Gemba walk

Let board members experience and understand what a responsive mindset and way of working entails and how it contributes to organizational goals by doing a “Gemba walk.”  This is a key practice in lean methodology where managers and leaders go to the actual place where the work is done, also known as the “Gemba” or the “real place”. The purpose of a Gemba walk is to observe processes in action, engage with employees, ask questions, and gather insights to understand the work being done, identify opportunities for improvement, and support problem-solving efforts.

This replaces giving presentations or delivering progress reports to board members. For them it is a great opportunity to discover what is happening in the teams: they hear things they were unaware of. 

You can, for example, let teams share what value they have delivered and what they are proud of. Visible results provide insight into what the teams are working on. Teams can also indicate what they are struggling with, which hinders them from delivering value. When a board member sees what this costs the team and the organization, they can prioritize removing these obstacles. Teams can also share their ideas or decisions they need. Leaders can explain why certain choices have been made and where the priorities lie.

Overall, this ensures connection and insight and can lead to a conversation with board members about making the organization even more responsive.