In Their Natural Environment

by Pete Abilla on January 28, 2010

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emergency room, wait time, queueing theory, design thinking, shmula, ideo, ethnography, anthropology, lean manufacturing, lean thinking, six sigma, metacool, diego rodriquezI scheduled a meeting this week and a room for our meeting.  During the course of our conversation, we began to discuss process and other items related to the their work.  Gratefully, I had enough awareness to stop the conversation and we, as a team, walked out to the Gemba and continued our discussion there.

Where we ended-up was not comfortable or warm, but we were in their natural environment – where they do work everyday.  In this environment, they were able to show and share, not just talk about it.  Then, something really magical happened.

What proceeded was a very productive and energetic discussion that turned into a mini Kaizen.  I guarantee that it would not have turned out so well if we had continued our discussion in the meeting room.

Go to the Gemba.  In the Gemba, we begin to empathize with people – we not only see their pain, but we feel it – and that has tremendous power to change hearts and minds.

A spreadsheet or report doesn’t invoke emotion, but experiencing the facts can.  That is the power of being in the Gemba.

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

shmula January 29, 2010 at 5:21 am

in the gemba http://bit.ly/9Fyr2e

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

leanisgood January 29, 2010 at 6:56 am

Going to the Gemba from @shmula – In Their Natural Environment http://tinyurl.com/y97xhkb

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

Tyler_Ellis January 30, 2010 at 9:36 am

An interesting read: In Their Natural Environment: I scheduled a meeting this week and a room for our meeting.  Du… http://bit.ly/biVfja

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

maxchichi February 1, 2010 at 1:00 am

RT @shmula in the gemba http://bit.ly/9Fyr2e

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

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