequently than if they don't.

There are so many benefits of managing by walking around. Managers are actually getting away from their desks and starting to talk to individual employees. The idea is that they should learn about problems and concerns at first hand (). At the same time they should teach employees new methods to manage particular problems. The communication goes both ways. Often employees are reluctant to bring issues to a manager. They feel the manager is too busy or doesn't care about their issue. When you engage your employees on a regular basis they will see you care about them and will open up. The outcome will allow you to learn about problems they have doing their work, problems with co-workers, and suggestions for doing the work better (). This will enhance communications, raise morale and productivity. When employees see you actively engaged with them and the work you will build better relationships with them. A manager will build trust which is vital to a high performance team. It will be easier to motivate your employees to reach higher goals and improve themselves. All of these benefits will build a stronger team and improve performance.

Although the method of managing by walking around has been proven successful; never the less, there are several weaknesses that may occur unconsciously during this process. The difficulty with managing