Post by Toyota Production System & Lean Hub

Credits: Angad S. If the floor suddenly gets tidy and everyone looks busy the moment you walk out, you aren't doing a Gemba walk. You are just watching a performance. (Nobody cleans up for a leader they actually trust with the mess.) When people know they are being watched by someone keeping score, the factory floor stops being a workplace and turns into a stage. You arrive, problems get tucked out of sight, and all the answers are smooth. You leave feeling informed, having seen absolutely nothing real. You can tell you are running an inspection instead of a true Gemba walk if you see these three things: 1. The sudden hustle: The pace lifts the second you turn the corner. 2. The rehearsed answers: Every question gets a smooth "everything is fine." (Real work is never fine). 3. The heavy silence: You point out a problem, and the room goes completely still, waiting to see who gets blamed. When the floor goes quiet, it isn't because they have nothing to say. It is because the last operator who spoke up honestly got named in a meeting for it. The rest of the floor watched, learned, and decided the truth wasn't worth the price. You cannot inspect your way to the truth. You have to earn it by making it safe to be honest in front of you. Do that long enough, and the performance stops. Then, they will finally show you what is actually broken. Learn to build quality into the process through our TPS Programs, led by Toyota Japan experts https://lnkd.in/gjixvuwi Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group for more updates: https://lnkd.in/gJr_tPy6