ABSTRACT
The concept of management by walking/wandering around (MBWA) is thought to have begun at Hewlett-Packard in the 1970s. MBWA went mainstream in 1982 with Tom Peters and Robert Waterman's classic book In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best Run Companies. The practice of employee rounding adds structure or standard to spending time with employees at the point of value creation. To spot problems early and make rounding most effective, create a series of mini-feedback systems (flags) which provide instantaneous feedback on whether things are in control (green flag) or out of control. Employee rounding provides a regular framework for building that caring and supportive relationship. Consideration should be given to design metrics so that employees can easily garner the necessary data in as close to real time as possible.
