"Go See the Work" – The Power of Gemba Walks in Driving Performance

In my work with the largest privately held company in the United States, more than one international leader emphasized the power of Gemba Walks in their meat packing plants. Never having heard the term, and thinking something was lost in translation, I asked for clarification. It was explained to me that Gemba Walks is the practice where leaders go to the operations floor to inspect what they expect, identify pain points, and drive operational efficiencies.

Where did Gemba Walks originate? The term "Gemba" (現場) comes from Japanese lean manufacturing, particularly the Toyota Production System. In Japanese, Gemba means “the real place”—where the actual work happens. Toyota leaders would walk the factory floor to observe, ask questions, and uncover hidden inefficiencies - a reminder that real insights don’t come from reports or meetings; they come from seeing the work firsthand.

At Exemplary Performance, we apply this same principle when studying top performers. Observing high achievers in action—how they think, problem-solve, and navigate complexity—gives us the unfiltered truth about what drives excellence.

Why does this matter?

? Performance is contextual—Success depends on subtle, nuanced, situational decisions that can't be captured in reports or during phone interviews.

? Top talent operates differently—Greatness isn't always visible in job descriptions. We decode the real behaviors that drive impact.

? What’s measured improves—Once we uncover what the best do differently, we scale it across teams, transforming entire organizations.

Want to boost performance? Get out of the boardroom. Go to where the work happens. Observe. Ask. Learn. That’s where the real breakthroughs begin.

Have you ever had a leadership insight that only came after seeing the work firsthand? Let’s discuss. ??