The Value of MBWA for Students to Consider
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Managing By Walking Around (MBWA) is getting new attention because of a field study at a Latin American bank. The authors conclude what business communicators know: It’s good for managers to actually speak with their employees.
A concept from the 1980s, MBWA means leaving one’s office and visiting employees throughout the workspace. This study found positive results; as one author says, “The pattern of our results points to MBWA working through improved employee motivation, instead of any monitoring or employee learning effects.”
The study methodology and conclusions raise a lot of questions for me. But a useful class discussion might focus on students’ reflections on management behavior in past jobs and internships. Did they appreciate a manager’s presence? Under what conditions did visits improve or decrease their motivation? What did the manager do—speak informally with employees, or just walk around? Did the manager’s personality or the student’s relationship with the manager affect how they perceived the visit? What if a manager spends time with some employees but not others?
In addition, how could MBWA be replicated in a virtual environment? I don’t know anyone who likes surprise Zoom or Team meetings. But, how else can managers “pop in” on employees to demonstrate support and reinforce good performance rather than appearing to monitor or criticize?
